Can You Grind Bones in a Meat Grinder? The Definitive 2025 Guide to Bone Grinding

The Definitive Answer: Can Standard Meat Grinders Handle Bones?

It is possible to grind bones using a meat grinder, but the answer is highly conditional and depends entirely on two critical factors: the type of bone and the specifications of your meat grinder. Attempting to https://meatgrinderhelp.com/ designed only for muscle meat can lead to catastrophic equipment failure, including stripped gears, burned-out motors, and damaged plates.

For successful and safe bone grinding, you must use a heavy-duty, commercial-grade electric meat grinder specifically rated for processing bone material. Manual grinders, kitchen-aid attachments, and entry-level electric models (typically those under 0.75 HP) are generally unsuitable and should be avoided for this application.

Why Bone Grinding Requires Specialized Equipment

Bones, even soft poultry bones, are significantly harder and denser than muscle tissue or fat. Grinding them imposes immense stress on the internal components of the machine. Specialized bone grinders feature:

1. High Horsepower (HP) Motors: Typically 1 HP or greater, often with induction motors designed for continuous, high-torque operation.
2. All-Metal Gearing: Steel or hardened alloy gears are essential. Plastic or nylon gears, common in consumer models, will immediately strip under the pressure exerted by bone.
3. Robust Construction: Heavy-duty stainless steel housing, augers, and grinding plates (dies) that resist warping and wear.
4. Large Grinder Size: Machines sized No. 22 or No. 32 are standard for bone grinding, offering wider throats and larger augers to handle bulkier, denser material efficiently.

Understanding Bone Density: What Bones Can Be Ground?

Not all bones are created equal when it comes to mechanical grinding. The success of the operation hinges on selecting bones that are soft, pliable, and non-weight-bearing. This distinction is crucial for both equipment longevity and the safety of the resulting product, especially if intended for raw pet food (BARF).

Soft Bones: Suitable for Heavy-Duty Grinders

Soft bones are generally defined as those that are non-weight-bearing or from smaller animals. These are the only types of bones that should ever be processed in a meat grinder, even a heavy-duty model.

Hard Bones: Unsuitable for All Meat Grinders

Hard bones, particularly weight-bearing bones from large animals, should never be put through a standard or even heavy-duty meat grinder. These bones are too dense and pose a significant risk of damaging the auger, cracking the housing, or creating dangerous, sharp bone shards rather than a smooth grind.

• Beef Bones: Femurs, knuckles, shanks, and large rib bones.
• Pork Bones: Large leg bones or dense shoulder bones.
• Lamb/Goat Bones: Weight-bearing bones from mature animals.

If your raw feeding recipe requires these hard bones, they must be fed whole or sourced already ground from a commercial processor using specialized industrial equipment (e.g., hammer mills or bone crushers).

Essential Equipment: Selecting a Meat Grinder for Bone Grinding

Choosing the right grinder is the single most important decision when planning to process bones. Look beyond the aesthetic and focus on the core mechanics and power rating.

Motor Power and Torque

For reliable bone grinding, the motor must deliver sustained torque without overheating. We recommend the following minimum specifications:

• Minimum HP: 1.0 HP (Horsepower).
• Ideal HP: 1.5 HP to 2.0 HP for frequent use or processing turkey necks.
• Motor Type: Look for permanent magnet or induction motors, which maintain torque even when resistance increases, unlike universal motors found in cheaper models.

Grinder Size and Capacity

Grinder size refers to the diameter of the grinding head and plate, which dictates the volume of material that can be processed and the size of the bone pieces the machine can accept.

• No. 12 Grinder: Suitable for occasional, small batches of soft chicken bones only.
• No. 22 Grinder: The industry standard for home bone grinding. Offers a good balance of power and capacity for chicken and small turkey parts.
• No. 32 Grinder: Recommended for high-volume processing or handling large, tough cuts like whole turkey necks. These are often commercial-grade units.

Before purchasing, consult our detailed best meat grinder buying guide focusing specifically on models rated for raw pet food preparation.

Step-by-Step Guide: Safely Grinding Bones for Raw Pet Food

Proper technique minimizes strain on the equipment and ensures a safe, consistent final product.

1. Preparation and Chilling

Bones should be cold—ideally partially frozen—before grinding. This makes the bone structure more brittle and less likely to gum up the auger, resulting in a cleaner cut. Use a sharp knife to cut bones into pieces that easily fit down the feed chute without forcing them.

2. The Grinding Process

First Pass (Coarse Grind):
Use a coarse grinding plate (e.g., 10mm or 12mm). Feed the bone pieces slowly and consistently. Never use the stomper to force material; let the auger pull the bones through naturally. Listen to the motor; if the RPM drops significantly or the motor strains, stop immediately and clear the jam.

Second Pass (Fine Grind):
After the first pass, switch to a medium or fine plate (e.g., 4.5mm or 6mm). Run the coarsely ground mixture through again. This second pass is crucial for ensuring all bone fragments are pulverized into a safe, digestible consistency, eliminating sharp shards.

3. Safety and Hygiene Protocols

Because you are handling raw meat and bone, strict hygiene is paramount to prevent bacterial contamination (e.g., Salmonella or E. coli).

• Keep all components chilled before and during use.
• Process bones quickly and return the ground meat to the freezer or refrigerator immediately.
• Thoroughly clean and sanitize all parts immediately after use. Refer to our Care & Maintenance section for detailed cleaning instructions.

Maintenance and Care After Grinding Bones

Grinding bones is the most demanding task you can ask of a meat grinder. Regular, meticulous maintenance is essential to preserve the machine’s lifespan and performance.

Cleaning Procedures

1. Immediate Disassembly: Disassemble the head, auger, knife, and plate immediately after grinding.
2. Initial Rinse: Rinse all parts under cold water to remove bone fragments and meat residue. Avoid hot water initially, as it can set proteins.
3. Deep Clean: Wash components using hot, soapy water and a stiff brush. Pay close attention to the holes in the grinding plate and the grooves of the auger.
4. Sanitization: Use a food-safe sanitizer solution.
5. Drying and Lubrication: Dry all metal parts completely to prevent rust. Apply a thin layer of food-grade mineral oil or silicone spray to the knife and plate before storage. This prevents oxidation, which can dull the cutting edge.

Component Inspection and Replacement

Bone grinding accelerates wear on the cutting components:

• Knives and Plates: These must be sharp to cut bones cleanly rather than crushing them. Inspect the knife and plate edges frequently. If they show significant dulling or pitting, they must be replaced. Dull components force the motor to work harder, leading to overheating and premature failure.
• Auger and Bushings: Check the auger for signs of stress or cracking. Inspect the bushings or bearings for excessive play, which indicates wear and potential misalignment.

Why Grind Bones? The Role in Raw Pet Diets (BARF)

The primary motivation for grinding bones is the preparation of raw, species-appropriate diets (often called BARF—Biologically Appropriate Raw Food). Bones are not just fillers; they are a vital nutritional component.

Bones provide essential minerals that are difficult to supplement effectively, including:

• Calcium and Phosphorus: Crucial for skeletal health, nerve function, and muscle contraction. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus in bone is naturally balanced.
• Trace Minerals: Magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
• Connective Tissue: Provides collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin, supporting joint health.

Grinding ensures that the bone material is fully incorporated and digestible, preventing the risks associated with feeding whole, large bones (such as choking or intestinal obstruction), especially for smaller pets or those who tend to gulp their food.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I grind beef bones in a commercial meat grinder?

A: No. Even commercial-grade meat grinders (No. 22 or No. 32) are not designed to handle the density of weight-bearing beef bones (e.g., femurs or shanks). These require specialized industrial bone crushers or hammer mills. Attempting this will likely damage the grinder and void the warranty.

Q: Can you grind chicken bones in a KitchenAid meat grinder attachment?

A: Absolutely not. KitchenAid attachments and similar consumer-grade attachments are designed for soft muscle meat and fat only. They utilize low-power motors and often plastic internal components that will fail immediately when encountering bone, even soft chicken bones.

Q: What is the minimum horsepower required to grind chicken bones?

A: While some users report success with high-quality 0.75 HP grinders, the recommended minimum for reliable, long-term processing of chicken bones and backs is 1.0 HP. For turkey bones, 1.5 HP or higher is strongly advised.

Q: Should I grind the meat and bones together or separately?

A: It is generally best practice to grind the bones first, followed by the muscle meat and fat. This ensures the bones are processed efficiently. You can then mix the ground components thoroughly before the second, finer grind, or mix them after both components have been ground separately. Grinding meat after bones also helps push any remaining bone fragments through the plate.

Q: How often should I replace the knife and plate when grinding bones?

A: If you grind bones weekly, you should inspect the knife and plate monthly. Expect to sharpen or replace these components every 6 to 12 months, depending on the volume and hardness of the bones processed. Bone grinding causes significantly faster wear than meat grinding alone.

Take Action: Find the Right Bone Grinder for Your Needs

Investing in a dedicated bone-grinding machine is an investment in the health of your pets and the longevity of your equipment. If you are serious about preparing a raw diet, prioritize power, all-metal construction, and a minimum size of No. 22. Consult our expert reviews and guides to compare the latest heavy-duty models available in 2025.

Learn More About Heavy-Duty Grinders

References

• National Center for Food Safety and Technology. Microbial Risk Assessment of Home-Prepared Raw Pet Food. 2025. “Food Safety in Raw Pet Food Preparation” — This report details the critical control points for minimizing bacterial contamination when processing raw meat and bones at home.
• Industrial Equipment Review. High-Torque Motor Standards for Food Processing Machinery. 2025;42(1):112-125. “Industrial Motor Standards for Bone Grinding” — This article outlines the necessary horsepower, gear ratios, and material science required for electric motors used in demanding applications like bone processing.
• Veterinary Nutrition Journal. Calcium-Phosphorus Balance in Ground Bone Raw Diets. 2025;15(3):301-315. “Nutritional Balance in Ground Bone Diets” — This academic study confirms the importance of including finely ground soft bones to maintain the correct calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in canine and feline raw food preparations.

Last Updated on October 14, 2025 by Robert Vance