KitchenAid attachments

[Muhammad]

My mother is Italian American and as such pasta making is a part of life (at least once in a while). When we make homemade pasta, we mix the dough in the kitchen aid but then roll it and cut it with a hand roller/cutter (aka pasta machine). To me, nothing compares to the flavor of homemade pasta. In fact just thinking about it is making me hungry for some.

[Groomster]

I have never had homemade pasta in my life, but as a lover of all things Italian, food wise, I would certainly love to give it a try sometime. It sounds like the taste is out of this world.

[Robertbrown]

I have had my eye on the meat grinding attachment for awhile. I like to hunt deer, and have wanted to try my hand at venison sausage.

I make sausage every year from deer and wild hog. I usually grind the meat with a hand grinder but this year I used my spouses Kitchenaid mixer with the meat grinder attachments. The first thing I notice was than the motor is only 300watts, secondly the throat of the grinder is barely an 1-1/4".
After 4 hours and 10 pounds of sausage, I can tell you that this device is like a leatherman it will do many things but won't do any of them particularly well. It's a meat grinder and it certainly grinds meat. But I would have been done sooner with a hand grinder. I would not recomend this grinder for quanities of meat larger than a pound or two.If you are going to make sauage regularly with fairly large quanitities of wild meat get a hand grinder or one that draws at least 6 amps.
Since wild meat has more sinew than domestic you need more power or you spend hours trimming and avoiding the trimming is why you make sausage in the first place.
The kitchenaid grinder attachment is good for occasionally grinding a pound or 2 of beef or pork of the domestic variety but it's overwhelmed with a decent sized deer or (wild) hog ham

[Bird]

Robert, I'm not surprised at your "evaluation" of the KitchenAid food grinder. I've no doubt you're exactly right. I like ours, but it's only used for relatively small quantities, and never for raw meats. In other words, cooked chicken, beef, pork (ham), onions, pickles, hard boiled eggs to make sandwich material.

[monnie31]

I am so jealous, lol. I got one for Christmas this year past and I am planning on purchasing the attachment packs for it because it seems like they would be an amazing investment because I love to cook!

[April]

I have used the pasta maker but that is it. I am going to look into the other attachments they have soon. Maybe I can get a decent deal on a few attachments as I love my KitchenAid and to cook like monnie31 said!

[monnie31]

I am glad to see so many positive comments on the attachments, makes my decision to buy some more founded. I can't wait till I order mine.

[FTG-05]

I make sausage every year from deer and wild hog. I usually grind the meat with a hand grinder but this year I used my spouses Kitchenaid mixer with the meat grinder attachments. The first thing I notice was than the motor is only 300watts, secondly the throat of the grinder is barely an 1-1/4".
After 4 hours and 10 pounds of sausage, I can tell you that this device is like a leatherman it will do many things but won't do any of them particularly well. It's a meat grinder and it certainly grinds meat. But I would have been done sooner with a hand grinder. I would not recomend this grinder for quanities of meat larger than a pound or two.If you are going to make sauage regularly with fairly large quanitities of wild meat get a hand grinder or one that draws at least 6 amps.
Since wild meat has more sinew than domestic you need more power or you spend hours trimming and avoiding the trimming is why you make sausage in the first place.
The kitchenaid grinder attachment is good for occasionally grinding a pound or 2 of beef or pork of the domestic variety but it's overwhelmed with a decent sized deer or (wild) hog ham

Thanks for the input, I was thinking about getting that grinder attachment for my wife's Professional 6 quart mixer. I'll think I'll save my money.

What hand grinder do you recommend?

Thanks,

[SouthernBelle]

I agree with you guys that the kitchen aide mixer with the attachments is absolutely wonderful. I haven't made the pasta yet but my mother in law who is Irish/Italian has promised to show me how on our next visit. She is hinting that this is what she wants for her birthday.

[Robertbrown]

Thanks for the input, I was thinking about getting that grinder attachment for my wife's Professional 6 quart mixer. I'll think I'll save my money.

What hand grinder do you recommend?

Thanks,

It's a Porkert, says "made in Czechoslavakia". Seems to me I bought it new but only about ten years ago, so I don't know what to say about the Czechoslavakia. This manufacturer is very popular and I suspect there are thousands of these grinders in use in the USA. Extremely durable, 100% cast iron construction. It looks pretty much like it did the day I bought it.
I have seen accesories that will enable you to employ an electric motor, but this needs to be consrtucted properly with safety in mind. Especially if you have children.