Hey folks! Grinding your own turkey meat is a great way to save money and control the quality of what goes into your food. If you have a meat grinder at home it’s surprisingly easy to make fresh ground turkey yourself. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the whole process so you can start enjoying homemade ground turkey.
Why Grind Your Own Turkey?
Here’s some of the benefits of grinding turkey yourself
-
Freshness – Freshly ground turkey tastes way better than prepackaged, You can grind it right before cooking,
-
Texture – You control the coarseness by choosing different grinder plates. Fine for burgers, coarse for chili.
-
Cost savings – Grinding whole turkey pieces is cheaper per pound than buying ground.
-
Versatility – Use it for burgers, meatballs, casseroles, and more!
-
Control ingredients – Mix in herbs and spices as you grind. No mystery meat!
-
Fun hobby – Grinding meat is strangely satisfying.
Step 1: Get the Right Meat
-
Breast meat works best since it’s lean. Avoid skin and bones.
-
Thighs are fine too but have more fat.
-
Organic and free-range offer superior flavor and quality.
Step 2: Cut the Meat into Chunks
-
Slice turkey into 1-2 inch pieces before grinding.
-
This prevents straining your grinder motor.
-
Use a very sharp knife for clean cuts.
Step 3: Chill the Meat and Grinder Parts
-
Refrigerate meat for 30-60 minutes before grinding.
-
Meat grinds best when very cold.
-
Partially freeze meat if you’re in a hurry.
-
Also chill grinder plates, blades etc.
Step 4: Assemble the Meat Grinder
-
Attach hopper, auger, grinding plate based on your model’s instructions.
-
Most grinders come with 2-3 plates for coarse and fine textures.
Step 5: Grind in Small Batches
-
Working in batches prevents overheating motor.
-
Gently feed meat into hopper using food pusher. No need to force it.
-
Collect ground turkey into a bowl as you go.
Step 6: Season and Cook
-
Mix in any spices or herbs like sage, rosemary, salt, pepper.
-
Cook as burgers, sausage, etc or refrigerate for 1-2 days max.
-
For long term storage, freeze ground turkey for 2-3 months.
Tips for Grinding Success
Follow these tips and tricks for perfect ground turkey every time:
-
Before grinding, place grinder parts in freezer for 1 hour to really chill.
-
Cut meat cleanly against the grain into uniform chunks.
-
Take your time and be patient! Rushing can jam the grinder.
-
Experiment with different grinder plates to find your favorite texture.
-
If meat seems dry, add a teaspoon of olive oil to help it grind more smoothly.
-
Handle ground meat safely. Cook or refrigerate within 2 hours of grinding.
Troubleshooting Problems
Grinder Jamming?
- Meat is too warm – refrigerate longer
- Cut meat into smaller pieces
- Grind more slowly in small batches
- Make sure grinder is very cold
Mushy Texture?
- Don’t overfill hopper with meat
- Keep meat chilled while grinding
- Use sharper blade for cleaner cuts
Stalling or Burning Out Motor?
- Grind less meat at a time
- Apply less pressure with pusher
- Don’t force meat into auger
Let’s Get Grinding!
Now you’ve got all the tools to start grinding turkey at home for burgers, meatballs, sausages, and more! Follow my tips for fresh, budget-friendly ground turkey with total control over texture and flavor. Ditch the mystery meat pre-packaged stuff. Making it yourself lets you become master of your meat. Get that grinder ready and happy grinding!
Our ranking of 37 deer-crazy states, backed by research and data.
Good grinders will tear through most connective tissue, but top-quality ground starts with cold, well-trimmed meat. (Photo by Josh Dahlke).
There are times when it makes sense to leave your kill at a reputable butcher shop, but it’s always better to handle the meat yourself. I keep hearing about hunters who process most of their game at home, but not any meat products that need to be ground. Burger, sausage, ground jerky—for some reason many folks are intimidated by grinding meat. That shouldn’t be the case.
Grinding your own game meat is economical. These days, commercial-grade meat grinders are inexpensive and extremely powerful. Invest in a high-quality grinder, and it will pay for itself within a season or two of use. Modern grinders are also very fast, so you won’t waste a lot of time or energy trying to push wild protein through the blades.
Flexibility, freshness and creativity are further benefits of DIY meat grinding. There’s no need to grind all your meat at once. It can be fun and useful to have a grinding party and make a lot of hamburgers and sausages at once, but you might want to keep a grinder on your counter so you can use it whenever you need to. Run a couple of pounds of ground meat through a grinder right before you start cooking or making pasta. Fresh ground meat is almost always better. By only grinding for one meal at a time, you can try new recipes and be creative in the kitchen. You won’t have to use 50 pounds of the same boring sausage until next season.
People usually think of big game when they hear the word “grind,” but you can also make tasty things from waterfowl, upland birds, and wild turkeys. Lately, I’ve been grinding gobbler legs into breakfast sausage. Advertisement.
It’s taken me twenty years to get good at processing and butchering wild game, which includes getting good at grinding. Here are some hard-won shortcuts to help you get your grind on.
My first at-home grinding experience involved a hand grinder, a wobbly table and plenty of cursing. At first, I didn’t have enough money to support my growing obsession with processing meat, but I’ve been constantly improving my grinding tools ever since. Looking at the bright side, all this experimentation allowed me to appreciate a good grinder. What I’ve learned might save you a headache.
For light grinding jobs, small meat grinders with low horsepower will do. As I said before, you might even want a small grinder to keep on your counter. However, small grinders have their limitations—don’t count on using one to grind meat from a whole deer. If space isn’t an issue, splurge on a medium- to high-power grinder that can handle everything. Shoot for a grinder with a 1/2- to 2-horsepower motor. A 1/2-horsepower motor can grind about 5 pounds of meat per minute. Advertisement.
Premium grinders are also typically designed better. Some grinder parts will have smoother seams that make them easier to clean, and the bodies will be made of strong metal instead of weak plastic that breaks easily.
There are hordes of accessory options for today’s grinders. Sausage-stuffing tubes, mixing attachments, various plate sizes and other smart options tailor the grinder to your specific needs. Upper-end grinders typically include more accessories in their stock packages.
Experiment with seasonings and fat content when grinding game for sausage. (Photo by Josh Dahlke)
Grinders operate better, cleanup is easier, and meat will stay in optimal condition if you keep everything cool. Perform operations in an environment with a cool ambient temperature. Pre-cool all metal grinder parts in a freezer. Partially frozen meat is usually ideal for grinding.
A grinder will naturally generate heat from friction and the motor doing its job. Meat will quickly warm up to meet room temperature while simultaneously getting sticky. To keep the meat and grinder parts as cool as possible during the process, plan ahead and work in batches.
Texture is one of the most overlooked aspects of meat preparation. “Bad” texture can often be a turnoff to new wild-game eaters. Final texture should always be considered when grinding meat.
A good grinder will turn silverskin and big tendons into ground meat, but try to get rid of these unwanted parts of the meat before grinding it. If you grind clean meat, your grinder will work better and get less clogged up. The finished product will also have a better texture. e. , it won’t be chewy).
Another texture decision you’ll need to make while grinding is how coarse you want the ground. When making snack sticks and most sausages, you’ll probably want finely ground meat. (In many sausage recipes that use casings, ice water is added to make a thicker paste before the casings are filled.) ) Coarse ground is often preferred for burger patties or taco meat.
Video That May Interest You
Game & Fish Staff
Game & Fish Staff
Game & Fish Staff
Dryshods’ new ultra-light Dureva outsole gives you sure footing and stealth by quietly bending and adapting to different types of ground.
An on-the-water evaluation of a remarkably easy-to-cast baitcasting reel.
A day of saltwater fishing often starts before sunup and can continue until well after dark. Flashlights—whether they be handheld or hands-free models—are vital items for safety and success in the salt. We take a close look at a few Streamlight models that are up to the job in this episode.
Many saltwater species are excellent on the table, but only if you care for and clean them properly. Once you land the fish, you can start getting it ready to eat. Knowing how to clean it properly at the dock is important to make sure it tastes its best. In this episode, we detail steps that will help you turn your catch into memorable meals.
The snook is a saltwater predator that waits for its prey to swim by or be carried by the current. It often hides among mangroves and attacks as its prey swims by or is carried by the current. To catch snook, you need to find places where they like to hide. In this episode, we move our baits precisely next to a rough edge of mangroves to get fish out of the cover.
This TriStar Cobra III pump shotgun is the perfect size for young or small-framed shooters, with a barrel that is 18 1/2 inches long and a length of pull that is 13 inches. We spent a few minutes with Eric Renander of TriStar to get a closer look at this new . 410 bore and found that it has a lot of the same features as full-size shotguns, which hunters of all ages will like.
The Freight Train is one of the most high-tech shotgun slugs on the market. It is a polymer-tipped copper projectile made to go deeper and hit more accurately. Adam Moser from Federal Ammunition told us more about the slug, its wad, and its sabot. He also told us what the new Freight Train can do for deer hunters.
When it comes to saltwater gear, keep things simple by picking one rod and reel that can be used for a wide range of gamefish and presentations both inshore and offshore. In this episode, Capt. These are some tips from George Gozdz on how to choose that combo. We then tested it against sailfish, tarpon, snook, and more.
When compared to species like sailfish and snook, the jack crevalle doesn’t get the respect it deserves. But jacks can be very exciting to catch on light gear, especially when fishing topwater baits. Jacks are hungry fighters who are well worth your time and attention. In this episode, we go after them.
FFS (forward facing sonar) techniques dominated the new lure offerings at ICAST in Orlando. Heres a sampling of intriguing new fishing products at the annual trade show.
Rod builders continue to gravitate toward accommodating lighter finesse techniques. Heres a small sampling of the best new fishing rods from this years show.
Finesse tactics continue to have impact on new bass gear. Finesse isn’t the only thing that matters when bass fishing, though. Here are some of the newest reels for fishing in fresh water.
Grinding a whole Turkey! Making Stock!
FAQ
Should I add fat when grinding turkey?
Can you use a meat grinder to grind bones?
Is it cheaper to ground your own turkey?
Can you grind turkey meat without a grinder?
Boneless, skinless, and raw turkey meat. As many pounds as you would like. Here are the steps to grinding your own turkey meat at home without a grinder: Select the right cut of turkey: Choose turkey breast or turkey thigh for the best results. Thaw the turkey completely in the refrigerator if it’s frozen.
Can you grind a turkey breast?
You can grind your own if you have a meat grinder. This one is a grinder and sausage stuffer that attaches to a KitchenAid Mixer. You can instead use turkey that is purchased already ground from the grocery store. I prefer to not use ground turkey breast for this recipe because it can make fairly dry sausages.
How to grind meat in a meat grinder?
Now, insert the meat into the grinder and grind using the coarse grinding plate. Do not overload the grinder; just insert a sufficient amount of meat into the grinder at once. Once it completes the grinding put more meat and grind. Here, I keep a chilled bowl to collect the ground meat underneath the grinder.
How do I access Grindr in Turkey?
Turkey bans users from visiting Grindr’s app and website, but you can bypass these restrictions by connecting to a VPN server in a country that doesn’t censor the internet. To access Grindr in Turkey, just follow these 3 easy steps. Raven Wu is a freelance writer, editor, and translator.
How long does it take to grind chicken at home?
Grinding chicken at home is not only cost-effective but very easy. From start to finish you can have freshly ground chicken in under an hour. WHY DO I GRIND TURKEY AT HOME? Grinding your own meat at home can provide many benefits, including better flavor and texture, and the ability to control the ingredients and seasonings used.
How long can you keep ground turkey?
Once you’ve ground the turkey, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months. Use the ground turkey in your favorite recipes, and experiment with different seasonings and flavors to add depth and flavor to your meat. IS GROUND TURKEY HEALTHY?