Meat grinder sludge?

[jakeanderton]

I’m grinding meat for the 2nd time with a new grinder - L*M Big Bite #12. I’m not using any food grade silicone or anything. However, I am getting small pieces in the meat that don’t look like…… meat. Anyone else encounter this or know what might be the cause?

[WVTim]

jakeanderton I found once that there was an area of the grinder that had a little bit of old meat from my last grind stuck in it that had dried up and turned black. Not sure if that’s what you have there or how long between your first and second use. I take a light and check after cleaning everything now.

[processhead]

Agree. Could be old meat. If it is it would be dry and hard. If it is soft and moist it could be a blood clot.

[processhead]

One of the best and cheapest accessories you can get for cleaning the body of your grinder is a cleaning brush. For a number #12 grinder a NEW toilet brush works about perfectly. Also clean it with the hottest water you can.

[bleathery]

processhead Good thing you emphasized NEW!!

[jakeanderton]

Thanks everyone. I actually noticed this on my very first grind a month ago. Thought it was just the machine going through the motions on the first use. Discarded all the pieces that I found. This time, the auger, plate, knife, were all clean as a whistle. Still got the issue. That’s why I’m posting as I don’t think this is normal.

[Deepwoodsbutcher]

jakeanderton are you finding this right near the plate/knife or in the back of the grinder head assembly? I’ve seen this a lot when cleaning various grinders, but coming from back of the auger hub. I’ve always associated it with the grease and heat coming off the motor. However, if you find this near your plate/knife, it could be metal from friction on these components. In that case, make sure you 1)don’t over tighten the head,
2) don’t operate the machine without meat being fed into the plate, and
3) grease or oil the plate and knife before use

[jakeanderton]

Deepwoodsbutcher finding this on the meat after it’s been extruded from the machine. Not finding any evidence of meat getting the back of the auger. So, it must be near the plate and knife. I always back off screwing tightly by half a turn, and s**t off the grinder when not having meat into the auger. It’s puzzling to me.

[processhead]

Sounds very similar to some reports we heard here not long ago from new grinder purchasers that ran their machines the first few times. I think they attributed it to metal to metal wear where the knife and auger make contact.

Any evidence of heating of the grinder after it runs a while?

[jakeanderton]

processhead The first grind I did I made the mistake of not continuously feeding meat, and the auger became hot and cooked some meat. This time, I froze the auger, knife, plate and entire head assembly overnight. Also, ran the meat through continuously, stopping once to reload meat onto the feed tray. When done and washing the parts, the auger was still cold-ish.

[Deepwoodsbutcher]

jakeanderton put a magnet to it. See if that stuff is metal or not

[processhead]

Deepwoodsbutcher said in Meat grinder sludge?:

jakeanderton put a magnet to it. See if that stuff is metal or not

That is a good idea to see if it is metal or not, but a magnet is not always attracted to some stainless steels, which I believe the grinder parts are made of.

[smokinbubba]

I see this on occasion. I find it at the auger to plate connection. I think it is just metal to metal contact which heats the fat, forming a very small gray/black spot in the finished product. I just pluck it out and keep on keeping on.

[Jonathon]

Just an FYI this can also be from oiling the plate and knife. It usually comes out through the auger/center hole but it can be from other fats/oils contact with metal and friction as well.

[jakeanderton]

Jonathon I believe you’ve hit it correctly. I did another batch and it is coming from the auger where the knife and plates meet it.

[salmonmaster]

jakeanderton I have the same grinder, and same problem. Traced it down to the hole in plate where the auger comes thru. A little sloppy metal to metal connection. Nothing I think you can do about it. Like smokinbubba says, just pluck it out, and keep going. It does it even when I grind frozen meat, so I don’t think it’s a heat thing. If it is, it a heat thing right at that spot.