Step 1

Prepare the grinder attachment:  Place the meat grinder attachment in the freezer at least 1 hour (or up to overnight) in advance of using. I have found the 3 hour mark to be perfect. Line a baking sheet with freezer paper or plastic wrap for easy clean up.

Step 2

Cut the steaks:  Cut the steaks into roughly 1 ½’’ cubes. Spread the cubes of beef in an evenly distributed, single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place the tray of beef in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Step 3

While the beef is chilling, prepare a bowl to hold the ground beef: Fill a large bowl with ice and add a little bit of water. Insert a smaller bowl on top of the ice to catch the meat as it comes out of the grinder. THIS STEP IS IMPERATIVE. You need to keep your meat cold!

Step 4

Attach the meat grinder, affixed with 3/8’’ plate, to your stand mixer. (If you have a different grinder, follow their provided instructions).

Step 5

Grind steaks:  Grind meat by running it once through the grinder, with your make shift ‘double meat chiller’ placed underneath to catch your ground beef. Do not separate different cuts of beef when grinding, you want them mixed together.

Step 6

OPTIONAL:  Switch to the ¼’’ plate and run the meat again through grinder attachment once. (I highly recommend running the meat through the grinder twice if you are making smashed burgers! For a regular burger this step is completely optional and depends on the texture of the burger desired.)

Step 7

Chill ground beef before using:  Cover the bowl of ground beef and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to chill or store it until you are ready to use. The ground beef will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days or you can transfer ground beef to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.