What Kind Of Oil Do You Use In A Meat Grinder? -

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Using oil in locomotive machines is very essential if you want a lot of things to go well with your appliance, but the real question begging to be answered is what kind of oil do you use to ensure they are in good working conditions?

Well, if you are among the millions of people seeking to know what kind of oil I use in my meat grinder, then here’s an answer for you.

While many brands come to mind, ensure the choice you settle for has mineral oil as its key ingredient. Spray oil bottles that contain mineral oil help to prevent rust and oxidation which can be very detrimental to the lifespan of your meat grinder.

This food-grade mineral oil from Amazon is very easy to use and will only take you a matter of minutes to get the job done and keep your meat grinder sparkly and ready for use.

The importance of oiling your meat grinder

As stated earlier, one of the foremost reasons you should oil your meat grinder is to prevent rusting. Rusting reduces the lifespan of your meat grinder by almost one-third, and if not done adequately, you might end up having the same issues you were running from – rust and oxidation.

Here are other reasons why you should oil your meat grinder before storage;

1. It makes rotation easy

This is true, especially for manual grinders. The worm mechanism in the food tube of your manual meat grinder will function properly if the parts are properly lubricated before storage.

Oiling your meat grinder will reduce the force expended in rotating the handle for an effective grind by half if done properly.

2. Saves you money in the long run

Like the old saying “penny wise pound foolish”, lubricating your meat grinder will ensure you don’t have to have another budget for a meat grinder in the future, especially if you properly take care of the one you have. It also means you don’t have to worry about budgeting for items to remove rust from your meat grinder.

3. It makes storage easier

With your meat grinder parts lubricated, storage becomes something you look forward to with relative ease. Oiling ensures your meat grinder is properly stored without any side effects that will be detrimental to the working principle of your meat grinder.

How to maintain and store your meat grinder

Below, I will be outlining steps on how to maintain and store your meat grinder to ensure it lasts you longer than initially anticipated;

Materials needed

Slices of bread
Rice
Warm soapy water
LEM Products 686 Grinder Cleaning Kit ( Contains 5 small brushes plus other items)
Plastic bag
Mineral oil (food-grade mineral oil)
Sponge
Dry rag
Bleach

Step 1: Grind bread in your meat grinder after grinding meat

Grinding slices of bread will ensure your meat grinder is rid of meat oil that is present in the food tube of your meat grinder. The bread helps to absorb the oil and also takes out little meat residue from the food tube fin the meat grinder. A few slices will get the job done.

Step 2: Dismantle your meat grinder

After grinding the bread, dismantle your meat grinder by using the instruction manual as a proper guide. Use a brush to remove particles of the food and bread that can be seen.

Step 3: Soak removed parts in warm soapy water for 20-30 minutes

Soak the removed parts in warm soapy water for at least 30-minutes to make for easy washing. Do not soak the motor parts if your meat grinder is electric to avoid damage – only soak the parts of your electric meat grinder that can be removed.

Step 4: Wash thoroughly

Using your bottle brush and sponge, ensure you do a thorough job when washing the parts – the tough stains should be easy to remove by now. Use your bottle brush to gain access to areas where your hands and sponge can’t reach. Take care when washing the blades to avoid any cases of injuries.

Rinse with clean water when you are down, or preferably, use the kitchen tap when running at high pressure.

Step 5: Allow drying

After rinsing, allow to dry properly, and also ensure you use a towel to dry the parts. Place on the surface of your kitchen table for proper ventilation.

Step 6: Spray your mineral oil on the parts to be stored

Once the parts are dried, lubricate the parts of your meat grinder to be stored such as the pushers and screws because they mostly come in contact with your meat during the grinding process. You can use a spray bottle to get the oil on the parts for speed, or you can use a 2-inch painter’s brush.

Step 7: Store in a sealable plastic bag containing rice

Once the parts are oiled, place them in a sealable plastic containing rice. The rice will help absorb any form of moisture that is still present in the part after the entire process. Ensure the bags are sealed properly.

Step 8: Store parts in the refrigerator

It’s no longer news that meat grinder parts are more efficient when they are cold, if there is enough room in your refrigerator try storing the parts there.

This will save you the time of having to place your grinder in the refrigerator before actual usage. However, if there is no space in your refrigerator, store the parts in a dry place but ensure you refrigerate these parts before use to get the best result.

Do not store the motor part of your meat grinder in the refrigerator if it is electric as it can get damaged as a result.

Step 9: Use bleach to sterilize oiled parts before use

Before using your meat grinder after storage, ensure you sterilize the oiled parts. Measure a tablespoon of bleach and mix it with about 3.8 litres of water, get an empty spray bottle and spray on the oiled parts before use.

Thereafter, rinse these parts with clean water to remove the bleach before assembling your meat grinder for use.

More tips for prolonging the life of your meat grinder

If you are a fan of Silverskin, or you simply feel lazy removing them before grinding your meat, the research I made suggests that continually grinding your meat with the Silverskin in place will have a detrimental effect on the sharpness of your grinder blades – in simple words, your grinder blades will become blunt sooner, rather than later as a result.
Ensure you freeze your meat before every grind to make it easy for your blades when grinding – you can do the same for your grinder blade as well.
Don’t make the mistake of using a dishwasher to wash your meat grinder parts. The heat involved in the process can damage the parts as a result, and leaving the parts in water for a long time can cause rust.

How do you get rust out of a meat grinder?

Perhaps, your meat grinder has stood the test of time and as a result, there happens to be rust in certain areas of your meat grinder, use the following methods I will be explaining below to get the best result possible.

Using brush – Materials needed

Red meat
Wire brush

You can use a brush if the rust has not eaten deep into the metal. To do this, get a wire brush and thoroughly scrub the area where the rust appears – ensure the part is not wet as at when you want to brush these parts. Then, grind some quantity of red meat, most preferably the fatty areas.

To avoid future occurrences, try cleaning and drying the parts of your meat grinder properly and adequately.

Use saltine crackers – Materials needed

Saltine/soda crackers

Using saltine crackers will help to remove the rust if used correctly. After grinding your meat, run some saltine crackers through the feed tube of your meat grinder, and grind adequately to remove the rust in these areas.

Saltine crackers are made of yeast, white flour, and baking soda which are very active ingredients to help combat rusts from metallic surfaces.

Use vinegar – Materials needed

White vinegar
Stainless steel brush
Baking powder
Mineral oil

The use of vinegar is preferred in severe cases of rust. Follow the following steps to achieve the best result.

Step 1: Disassemble your meat grinder

After grinding, disassemble your meat grinder and clean thoroughly. Ensure you carry out the normal cleaning procedure before carrying out the next step outlined below.

Step 2: Soak the rusted parts in white vinegar

Soak the parts that are rusted in white vinegar – the vinegar shouldn’t be diluted in any way. Depending on the degree of rusting, soak the rusted parts for as long as possible, then remove the parts from the vinegar and brush thoroughly.

For severe rust, it is advised you use a stainless steel brush (click here for more details) for the best result.

Step 3: Soak in baking powder and water

After scrubbing, use a ratio of 2:1 for baking powder and water when mixing, then soak the rusted parts for another couple of minutes. The baking powder will help to remove any form of acidic residue that has been deposited by the vinegar. It is also advised that you use hot water for the best result.

Step 4: Rinse the parts

After the vinegar and baking powder treatment, use clean water to completely rinse all the parts, then apply some mineral oil on these parts as explained in the first segment of this article to prevent a future occurrence of rust from your grinder.

Use Barkeeper’s friend

The use of Barkeeper’s friend will not only remove the rust from the affected areas but will also give your meat grinder a shining look. After cleaning with Barkeeper’s friend, use water to remove the chemicals, then ensure the parts are properly dried before storage.

How to remove rust from the disc of your meat grinder

The disc of your meat grinder can also mean its blades, depending on how you look at it. Removing the rust from this part of your meat grinder can be quite tricky, but having these materials below should help out;

Rubber hand gloves
Putty knife
Vegetable oil
Empty spray container
Wire brush
Needle file
Dish soap

Step 1

Put on your rubber gloves to prevent any sort of injury – the safer, the better.

Step 2

Disassemble the meat grinder and ensure they are properly washed, then use your putty knife to remove the bits of meat you are likely to find on the disc plate.

Step 3

Spray some vegetable oil on the disc, then proceed to use your wire brush. Try scrubbing in a circular motion to get the best result, then ensure you scrub thoroughly.

Step 4

Apply the oil on the surface of the disc for a second time, then use your small file to scrub the circular holes on the disc. Use a needle file to effectively clean the tiniest hole on the disc, and ensure you scrub thoroughly as well.

Step 5

Use dish soap and water to clean the disc using a sponge. Rinse the disc in clean water and ensure it is completely dry before storage. Ensure you rub mineral oil on the blades before storage to prevent rusting.

FAQs

How do you keep meat grinders from clogging?

To prevent your meat grinders from clogging, try carrying out the following steps

Remove excess fat and Silvermeat from your meat grinder before grinding.
Always clean your meat grinder after every use
Endeavor to sharpen your blade when necessary. Don’t let it get too blunt before doing the needful.
Feed your meat grinder with to capacity – not above. You don’t have to feel it to the brim to drive home your point.

How do you maintain an electric meat grinder?

Electric meat grinders have motors that should not be soaked in water. However, you can still clean the blades and other removable parts by dismantling and cleaning them properly, then lubricate these parts before storage. The motor section of electric grinders can also be cleaned using a damp rag and a dry towel to maintain its outlook.

What is food grade silicone spray used for?

Food grade silicone spray is a lubricant that has been classified as safe to use in food processors. These lubricants are odourless, tasteless, and colourless for consumption. They can also be used to preserve parts of your meat grinder to prevent any form of corrosion.