One of the most basic kitchen appliances that are used, but also one of the most puzzling, is the meat grinder. A meat grinder allows you to get fresh ground meat to prepare different delicious foods like hamburgers, sausage, and others. But what about the bone?
Can You Grind Bone With Meat Grinder?
Yes, you could grind the soft bones like a chicken, duck, rabbit, and other small fowl with a powerful electric meat grinder Like the LEM Big Bite series or Weston Meatgrinder. Hard bones like beef or pork are not possible to grind with conventional meat grinders. A manual meat grinder is not suitable for grinding soft bones.
Let’s explore everything that you need to grind the bones with a meat grinder.
Things to Consider to Choosing the Meat Grinder for Grinding Bones
Electric or manual meat grinder?
Obviously the electric meat grinder. It is impossible to grind the soft bones with the manual old-school meat grinder. Electric meat grinders are popular among people who want to have ground meat without the hassle of using a manual grinder.
They are usually much faster than hand grinding and also have better polish on the surface of the product. Electric grinders can be used for beef or pork, making them great for you butchers. The disadvantage is that they are quite heavy because of the motor and other parts, which makes them unsuitable if you’re not in an established butcher shop.
HP of motor
It is important to take into consideration of motor power when buying an electric meat grinder. The stronger the speed, the better your grinding experience will be. If you need to process only a small amount of bones, get one with less power. You could consider at least a .75 HP motor power to grind the small and soft bone. If you have the budget you could consider the larger one like 1 HP or more.
Size
For grinding these bones you would want to go with a hole sized at 3/8″ onto the first grind. Then you could go for the second grind with the same or smaller plate.
Durability
All the premium meat grinder brands come with at least one year warranty. In most cases, you will get a 5-year warranty like LEM offers.
Reverse function
Grinding meat and bone is not the only use for a reverse function, it can help with smooth operation. If the bones clog in the grinder blade you could operate the grinder in the reverse directions to make it fine again.
Air CoolingTechnology
Air cooling is the latest technology for preventing overheating while grinding. A common problem with meat grinders is overheating, which can cause damage or slow down the motor.
Looking for the best meat grinder for bones? You could read this article to get the best recommendation.
Tips to Grind Soft Bones in a Meat Grinder
Add small sections of bones into the meat grinder
Choose a sharp, strong knife, such as a chef’s knife or a meat cleaver. You can also split the bones into smaller sections using kitchen scissors before feeding them into the grinder. Separate the bones as needed so that your meat grinder can fit them. You can, for example, cut through the joints of a chicken to remove its wings. Almost all grinders can handle whole wings, so they’re perfect for making pet food.
Set out a bowl to catch the ground bones
In order to catch large quantities of bones, use a mixing bowl or a plastic bin. The counter of your kitchen would be a good place for your meat grinder. Make sure you have enough space underneath the meat grinder for a bowl. Meat grinders have a tendency to leak moisture. In order to prevent a mess from the grinder, you can use a vinyl tablecloth or paper towel.
Feed the bones one at a time into a meat grinder
Putting bones through the meat grinder too quickly will cause it to clog or break. Do not add another bone until the last one has been ground. So, at first, you need to turn on the grinder, and then you need to place the first bone on top. When pushing the bone into the grinder, keep your hands away from the blades.
Storing the Ground bones
you could store ground chicken bones in your refrigerator for up to 6 months. Actually, it is not a great idea to keep the ground bones in the refrigerator for more than a week. After a week, the quality will be deducted.
Also Read: Can You Grind Meat After It’s Cooked?
FAQ
What bones are too hard to grind with a meat grinder?
All bones are not the same. Some are too hard to grind when using a meat grinder, while others are much better for grinding into various types of ground meat. The type of bone that makes it difficult to grind is usually one with a large amount of cartilage, such as beef knucklebones deer, pork, and other large animals.
How many types of meat grinders are available?
There are electric models which operate without the use of a cord to power it, as well as manual models which you have to crank by hand. There are different types of blades to suit your needs, including single-sided blades, double-sided blades, and serrated blade attachments. Manual models typically come with 3 different plates: fine, medium, and coarse.
Is the meat grinder dishwasher safe?
As we begin to tidy up the kitchen after a nice meal, it’s important to remember that not all dishes can go into the dishwasher. In particular, most meat grinders should be washed by hand with soap and warm water. This is because of the metal gears which can rust if they come in contact with dishwasher detergent. This leaves a film on the utensils which then end up in whatever you’re cooking next.
Can you replace the blades of a meat grinder?
Yes, you can replace the blades of your meat grinder. A meat grinder is a device that chops and grinds animal products into pieces. Usually, the blades of these devices are replaced by sharpening them on a grinding wheel or using a diamond hone. However, if the blades get too dull, they will need to be replaced entirely. The blades should be replaced at least once per year to maintain safe processing conditions.
Will Kitchenaid meat grinder grind chicken bones?
The Kitchenaid meat grinder has many functions, the most basic of which is grinding up meat for burgers or sausage. But what happens if you want to grind up chicken bones? Will it work? And if so, what will the consistency be like? The answer is that yes, it can grind up chicken bones, but the final product will be a little coarser than ground beef.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a meat grinder is a perfect way to grind soft bones for your pets as it will not splinter or chip them. In addition, a grinder is an incredibly effective way to get the most out of your high-quality bones.
