Yeah, I use the grater blade in my Cuisinart. Gives the relish a bit of a different appearance but taste is the same and we like the texture better.

You can also use the chopper blade but I find it makes it too mushy - pulverized. If you are better than I am at controlling the pulse when using the chopping blade it might work fine for you.

Dave

I am looking at pictures on google and trying to figure this out. Is "food grinder" a PC term for what we used to call a meat grinder? Or something different?

I am pretty good at using a nice sharp sheff knife.
Then of course depend on how much relish I need , One quart, two quarts , no problem. But if I need to process a bushell then i will use a food processor with mincing, slicing attachment.
I personally do not like to accumulate too many gadgets. Sheff knife (+ some smaller knifes) does the job for me.

Is "food grinder" a PC term for what we used to call a meat grinder?

Yep same thing as the old cast iron meat grinders with the wooden crank handle although they do have fancy new electric models too with various discs for all sorts of food grinding.

As for being PC, I think it all depends on the store's market focus. Cabelas and Bass Pro call them "meat grinders" for the hunters and Kitchy Blogs call them food grinders for the kitchen gadget crowd. :-)

Dave

Dave, always with the wise(ass) answers!

I can't believe my parents used to grind up large percentages of a cow with one of those hand crank ones.

Like Dave, I use the grating blade on the food processor for large amounts. I use a good chef's knife for smaller jobs.

I have little luck with the food process in chopping, as I either get puree or I get a bowl full of unevenly chopped pieces, some large and some small. The grated product is more consistent.

Annie

Anyone used the Kitchenaid grinder attachment on their mixer? Bought one, haven't used it for anything...yet.

I agree with Dave and Annie about the FP, makes puree! I DO use it for the jalapenos in Annie's Salsa just because I'm sort of a "heat wimp" and I like the tiny pieces. Not puree, quite, but very small. I remove the larger chunks (with gloves on) and hand chop them to size.

Deanna

The food grinder makes a 'ham salad' consistency, almost like the old crank food grinder. The fruit strainer makes the puree. What part number did you get. the grinder has different sized holes. the fruit strainer has a cone.

This post was edited by myfamilysfarm on Mon, Sep 16, 13 at 18:22

Mine is the grinder. Part number either 9709974 or 5611dZw1006. Not sure which is actually the PN.

It has fine and coarse grinding plates. Which plate do you recommend? I'll be trying it soon on hard, green tomatoes (for relish).

I don't really like the grater plate on my Cuisinart for relish. Stringy.

Deanna

Deanna, I'd use the coarse grater plate. Since you have the grinder, the main part is the same part that you would need for the strainer (additional parts are needed), and the sausage stuffer. Once you use this, you won't want to go back. I just broke down and bought a NEW Professional level Kitchenaid, the last one I bought NEW was in 1991 and it was the cheapest, lowest wattage that they still make. While the low end one worked well for most things, I use it TOO hard and it did wear out.

My preference for salsa, etc. is to chop by hand, even though with large batches it's a lot of work. I tried using the FP but I don't like the inconsistent sizes of pieces or the mushy texture.

For relishes I've used my KA food grinder attachment for over 30 years, usually the coarse grinding plate. I don't know what I'd do without it. However, using it is hard on the mixer and it's important not to overheat. I've heard of blanketing the casing with a wet chilled towel but I prefer to stop grinding and let the mixer cool down. Running the motor a minute or two at the end without a load will go a long ways to keeping the mixer in good shape.

Carol

Carol, what size of KA do you have. I found that the 'normal' store one of 250-275 watt overheat alot more than the K5 or bigger wattage ones. My mother was picking up any KA in garage sales that she could find. Now all of my children have their own, along with ex-DIL and a good friend, after buying a new 600 series with the 6 qt bowl.

BTW, most any attachment will work with most any size of KA stand mixer. Some just work better than others, due to size and wattage.

I agree, I wouldn't know what to do without my KAs. My mother got her first one in 1950 and it lasted thru the 1980s. She still has the old METAL attachments and I have 2 3qt glass bowls that I don't need, if someone needs that size of bowls.

>Running the motor a minute or two at the end without a load will go a long ways to keeping the mixer in good shape.

Why is that? I would like to know how to be easier on my equipment :).

Because it cools it down. The heat is expelled and there's no stress on the motor. If the mixer gets really really hot it melts the lubricant, which you want to avoid. If you see black liquid coming out of the attachment port, it's time to stop. That's melting oil. The attachments that run off the front of the mixer are very hard on it, especially the pasta maker, or so I've heard.

I have an old pre-solid state K45. (And also a newer KA Pro 6 plus a Bosch). Wattage listings are a sham. The Hobart N50 has a mere 124 watts. It's the torque that matters, not the wattage.

Look at a tractor vs. a Porsche. The tractor may have a lot less horsepower but it will pull much more than the car.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Hobart 5-Quart Mixer

Those old ones last forever (unless I get it) and this new one is great. Just using it for the first time (more tomatoes). It sits taller than the other ones, which is another good thing for me.

I usually get the ones that have already been very used. Plus I'm hard on them, they don't get to sit around looking pretty much.

I got this new one at Sams for $299. and found it online at Kitchenaid for $449.

I have found that the lower wattage seems to have to work harder to do the same work. Amazing how much faster this 600 works and at a lower speed. Very Happy with it.

The smaller models may indeed have to do more work but that isn't necessarily a function of wattage. Most wattage figures advertised by the companies are a measure of what's drawn from the outlet (input). In some cases a higher wattage machine is just less efficient.

The pro is definitely heavier duty and running it at a lower speed will extend its life. A lot of mixers are destroyed by too high a speed at too heavy a load.

Carol

Does the grater blade in the food chopper have the same texture as the grinder? Or is it just closer than the puree you get with the chopper blade?

We used to have the old crank type grinder that we used to make cranberry relish for thanksgiving. We use the processor now, but it's a much finer relish than what the crank grinder would produce. Maybe it's just in my head, but I thought the crank grinded version was better.

Just love it, and wish I had invested in a new one better now. I know some things are not as good as they were years ago, but I'm thinking it's not the case with this. And for about $300, I'm really happy. Now to get more attachments.

Marla

Thanks, Carol. And I am learning lots from this thread :).

Solid state Kitchenaid mixers were introduced in 1978 (the K45SS and the K5SS). In 1986 the line was sold to Whirlpool and all the Artisan, Classic etc. mixers sold today are basically the same models as made in 1986 (some improvements and efficiencies in the machining but anyone who has an old "original" K45SS or K5SS can repair it using today's parts).

The Pro line was developed as something entirely new so it doesn't have the same history, but the company has worked very hard to upgrade and improve the model since its inception.

There was a period of time when people were having a lot of trouble with their Kitchenaid mixers and the company had to work very hard to restore the reputation of the product. That's when they instituted the one-year no-questions-asked full replacement policy. It's still the best guarantee in the business (my opinion).

I'm not convinced the old Hobart mixers are inherently superior to the Kitchenaids made today. I think there's a lot of mythology attached to the brand, but my take on it is people have trouble with the newer mixers because they ask them to do more than they were designed for, especially kneading bread.

50 or 60 years ago women (and it was women in the home kitchen) fortunate enough to have mixers used them for cakes, cookies, meringues, whipped cream, etc. They didn't use them for bread dough, which was generally kneaded by hand. My MIL baked 4 loaves every other day and her old Dormeyer never saw the dough.

There's a lot of discussion on The Fresh Loaf about people who burn out their mixers with stiff doughs mixed at speeds higher than the recommended "2" setting.

Bread is not the KitchenAid's strong point, though you can mix a perfectly fine one or two-loaf batch or autolyse a portion of a bigger recipe and finish by hand. For bread the Bosch (stiff doughs) or the Ankarsrum/Electrolux Assistant/Magic Mill, etc. (wet doughs) are more suitable.

Getting back to the original discussion, the two attachments I use most often on the KA are the grinder and the colander/sieve. The colander/sieve is wonderful, but you have to purchase a vintage one and the K5 is the biggest mixer one will fit. Why the company doesn't offer a new colander/sieve for the 6 quart I do not know. The Viking/Cuisinart/De Longhi (all the same machine) did have a colander/sieve attachment available.

I use the shredder attachment less frequently, but I do use it, and even though I have a 14-cup Cuisinart, I prefer the shredder attachment because I find since the mixer is already on the counter, it's less fuss for me to use. Just one of those individual quirks we all have.

Carol

My KA is used mainly for tomato juice and applesauce. Since it's just the 2 of us, we don't make alots of breads or goodies. I do pull it out for the Christmas/Thanksgiving cookie baking time, but for a cake mix, I can hand mix it faster than pulling the KA out.

Carol, I'll have to look for the sieve, my son still has a K45 that I can use.