Meat Grinder
A meat grinder or meat mincer is a kitchen appliance for the
fine chopping of, or mixing of raw or cooked meat, fish,
vegetables or similar food. It replaces tools like the mincing knife,
for example, which has been used to produce minced meat, filling
etc. The producer puts the minced food into a funnel, which is
placed on the top of the grinder. From there the material goes on
a horizontal screw conveyor.
The first meat grinder was invented by Karl Drais in the
nineteenth century. The earliest form of the meat grinder hand
cranked and forced meat into a metal plate which had several
small holes, resulting in long, thin strands of meat. As time
passed, the hand-cranked machines became powered by
electricity.
The electric meat grinders we now know today can process
several pounds of meat easily and uniformly. Current models of
electric meat grinders have different attachments, such as
sausage, kebbe, and juicing attachments which have really
broadened the way meat grinders are used. And now, there is also
the frozen meat grinder that can process frozen blocks of meats
and bacon. By the regular cutting the chopped meat can be
processed through mixers and grinders, which reach an optimal
addition in the cutter as well as a protection of the cutter and
knives.
Meat Tenderizer
A meat tenderizer is a hand-powered tool used to tenderize
slabs of meat in preparation for cooking. Although a meat
tenderizer can be made out of virtually any object there are three
types manufactured specifically for tenderizing meat.
The first, most common, is a tool that resembles a hammer
or mallet made of metal or wood with a short handle and
dual heads. One face of the tool is usually flat while the
other has rows of pyramid-shaped tenderizers.
The second form resembles a potato masher with a short
handle and a large metal face that is either smooth or
adorned with the same pyramid-shaped tenderizers as found
in the first form.
The third form is a blade tenderizer that has a series of
blades that are designed to puncture the meat and cut into
the fibers of the muscle.
Tenderizing meat with the mallet softens the fibers, making
the meat easier to chew, and easier to digest. It is useful when
preparing particularly tough cuts of steak, and works well when
broiling or frying the meat. It is also used to "pound out" dishes
such as chicken fried steak or schnitzel to be wider and thinner.
Meat Thermometer
A meat thermometer or cooking thermometer is a
thermometer used to measure the internal temperature of meat,
especially roasts and steaks, and other cooked foods. The degree
of "doneness" of meat or bread correlates closely with the internal
temperature, so that a thermometer reading indicates when it is
cooked as desired.
The probe can be inserted into the meat before starting
cooking, and cooking continued until the desired internal
temperature is reached. The tip of the probe should be in the
thickest part of the meat, but not touching bone, which conducts
heat and gives an overestimate of the meat temperature.
Suggested temperatures:
Poultry
Chicken & Turkey, whole
Poultry breasts, roasts
Poultry thighs, legs, wings
Duck & Goose
Stuffing (cooked alone
or in bird)
Beef, Lamb, Veal
F (C)
165
165
165
165
Time
(73.9)
(73.9)
(73.9)
(73.9)
None
None
None
None
165 (73.9)
None
130
135
140
145
150
155
158
121 min.
37 min.
12 min.
4 min.
72 sec.
23 sec.
0 sec.
(54.4)
(57.2)
(60.0)
(62.8)
(65.6)
(68.3)
(70.0)
Pork and Ham
Fresh pork
145 (62.8)
Fresh ham (raw)
145 (62.8)
Precooked ham (to reheat) 140 (60.0)
3 min.
3 min.
None
Eggs & Egg Dishes
Eggs
Egg dishes
Cook until yolk
and white are firm None
160 (71.1)
None
Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures
Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb
Turkey, Chicken
160 (71.1)
165 (73.9)
None
None