If you have spare bones from your dinner lying around, grinding them up is a great way to use them.Soft bones from chickens and other small animals can be turned into powder with a good meat grinder.Ground bones can be used as a source of calcium in cat and dog food.
Step 1: It's a good idea to use an electric meat grinder for frequent bone grinding.
A good grinder will last a long time.The models range from affordable to expensive and are capable of chewing through a lot of bones.If you choose a grinder that isn't approved for bone grinding, you will end up with dull or broken blades.A smaller electric grinder is fine if you are making pet food.If you have a family of large dogs, consider getting a heavy duty model.Online and at kitchen supply stores, electric grinders are available.Read reviews from other customers before buying a grinder.Do you know how long the grinder will last?
Step 2: An inexpensive way to grind bones is with a manual meat grinder.
There are websites and stores that sell manual grinders.It is as effective as a lower-end electric grinder.They require you to turn a handle to grind the bones, so they are not as easy to use, but it is a good way to try grinding without committing to an expensive purchase.It is easy to take apart a grinder.It will last a lot longer if you wash it that way.
Step 3: The grinder attachment can be used for a stand mixer.
If you have a quality stand mixer, you don't need to add another tool to your kitchen.The same way a regular meat grinder works, the grinder attachment plugs into the front end of a mixer.Stand mixers use strong motors to push bones through the grinder attachment.Plastic and metal grinder attachment types are available.Attachments made of metal are better for bones.It can cost as much as a low-end meat grinder to have a grinder attachment.
Step 4: If you don't have a grinder, you can grind bones in a food processor.
It is easier to find these tools at retail than it is at a grinder.They can be used like a stand mixer.The difference is that some blenders and processors aren't as powerful and their blades will dull over time, which can be a problem if you need them for other purposes.When using a processor, make sure to watch the bones.You should grind them down to dust.When eating bone fragments, be careful.If you want to reduce the wear and tear on your regular kitchen blender, consider picking up a spare from a thrift store.
Step 5: Uncooked bones are easy to break down.
If you are preparing a meal for a pet, think of what they would eat in the wild.If you want to grind poultry wing tips, rib cages, neck, and backs are good choices.Fish, rabbits, and rodents have bones that work.If you want your bones to break down appropriately, choose bones that are no longer thicker than your thumb.Pets are not good at eating bones that have been cooked.They don't have as much nutrition as raw bones.Don't use bones from larger animals.Unless you have an industrial grinder, these bones will be hard to grind.
Step 6: Feed the bones into the grinder by dividing them into smaller sections.
You should get a meat cleaver or a chef's knife.A pair of strong kitchen scissors will work.The bones need to be seperated so they fit in the grinder.Remove the wings from a whole chicken by cutting through the joints where they attach to the rest of the bird.It's fine to leave the meat on smaller cuts of chicken.Whole wings are great for making pet food.Pull the meat from the bones first.If you plan on mixing vegetables with meat and bones, chop them up into smaller chunks that will fit in the grinder.
Step 7: If it's necessary to catch the ground bones, set out a bowl.
The grinder should be on a stable surface.Make sure you have enough room to put a bowl under the grinder.Use a bowl or bin to catch bones.If you plan on grinding the bones with a meat grinder or stand mixer, you will need a bowl.Some grinders are prone to leaking.If you want to prevent a mess, set the grinder on some paper towels.
Step 8: Feed the 1 bones at a time.
Drop the first bone into the open end on top of the grinder or stand mixer.Keeping your hands clear of the blades, push the bone down until it is all the way into the grinder.Wait for the bone to go all the way through and out the other end before putting the next bone in.Feeding bones too quickly can cause the grinder to break.Before adding another bone, always wait for the last bone to pass through.
Step 9: If you're using a processor, grind multiple bones together.
You can fit as many bones as you need.To ensure consistency, pour in a cup of water.Push the bones down until you can fit the top securely on the appliance.If you are making pet food, you don't need to take all of the meat off the bones, but make sure everything blends together into a liquid consistency.
Step 10: The bones can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The ground bones should be kept in a sealed container.After a while, bones will smell rancid because they have blood and marrow in them.When it's consistency, texture, or odor changes, throw the powder away.Store the ground bones in freezer-safe containers.Quality is lost after 6 to 12 months in the freezer.If you ground meat with the bones, store it in the refrigerator the same way.Before feeding it to your pet, make sure it is fresh.
Step 11: The meat grinder needs to be washed with soap and hot water.
The machine should be unplugged if it uses electricity.Turn the plates on the grinder's openings counterclockwise.Pull the feed tube out of the grinder.Remove all the debris from the machine before storing it.Feed bread through the grinder before taking it apart.The bread absorbs oil.The ground-up fragments are pushed out.