How Does a Meat Grinder Work?
A meat grinder turns an auger that pushes meat into a four-point blade spinning against a perforated plate; the plate hole size sets coarse or fine. Cold meat grinds cleanly without smearing.
A meat grinder turns a rotating auger that pushes meat into a spinning blade and through a perforated plate. The plate's hole size sets how coarse or fine the grind is.
Auger, blade and plate
You feed chunks into the hopper. A motor turns a screw-shaped auger that forces the meat forward against a four-point blade spinning tight against a metal plate. The blade shears the meat as the plate's holes extrude it. Swap to a plate with smaller holes for a finer grind, larger holes for coarse.
Why temperature matters
Cold meat grinds cleanly; warm meat smears and the fat melts into paste. Chilling the meat, and even the auger and plate, for 20 to 30 minutes before grinding gives a crisp, well-defined grind, which matters for burgers and sausage.
Stuffing sausage
With the blade and plate removed and a stuffing tube fitted, the same auger pushes ground meat into casings. A grinder built for stuffing has an auger that pushes steadily without over-working the meat.
Next: how to choose a grinder or common problems and fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Why chill meat before grinding?
Cold meat and cold parts give a crisp, defined grind; warm meat smears and the fat turns to paste.