How to Remove Rust from a Meat Grinder? (Easy Steps)

A meat grinder is an essential tool in the kitchen. You can use it to grind meat and also to prepare sausages. With this device, you can easily control what parts of meat go into your diet. Meat grinders are bound to get rusty after some time, whether they are used or not. The way you maintain and clean your grinder determines whether it will rust or not. Rust comes about because the grinder gets in contact with air, moisture, and the meat that it grinds. I will give you some tips on how to remove rust from a meat grinder.

If you don’t clean and store it well, the grinder can rust faster because of the bacteria and germs that thrive on the dirt and meat residues on it. In case your meat grinder gets rusty, it wouldn’t be good to continue using it. This is because it can lead to the contamination of the meat is ground. You can use the methods below to remove the rust.

Using Cherry-kool aid

Use a rust remover such as Cherry-kool aid. Just mix the chemical raw without adding any sugar into it. Disassemble the grinder and soak the rusty parts into the chemical overnight. When you retrieve them the following day, you’ll see the rust falling off. You can then clean the meat grinder and store it well.

Using a brush

Use a brush to clean the loose rust. This works well if the rust has not eaten much into the metallic parts of the grinder. After brushing off the rust from the grinder, use it to grind some red meat, particularly some fatty pieces. To protect your grinder against rusting, clean it well after use then apply some vegetable oil on it. Wipe off the oil before the next use.

Using vinegar

Disassemble the grinder then soak the parts in vinegar. The time it takes in the vinegar depends on the degree of rusting (white vinegar is preferred in this case). Remove the parts from the vinegar then clean them using a brush with stiff bristles.

In case you notice some rough spots, you can use a brush made of stainless steel to scrub them. You can then soak the parts in a solution of baking soda for a few minutes. Use hot water for best results. The ratio of water to baking soda should be 2:1. The baking powder eliminates any acidic residues (vinegar) deposited on the meat grinder.

Finally, rinse all the parts of the grinder thoroughly then apply some coconut oil on them to cover the rust holes. This will protect the grinder against rusting. Before you use the coconut oil, you can warm it, so it turns into liquid form.

Using Barkeeper’s friend

Use Barkeeper’s friend or Zud scouring powder. This powder can clear the rust from the grinder and make it look shiny again. Use water to remove the chemical then dry the grinder before keeping it.  

Using saltine crackers

After you are done with grinding meat. Feed some saltine crackers into the grinder and run them through. They will help in removing the rust. Also known as soda cracker, a saltine cracker is a square, usually thin cracker made from baking soda, yeast, and white flour. Some have coarse salt sprinkled on them. Saltine crackers have perforations over their surfaces. They have a distinctively crisp and dry texture.

Using Dawn soap

Dawn soap and hot water are also effective for removing rust. Dawn soap is great a removing fat, and, in the process, rust will also come out. Dawn soap is a soap mainly used for dish-washing. It is great for removing greases and animal fat.

Using eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus oil removes rust from meat grinders quite effectively. First, use a dry scourer or a brush to remove bits of meat from the grinder. Disassemble the grinder then spray eucalyptus oil on the parts of the grinder. Let them soak in the oil for a while then use soapy water to clean it before rinsing with clean water. Leave the parts to dry completely before re-assembling the parts.

 Removing Rust from the Disc  

All meat grinders have flat discs with holes through which the pieces of meat get extruded. These discs can become rusty if not cleaned well after use. In case your discs get rusty, follow the below steps to remove the rust.

Regular Cleaning and Proper Storage are Important

To prevent rusting, try to clean your meat grinder immediately after use. If you allow raw meat deposits to stay longer in the grinder, the rate of rusting will increase. This can also lead to poisoning.  

Storage of the clean meat grinder is also important. The moment you expose the grinder to moisture and air, it will start rusting even if it is clean. That’s why it is important to wipe or spray some mineral oil on the grinder. Do this on both outside and inside, before you store it. If you don’t want to use oil, you can store it in a freezer. This will also protect it from rusting.

Final Words

It is good to protect your meat grinder against rusting. Rusting is a very destructive process because it eats the surface of metals, leaving some holes in them. If your meat grinder keeps rusting, it may one day stop working completely.