Cooked meat is one ingredient that has seen its use in many recipes that requires the use of meat such as meatloaf, hamburgers and sausages, and while it can be used in many ways ground meat needs to have the right texture. Your cooked meat can be shredded or ground and stored so that you can use it in a variety of meat-intended meals or snacks like hamburgers, meatloaf, sausages and meatballs.
Using a blender is a quick and simple way for you to achieve the texture you want for your ground meat and while you can have your meat shredded by a meat grinder, you can also get similar results from your regular blender lying on your countertop. Using the blender gives you the satisfaction you made your ground meat yourself, you have the nutritional benefit that comes from using freshly processed ground meat. It also opens up a world of possibilities, as you can now explore different meat recipes with your natural and freshly processed ground meat.
Can I Grind Cooked Meat in a Blender?
Yes, While it may seem simple as you just put your meat in your blender and blend, there are steps to take to achieve a great texture for your ground meat, and below are the steps.
Preparing the Blender
With a powerful blender like the Vitamix, which has a motor power above 500 watts, you can grind your cooked meat without any hassle. The blender must also possess sturdy and sharp blades so that it can cut through your meat without dulling it. Variable speed and pulse control are also features that help give you the optimum results for your cooked meat. Before you begin grinding your cooked meat in the blender make sure your blender is properly washed and rinsed, it is in its top working condition and it is free of residue. Wash well with soap and warm water to get it clean and free from the odour of the previous use, otherwise, you risk transferring the odour into your freshly ground meat.
Cutting the cooked Meat
Before you put your cooked meat in the blender check to see that there are no bones or anything that could hinder the blender’s optimum performance. Cut the meat into small pieces using a sharp knife and a chopping board, and remove any excess fat from the meat, this reduces the strain on the blender. If you want to process the cooked meat easily refrigerate your cooked meat for a day or so and then cut the meat down to one-inch cube sizes, refrigerating the meat before cutting helps maintain the structure of the meat and does not allow it to become too mushy when grinding.
Load the Blender
After chopping your cooked meat into small sizes enough to be blended and not put too much strain on the blender. Put your chopped meat in the blender making sure that it does not get to the top, overfilled blender prevents the meat from moving during the blending and reduces the efficiency of the blending. If you have a lot of cooked meat to grind, then you have no choice but to take it in small batches, when you blend in small batches you ensure a thorough blending of your cooked meat.
Grinding the cooked meat
Start blending your cooked meat at low heat to break down the meat and as the blending is going on, increase the speed gradually until you get to the high speed or to the texture you desire from your cooked meat. The high speed helps break down your tough meat, tenderizing it into a fine texture.
As your blender runs, check the meat for the texture and when you get the texture you desire stop blending immediately, your blended meat shouldn’t be mushy but should hold together because if your meat is too sticky it may need extra work to get the desired texture and if too dry, add more water and blend for a few more seconds. If you overblend your meat it prevents it from binding properly and also results in a tougher and denser texture. When blending you may need to stop at intervals and scrape down the meat stuck on the walls of the blender.
Use your Ground Meat or store it for later use
Your ground meat can be employed in several recipes, you can use it for your hamburger, meatloaf, sausages and more. Though there is a slight difference in the texture of commercially ground meat from that of the homemade meat you grind in your blender, the homemade is fresher and works perfectly well in most recipes that require meat. So if do not want commercially preserved ground meat, make your fresh ground meat yourself with your blender and enjoy the benefits of fresh ground meat whenever you want.
Just take out the quantity you want, when you want to use the ground meat in your recipe, and if you had blended more than you need, simply store the rest. To store the meat, get an airtight container or a Ziploc bag, seal your ground meat in it and put it in the refrigerator. The ground meat can last about two to three days in the refrigerator and your deep freezer going to 4 months. Whenever you are ready to use it again simply allow it to thaw and then use it, it is as simple as that.
Clean the Blender
After using your blender, let it not stay unwashed, wash it immediately. Detach all removable parts and rinse them in a bowl of warm water to remove all the meat residues. Then wash the parts especially the blades with soap and a brush, rinse them well and allow them to dry before reassembling them. Proper cleaning of your blender will get rid of any lingering odour and also prevent the growth of bacteria.
Safety Tips
While blending, it is important to follow some safety measures to make your blending smooth. Handle your blades with care, they are sharp and can cut if you mishandle them. Also avoid overloading your blender, in fact, grind your cooked meat in small batches so as to prevent strain on the blender and also to ensure the thorough blending of the cooked meat. If at all you want to grind raw meat, use dedicated meat grinders as the strain the raw meat will put on your blender will be too much for the blender to handle.
Related post; How to Make Meringue in a Vitamix
Best Blender for Pureeing Meat
1. Vitamix
The Vitamix are known for their powerful motors and sturdy blades and excellent construction, which makes them very good for grinding your cooked meat. The variable speed settings and pulse function of the Vitamix give you more control allowing you to get the texture you desire for your cooked meat.
2. Blendtec
The Blendtec blenders have a robust motor and strong blades that are designed to handle tough ingredients such as your cooked meat. They boast of several speed settings and pre-programmed cycles which would make grinding your cooked meat feel like a breeze. They also have large containers should you seek to make a larger batch of ground meat.
3. Ninja
The Ninja blenders come with high-powered motors and sharp blades that can cut through your meat with ease. The multiple speed settings and pulse function of the ninja blenders allow for customised blending of your cooked meat.
4. KitchenAid
These are versatile and powerful blenders capable of also handling your cooked meat. Though not as powerful as the Vitamix, the Kitchenaid has durable blades and variable speed settings that can efficiently process your cooked meat into ground meat. The Kitchenaid also has a pulse function that will help you achieve the desired texture of ground meat.
Conclusion
It is no doubt very convenient to grind your cooked meat in your blender, especially if you own a powerful blender like the Vitamix. The blender saves you time and effort and also allows you to have healthy and fresh ground meat whenever you want. Follow the steps I have outlined and have yourself a great experience with your ground meat as you have access to freshly made and more healthy ground meat.