Help please with meat grinders

[etpm]

Hey all you meat grindin' fools, I need help. I have been grinding all the ground meat we consume since about 1982. I used to use a 1936 KitchenAid mixer with the meat grinder attachment, then graduated to a newer model a few years ago. My problem is that even using the plate with the largest holes, which are a little over 3/16" diameter, the meat still isn't as coarse a grind as I would like. In fact, the meat gets mushed so the texture is not like the texture of a good hamburger at a good restaurant. My wife complains that it is almost a pate`. I'm wondering if I just need to buy a dedicated meat grinder instead of using the attachment on my mixer. If that's the case I would love some recommendations.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I would look at sharpening the blades on the grinder. But yes, I also think a dedicated grinder would make short work of that job as well.