If you are planning to make some delicious hamburger patties at home but don’t know what size grinder plate to use, this article is for you. The size of your grinder plate depends on the type of meat you want for your hamburger. You can either buy a finely ground plate size or a coarser ground size plate. Even multiple-size plates can be used for hamburgers.
In this article, we’ll give you a chart for grinder plate sizes for hamburgers and a basic idea about this plate. So without delay, let’s get started!
Size Chart Table Of Grinder Plate For Hamburger
Different Meat Grinder Plate Size For Hamburger
Here are a few meat grinder plate sizes you can use for hamburgers.
1. 3-4 mm – Fine Grind
Meat grinder plates with 3-4 mm hole sizes are small holes that produce meat extremely finely grounded. If you’re making hamburger patties, beef jerky, or even bologna, this plate will give you finely ground meat, resulting in a smoother texture.
2. 4.5 to 6 mm – Medium Ground
If you put meat through it with a hole size of 4.5 to 6 mm plate, the meat will come out slightly fuller and more coarse than the finely ground meat. It’s best for any recipe with coarser meat types like sausage or hamburger patties.
3. 10-12mm – Coarse Grind
If you want to make your hamburger patties a fully coarse grind of meat, you should get the largest diameter of 10 mm to 12 mm grinder plate holes. This plate size is also good for sausage, bratwurst, or ground meat. Not to mention, the texture of coarsely ground meat is the roughest and does not feel smooth as finely ground meat.
Which Is The Best Grinder Plate?
As you can see, you can use different size plates for making hamburger meat. You may be confused and can’t decide which one will be the best.
However, the #32 meat grinder plates (1/8″) are the most popular and widely used for hamburgers. This grinder plate is best due for the following reasons.
- #32 meat grinder plates can easily fit with any size meat grinder, such as LEM, Torrey, Hobart, Smokehouse Chef, Universal, and more.
- It can easily be compatible with an electronic or manual meat grinder.
- It’s precision and tempered for hardness in the U.S.A. So you can use this plate for years without having any issues.
- This #32 size meat grinder plate comes with a triple notch reversible hubless meat grinder plate that helps to increase the efficiency of your grinder
- Its ⅛” size grinding holes will give you the exact shape of meat you want to make a professional-grade hamburger at home.
Related Article: Is It Cheaper To Grind Your Own Meat! – Cost & Taste
How Many Types Of Plate Sizes Do You Need For Hamburger?
Some recipes need multiple-size plates to get the perfect texture, and hamburger is one of them. To make a pro-level hamburger, you may require multiple plates to achieve the best consistency.
Each plate has a different hole size, and the meat is pushed through them with a different texture. You can start with a #8 or a #20/22 grinder plate that has larger holes and gives your hamburger meat a coarser texture. Afterward, slowly work with a #32 grinder plate with a smaller hole to gain a finer texture.
How Do You Know If You Have The Right Size Grinder Plate For Hamburger?
Most manufacturers mention the size of your meat grinder on the appliance or in the owner’s manual. So first look there. If you are still looking for the size number on your grinder plate, you need to measure it.
- Take the grinder plate out of the grinder machine
- Lay down the plates on a flat surface
- Take a measurement tape
- Measure the diameter of the round plate
- Next, measure the diameter of one of its hole
- Now check out your measurement with the plate size chart we stated above.
You can use this measurement information to replace or purchase another grinder plate. If it matches the hamburger plate size, you can buy a similar size plate. A smaller meat grinder can do this job better if you’re only grinding your own meat (Here you can make an internal link on is it cheaper to grind your own meat) for hamburgers. But if you have several intentions to grind meat, you might look for another plate size.
How Many Times Should You Grind Meat For Hamburger?
The number of times you should grind for a hamburger depends mostly on your preference. But before you grind the meat, consider the tips below.
- You should always cut the beef for the hamburger into 1-inch cubes and keep them in the fridge.
- Freeze the meat grinder equipment, including the blade, food processor bowl, lid, and attachment parts. Keeping the meat and equipment in the fridge will allow it to hold its shape better and keep it firm so that you can easily grind it with a grinder.
If you don’t chill in a slightly frozen state, the meat can get mush while going through the grinder and result in a smear. A smear of meat gets dry and crumbly when cooked as the fat doesn’t incorporate it. So your burgers might crack and fall apart after cooking.
If you’re grinding a beef chunk, grind through the 3/8″ grinder plate and regrind half of that mix using a 1/4″ plate. Finally, mix both ground meat so the fat is evenly dispersed and get an even amount of fat.
Related Article: Using KitchenAid Mixer To Mix Meat – Effective & Easy 4 Steps
Do You Need To Sharp The Grinder Plate For Hamburger?
Meat grinder plates need to sharpen now and then, just like the meat grinder blade. You should look at how your meat is being ground. If it’s grinding lumpy and shapeless after a while, it’s a sign your grinder plates or cutting blades have become dull, and it’s time to sharpen it.
How To Sharpen The Meat Grinder Plate?
There are several ways to sharpen your meat grinder plate. You can use a sharpening stone or sandpaper to sharpen the grinder plate. Remove the plate from the grinder and clean it. Afterward, use the stone or sandpaper over the plate surface for 10-20 minutes on both sides.
Though the above method requires some elbow grease, here is the easiest way to sharpen your plate with a sausage maker sharpening system.
- For five minutes, soak the round hole stone in the sharpening system. Be gentle, as they can get damaged easily.
- Place the stone into the grinder head of the meat grinder.
- Now, place your flat meat grinder plate over it.
- Secure both the plate and stone with the retaining ring. But don’t make them too tight.
- Switch on your meat grinder for five seconds.
- Repeat a similar process to sharpen the other side of the grinder plate.
By following this process, you can also Sharpen your meat slicer blade. But, if you need a detailed discussion check this post.
How To Make Hamburger Meat Without A Grinder?
If you don’t have a meat grinder but eagerly want to taste the tantalizing taste of the patties inside your burger, it’s okay if you don’t have any grinder.
We have two easy ways to make your hamburger meat without a grinder.
Food Processor
So a food processor can make your job easy to prepare your hamburger meat.
- Cube the beef as before and keep it in the fridge to chill for 15-30 minutes.
- Next, work in batches. You need 20 pulses of the meat until it is finely chopped.
- Transfer each batch of meat you pulsed into the mixing bowl inserted in an ice bowl.
Hand Chop
- Place your beef stick into the fridge for 15 minutes to make it cool and nice for chopping.
- Afterward, chop the meat using a cleaver as finely or coarsely as you desire for burger meat.
Related Article: 5 Best Meat Slicer Under $100 Without Compromising Quality
How To Care For Meat Grinder Plates
Like your grinder blade, your grinder plates also need some care. As it does not do any actual cutting, it takes time to lose its sharpness. But once you use the plates several times, at a point, they’ll be dull and require sharpening again to get the best possible texture of your meat.
However, regular care of your plate can help to best texture and have an easier time moving the meat through the grinder. And that care depends on how often you’re using it.
The more you use it, the more frequently you need to do its maintenance. Sharp the plate as well as the grinder frequently. It will last for years if you properly care for your grinder plate.
Final Verdict
So that’s all the answer to your question about what size grinder plate for hamburgers. Hopefully, now you know which plate size you should utilize or purchase to make your desired hamburger patty.
Share this article with your friends and family if you find it helpful. And don’t forget to share your experience in our comment section below.
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