I have a large block of cheddar cheese that I would like to use for burgers. But grating is such a pain. I do have a meat grinder. Can I use that for "grating" cheese? Has anybody done that before? Will it mess up the grinder?
I know someone who says it's perfectly fine, but he never did it before. I know another person who's friend says it's not because cheese is sticky and may jam the grinder. I cannot find anything on google either. Has anyone had any experience with "grating" cheese with a meat grinder?
Best Answer
During my younger days working in restaurants I have grated many pounds of cheese using a 'meat grinder' (or rather the meat grinder attachment for a hobart stand mixer)...I have also used my home Kitchen Aid meat grinder for cheeses (cheddar, jack and mozzarella mostly). So, it depends on the grinder and the attachments you have but yes it can be done.
You want a fine grinder plate and cold cheese (so it stays together better). You probably also want to be doing a "serious quantity" as the set up/tear down/clean up will be an endeavor. If your having friends and family over for a Mexican Fiesta, perfect. If you are making a quick plate of nachos...OVERKILL.. For a few burgers, do it once and decide for yourself if you want to do it again.
(note: IMHO near frozen mozzarella for lasagna is a perfect place to use a grinder for cheese...)