Electric Pressure Cooker, and Other Small Kitchen Cooking Appliances.

[indymoney]

We're using $7 Sam's club 25 lb All purpose flour for our baking and I started worrying about the quality of the product (its too cheap) and our health. I'm planning to buy a flour mill and start grinding wheat flours at home so that I could use Organic whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. But I'm wondering how far its useful for a family of 2(I and my husband).

1. Please throw some light on it.

Also, I heard that flour mills are noise and they will spread the flours all over the place. I live in an apartment. So, I don't want to disturb others.

2. Please let me know how far its possible to use the flour mills in an apartment.

Thx.

[Sally C]

I have a Nutrimill and it takes about 3 minutes for me to grind 4 cups of wheat into 6-7 cups of whole wheat flour. I get about 1/2 teaspoon of flour over my counter tops from taking the lid off the hopper to get the flour out. My machine is about as loud as a vacuum cleaner (estimate).

We are a family of three and I bake about 90% of our bread products. I do not know if I'm saving much money but I do know that I prefer 100% whole wheat/whole grain bread and am not able to find a satifactory loaf at the store. I also bake my own half-wheat hamburger and hot dog (though rare) buns.

Once the wheat kernal is cracked, it starts to go rancid and lose nutritional quality. Whole wheat flour from the store (if it is not stored in the freezer case) is usually not even close to the quality of home ground grain.

I hope that helps,

Sally

[Castingbread]

Sally_C says it all. We also have a Nutrimill--the initial investment is high, but the health benefits for years to come are priceless. You can grind wheat for bread or for baked goods; it also grinds beans, we have never done this, but a friend does and adds it to her bread recipes for added protein and nutrition. If you have the money to put into it I believe it is a great investment in your family's health. If you want more info on the health benefits of freshly ground flour compared to bagged flour go ahead and research it online--it will help you feel better about spending the initial money. Oh, we have been using a "white wheat" kernal, can't think of the name--but if you are interested I'll find it--and it is much lighter when baked up into bread.

[coupondink]

Not sure that section to put my question in...

does anyone grind their own meat? What do you use?

I have a food processor and that is it. I have a cheap tabletop metal meat grinder that my Mom handed down to me, but it stinks. The meat gets stuck in the holes all the time.

I would like to grind my own meat to save $$$.

Ground pork is $2 a pound on sale. I could buy a whole pork shoulder and grind my own for .88 a pound. If bought at shoprite, they will grind for me, but I usually buy meat at Food Basics since they are so cheap...but they do not have a meat guy.
Ground turkey is $2 a pound on sale. I could buy a whole turkey and grind it for .49 a pound (more if you take away the price of the bone to be removed, but still cheaper than 2 dollars a pound)

Any suggestions?

[colleenh28]

Thats a great idea. I'm gonna look into it too. Meat prices are insane!
Gonna do a google search on it.

[cory11183]

Search around online for a good metal/cast/steel one. Your going to make an initial investment of course, but will quickly pay for itself. You can get units that attach to processors, but they are specific and probably made from plastics these days unless you are talking professional grade.

Many hand grinders bolt down and you really do need a good solid attachment as it will make it much easier to grind than trying to hold the unit still with the other hand. Possibly make a board/base to attach it to and clamp it to your table/surface when ready to use.

Here's an example:

Amazon.com: #32 MEAT GRINDER "BOLT DOWN": Kitchen & Dining

Good luck!

[bugweena]

My mom and dad made their own venison sausage with one of the metal ones described by cory11183. They likely purchased it at a yard sale many years ago! lol

It was hard to turn the crank first time through but we did multiple grinds until it was the right consistency. But it worked great. Let us know what you find out!

[cody82414]

This is the model I have. My DH processes his own deer each year to save that money, so I grind it as I go. Super easy and very cost effective, as a pp noted.

[Jasmin71]

Mine goes right on the Mixer its a Attachment. We grind our own Venison, and so on.

We bought all the attachments for it so we can make our own Brats and Suasages too lol

[3timesoccermom]

Don't forget to factor in all the waste and your time in the estimated costs - the fat, skin, bones, etc., and the time it will take you to do all the cutting and removing skin from bone, etc.

You might want to check out Restaurant Supply companies. One I have used is Instawares.com