Can I Grind Meat After It Is Cooked? [The Truth!]

Ground meat is so commonly used in all parts of the world that it doesn’t even require the hype!

Several recipes taste much better with minced or shredded meat than whole meat. 

Have you got some leftover meat from your big dinner?

Grinding it to add to your food the next day is an excellent idea. You get to use the leftovers and mix them up to create a new dish!

Can I Grind Meat After It Is Cooked?

Yes, you can! Grinding cooked meat is safe. You’ll be alright if you’ve got the right appliance to have ground meat ready. You can use food processors, meat grinders, and blenders to shred cooked meat.

So, you can go ahead and grind meats like chicken, turkey, beef, and pork! 

Every process has specific steps you must follow to get the best result. The process of grinding cooked meat is no different.

You must be wondering how to do it.

Not to worry, we have put together a stepwise guide to make it easy for you. Your cooked meat will be readily ground for you in no time!

how to Grind Cooked Meat: Stepwise Guide!

Grinding cooked meat is an excellent idea. You can create an array of new dishes with minced meat. You can add it to sandwiches, pasta, filling, stuffing, salads, and many more! 

Now that you know grinding cooked meat is, in fact, an option, it is time to see how exactly to do it! Please continue reading for a step-by-step guide to grinding meat after it is cooked.

Step #1 Prepping the Grinder

First thing’s first, get your meat grinder ready! Get all the pieces in place and clean them up thoroughly.

One point to ensure is that the meat you’re grinding is thoroughly cooked. 

Meat grinders and food processors have a high scope of breeding grounds for harmful microorganisms.

It is even riskier if the grinder is not cleaned immediately after each use.

So, please ensure fully cooked meat with hygienic grinder conditions to avoid health problems. 

Step #2 Time to Get Chopping!

Next, it is time to chop the meat. You cannot add whole meat to the grinder and expect the same result.

Cutting your meat into smaller chunks or cubes will help you achieve a finer texture. Please ensure you’ve gotten rid of all the bones while doing so. 

Grinding cooked bones in meat grinders is a huge no-no.

The cooked bones contain fat and oil that are released on grinding. It then forms a gooey, slimy substance that can clog your grinder. 

So, bring your chopping board out and start chopping!

Step #3 Grinding the Meat

Now to the central part, grinding. Please divide the chopped meat into smaller portions before grinding it.

Grinding an excessive amount of meat at once hinders your grinder’s job. You mostly won’t achieve your desired texture and may also end up clogging the grinder. 

So, it is best to patiently let small portions grind one by one instead of stuffing your meat grinder with large amounts of meat.

The size of each portion depends on the type of meat and your grinder’s capacity. 

Step #4 Repeat!

Once you’ve ground your meat as per your requirement, you can continue adding more portions. 

Please ensure that you pay close attention to the meat when you grind it. The duration of grinding can affect the taste of your meat.

So, it is essential to keep checking whether the mince looks satisfactory to ensure you don’t over-grind it.

How to Grind Cooked Beef with a Food Processor?

Check out our 3-step guide to grinding cooked beef using a food processor.

Step #1: First, have your food processor, chopping board, and knife set up. 

Step #2: Next, chop the beef into smaller pieces so that the food processor can adequately grind the meat. Adding whole beef to the processor doesn’t produce the required results and can ultimately clog it.

Step #3: Once you’ve chopped the beef into smaller chunks, divide it into portions. It is essential to grind only a small portion at once to achieve the best result. Add parts of the beef chunks to the processor and grind! 

The Upside and Downsides of Grinding Cooked Meat

It helps to know all the potential advantages and disadvantages of grinding cooked meat when you plan on doing so.

We have put together a list of why and why it wouldn’t be cooked meat suitable for grinding. Please continue reading to find out what they are!

Upside

1. Minced meat is less of a choking hazard as there are no bones. As it is ground, it is also easier for kids to eat.  

2. Ground meat is exceptionally versatile. You can add it to pasta, stuffing, sandwiches, salads, and many other dishes.

3. Grinding meat is excellent if you enjoy the texture of minced meat. So, meats like beef, which are generally chewier, taste more tender and softer.

4. When you grind meat, the quality and texture of the meat are in your control. So, you can grind it to your satisfaction. 

Downside

1. When you grind cooked meat, it sometimes results in a soft and more tender texture than you’d hope for. This may not always be what you want for your dish.

2. Grinding cooked meat can compromise its nutritional value.

3. There could sometimes be a noticeable difference in the taste of meat after grinding it.

4. Grinding cooked meat needs some extra effort. Before popping it into the grinder, you must dice it into appropriate cubes or pieces.

5. Grinding cooked meat can also put more pressure on your grinder. Since the meat is cooked, its texture might be more challenging to cut through.

6. It is essential to pay attention to the meat continuously while grinding it. It would be best to stop grinding it once you think the texture is good enough. 

7. Another point you may want to consider is that scraping ground meat from the grinder can sometimes be a hassle! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I grind steak after it is cooked?

Yes, you can grind steak after it is cooked! You can use a food processor, grinder, or blender.

Grinding cooked or overcooked steak is entirely safe. So, go ahead and shred your meat to enhance your dishes!

We recommend dicing your steak into small pieces to ensure a specific result. You can also add olive oil to grind the steak to create a puree. 

Can I grind frozen meat?

If you’re frozen meat is not already ground, you can go ahead and grind it! We recommend thawing the meat before popping it into a grinder or a food processor. It is best to let the meat sit until it is at least partially thawed. 

Can I double grind meat?

Yes, you can double grind meat. If you wish to mince your meat further, you can drop it in a grinder or food processor.

The time you let your meat grind determines how it tastes. Depending on what you’re using the minced meat for, you can grind it until you’re satisfied.

Can I use a meat grinder to grind cooked bone?

No, you shouldn’t use a meat grinder to grind cooked bones. The design of meat grinders allows them to grind raw bones effectively. However, this doesn’t apply to cooked bones. 

Meat grinders have a hard time grinding cooked bones. If you grind cooked bones in the grinder, the oils and fats will ooze out of the bone.

When this happens, they form a slimy substance that can clog the meat grinder.

Can I use a blender to grind cooked meat?

Yes, you can use a blender to grind cooked meat. Before putting the meat in a blender, it is best to cut it into smaller chunks.

You can hit the pulse button for a couple of seconds to see how it looks. If you think your meat is doing okay, you can go ahead and blend it to completion!

As we mentioned above, there are some disadvantages to grinding cooked meat. These include losing the original texture and nutritional value.

Conclusion

We’ve reached the end of the article! We hope our post answered your question, “Can I grind meat after it is cooked?”.

Leftovers can be pretty boring to eat the next day. Grinding cooked meat is excellent as you can create a new dish from leftover meat.

Minced meat is highly versatile and can be used in various dishes such as stuffing, chili, pasta, sandwiches, burgers, etc. 

It is crucial to remember that grinding meat can compromise its taste and nutritional content.

Please ensure that you’ve let your meat grind for the correct time. Meats that are ground for different durations have different tastes. So, over-grinding the cooked meat can be quite a problem. 

We are looking forward to you trying out the stepwise guide. Until next time!