You know, it can be quite time-consuming work to grate large blocks of cheese. If you own a meat grinder in your arsenal and you are a heavy cheese consumer, no wonder you have the temptation to try your machine out for the task. So, can you put cheese in a meat grinder? Yes, you can use your meat grinder as a cheese grinder, but you need to keep some critical points in mind. We’ll let you know everything. Let’s get started without ado.
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So, Can You Put Cheese In A Meat Grinder?
Yes, you don’t have to waste your important time finding fancy cheese shredding equipment if you have a meat grinder. However, it is essential to get the proper attachment to get neat and loveable results. Later in the article, we will let you learn how to grate cheese fast using a meat grinder. Until then, we have a bunch of other useful information for your observation before putting things in a meat grinder.
Pros and Cons of Shredding Cheese in a Meat Grinder
Shredding cheese is one of the main other uses for a meat grinder, but does it have any negative impact on your machine? What are the advantages of using a meat grinder to shred cheese? Let us show you both sides of the coin so that you can decide whether the effort is worth it.
Pros of Shredding Cheese in a Meat Grinder
Here is the positive side of things.
It Saves Time
You would know the time it consumes to grate a considerable amount of cheese using an ordinary cheese grater. With a meat grinder, you can save your time unbelievably as the process takes no more than a couple of minutes.
It Takes Less Effort
If you prefer a meat grinder to shred cheese, it barely requires any effort from your end than a tiny bit of push to cheese block into the machine. However, the cheese grater is a 100% manual device, and you have to put all the effort on your own throughout the process.
Keeps Your Place Clean
No one can argue with the fact that grinding cheese with a meat grinder makes less mess around your kitchen.
Cons of Shredding Cheese in a Meat Grinder
The Oil Aspect of Cheese
Cheese is an oily food, and putting it in a meat grinder won’t be that good for your machine. However, you can mitigate this issue by freezing the cheese before the process starts. Actually, freezing is something you must do regardless of the thing you try with your meat grinder. If the machine or the ingredient you try is warm, the output might not have the consistency you expect.
Cleaning
Still, there will be some oil left in the machine if you are shredding a significant amount of cheese. If this is the case, cleaning your meat grinder won’t be a walk in the park. You are bound to use more bread slices and put some extra time into getting your machine to its previous state. Wasting food while preparing some other meal might not go well with certain souls as well.
Does a meat grinder shred cheese other than the above two issues? Yes, more or less, they are the only prominent challenges you will face along the way. Let’s move on to the next passage of the article.
The Best Cheese for Grinder
First of all, note that there are no “grinder cheese” products. In addition, let us emphasize again that whatever the cheese you use has to be refrigerated before you put it in the meat grinder. Here are the three best cheese types we recommend for grinding.
Grana Padano
Without a doubt, Grana Padano is one of the best Cheese types coming from Italy. There are more than 2 million cheese wheels sold worldwide each year. Also, it is arguably one of the best cheeses to go in a meat grinder.
The more it is aged, the greater results you get in terms of taste, aroma as well as shredding feasibility.
Pecorino Romano
Another popular cheese kind comes from Italy and is the ideal candidate available for you to grate and use. There is no doubt that it works well when aged, and grating also becomes much easier after some time. However, when using grated Pecorino, you have to be very attentive as it can overpower your dish because of its strong character.
Parmigiano Reggiano
When it comes to production, this one ranks second in Italy and is another suitable product that we recommend using in your meat grinder. Although there is no maximum ageing time for Parmigiano cheese, you have to wait at least one year from its production date in order to get the right flavor of it. If you can wait around 30 months, well, you will stick with it over and over again.
Best Way to Grind Cheese in a Meat Grinder
So, can you grind cheese in a meat grinder? You have our answer now, but how? Let us explain to you the easiest and best working method to grind cheese in a meat grinder.
1st Step
The first step is to choose right size of meat grinder and clean your machine. Make sure you get rid of all the food residue, if any. Using water and soap for a solution is effective and make sure you completely dry the machine before the use. Cleaning a meat grinder always comes with the hazard of cutting yourself because of the sharp blades. So keep that aspect in your mind as well.
2nd Step
Next, it’s time to prepare cheese. As we repeatedly said, you must freeze the cheese before grinding. In addition, cut the cheese into small cubes and sit at room temperature for a little while. Moreover, if possible, freeze the parts of your meat grinder as well.
Chilled meat grinders always provide you with consistent results, and considering the soft nature of cheese, freezing the parts of the machine is vital to keep the shredded cheese in good shape to use in the recipes as you want.
3rd Step
Now, you have to choose the right plate for grinding. A fine grinder plate is the best bet for the job, as it helps the cheese keep together after grinding while giving you finer cheese particles to match your need.
Make sure to mount the machine correctly and keep it on a stable surface.
4th Step
Let’s start grinding the cheese. You should put the cut cheese one by one into the feeding tube of your meat grinder. Please don’t push the cheese cubes forcefully, as doing so will mush and spoil all your effort.
5th Step
Once you complete grinding cheese in your meat grinder, ensure you clean the machine as soon as possible. Some slices of bread will help you extract the extra oil and cheese particles out of the meat grinder.
Then you can use the water and soap solution to wash the components of your machine. Dry the meat grinder completely before you store it. That’s it!
Tips for Shredding Cheese in a Meat Grinder
Here are some helpful tips to get the best results when shredding cheese in a meat grinder. We have mentioned these previously in the article and have compiled them into a list for your easy reference.
- Make sure to freeze the cheese before you put it in the meat grinder. Cheese has oil in it, and it will make the grinding process a mess if you fail to freeze the cheese well before the grind. Further, cut the cheese block into small cubes and freeze.
- Freezing the machine’s parts also plays a big role in the success of the job. Freezing is all about preventing warmth before and while the machine at operation.
- Choose the right sort of cheese. Not all cheese has the compatibility with a meat grinder. The options we provided you as the best cheese for grinding are recommended, and their versatility allows you to try out many types of dishes.
- Cleaning the machine right after the completion of the process is important for the longevity of your meat grinder. Considering cheese is an oily substance, do not leave the unit unattended after you shred the cheese if you love your gadget. A few slices of bread have to go in and wash it afterward.
Conclusion
Today we have reserved our blog post for talking about “can you put cheese in a meat grinder.” One can call this a shred cheddar cheese hack or using a meat chopper as a cheese grate grinder. Whatever you call it, now you should be able to shred a block of cheese without wasting time and effort very comfortably. Again! Remember to freeze the cheese and meat grinder and pick the right plate size to shred.
If our guide is not comprehensive to you, please drop your message in the comment section below. Until the next one, it’s goodbye from us.