We cleaned, defrosted and reorganized the cow freezer last weekend. It had been 2 years since it was done, and I usually try to do them yearly.
I had a bunch of odd packs of stuff, misc chuck roasts, steaks, brisket flat, even a a pork tenderloin and about 6" piece of pork loin. This had been set aside last time to grind which I forgot about doing, we just added more to it last weekend and most of this stuff was 3-5 years old and all vac sealed well.
I got it out and put in a cooler to thaw Friday, I believe, and yesterday since there was so much I decided to dig out the big #22 grinder instead of using the #8. The only plates I could find were 10mm (3/8) and 4.5mm(3/16) I usually use a 6mm (1/4) on the #8 and I thought I had one for the big grinder.
Ran it though the 4.5 plate and then back through it a second time.
End result taste wise as I bagged it to seal, was slight old taste and the texture wasn't what I am used to. We bagged it all up and I saved out enough to make some burgers, was going to do thin smashed ones but she wanted them on the grill so they were thicker. Seasoned with some burger seasoning and when done, first bite the texture was very fine, and far leaner than I had thought they would be with as much visible fat that was in the different cuts of meat. No hint of the slightly old taste. It will make good meat for chili, tacos or spaghetti more then likely.
Thinking 2 thoughts here, first is I should have only ran it through once and other thought is should have run it through the 10mm plate first.
I went on the old google for some answers and got more confused as everything I saw said 3mm (1/8) plate for burger. Think I will be ordering a 6mm and maybe a 12mm plate for the #22. This was the first I used it in many years as most of my grinding has just been a pork but or two now and then, the reason I bought the #8, just easier to move around.
So how do you grind, once or twice, and what plate size/sizes do you use?