# Meat Grinders



## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

I am going to start doing home cooked meals for Frannie & maybe the other two kids. Has anyone used a meat grinder and what one do you like?

Thanks
Pat (humom to)
Miss Paige
Mr Roman
Ms Frannie


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Very interesting question, I considered one myself.


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Do you have a Kitchen Aid stand Mixmaster thingy? They have great meat grinder attachments.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

I must be reading too fast. Because I was sure we were going to get to "meet" a puppy named grinder. I have a friend who grinds her meat and bones for her 3 Ossie's. I will ask her what kind she uses.


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

Missy:

You were reading too fast-LOL. If I was getting a puppy I would be posting the news on all the threads out of excitement.

Pat (humom to)
Miss Paige
Mr Roman
Ms Frannie


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## Chasza (Dec 10, 2008)

I love my Cabela's grinder. I first used one that is very popular on dog lists, b/c of the costs and is reputed to do chicken bones. Well, it did. BUT, it took off the coating on the inside of the metal parts b/c it wasn't the heavy duty stainless steel grade. I couldn't bear the thought of the metal coating getting in the food.

I couldn't decide between the 3/4 hp and the 1 hp. I liked the 3/4 b/c it would be light enough for me to carry; whereas the 1 hp is definately heavier. At the time, tho, the 1 hp was on sale and only a few more dollars, so I ended up with the heavy 1 hp.

The 1 hp grinds F-A-S-T !!!! It grinds so fast that one person really has a hard time putting the meat in and trying to get the ground meat into a freezer baggie at the same time. It takes two people and the person doing the bagging has to work fast (and you can't seal the bags as you go, but have to wait till the end). You can also get 'meat tubs' to grind the meat into, then do the baggiing. This is probably less stressful as this machine really grinds fast. It does slow down a little bit if you are doing bones. Also, I usually don't use the smallest hole size, so that makes it go faster to. So, from the standpoint of it being almost too fast, I think I might like the 3/4 hp better. But, without comparing, I don't know if the 3/4 hp would grind the bones as well as the 1 hp.

Note: Get a seperate blade for EACH hole size, and mark which SIDE you are using of the piece with the holes. Use the same blade to the same side of the grinder hole piece. This makes the blade last longer. I keep them in packed together in the same baggie so that I won't mix up the blades.



BUT, I think I would still prefer the 1 hp, despite the weight and fastness (yes, this is usually a good thing with grinders). One BIG reason I like the 1 hp better is because the throat is larger than on the 3/4 hp. This is a BIG deal. Lets say I buy pork tenderloin to grind (low fat diet). Well, it will be too wide to fit into the throat, so you do have to cut the meat up (this is the BIGGEST pain of all the grinding chores). I must buy me a meat saw to do this with b/c I don't have anything at home that doesn't wear me out since I grind a lot of meat at once. Clean-up must be immediate and takes a good 15 minutes, so I grind alot at once. If the throat size is smaller, then I have to do alot more cutting than with a bigger throat. So, for me, this alone wins the game -- bigger motor = bigger throat = less meat cutting.

So in the end, b/c of throat size, I prefer the 1 hp. And Cabela's is good quality. (just look for a sale!)

Hope this helps a little, 

Lynn


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

Lynn:

It does help-I was looking at Cabela's website and since I have a store close I am going to go look them over-figure they will be a little higher in price right now because we are going into deer season here. 

I cooked a chicken yesterday and am doing grounded lamb & beef today for Miss Paige because she seems to now have trouble with chicken.

I think a grinder would be great-can do chicken-beef-and other types of meat.

Pat


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## Metchosin (Jun 29, 2009)

The Costco near me has VitaMix on sale right now. I wonder if it would work to grind bones? 

I don't include the bones for my dog's food, since I cook Tucker's food, but I do grind his chicken or salmon when I make his dogfood patties. I've been planning to go and have a chat with them as my food processor is starting to sound tired during the final mixing.


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## Chasza (Dec 10, 2008)

I used to have a VitaMixer, and no, I don't think I would try grinding bones in it. For one thing, it woul have to run awhile, and it would get hot. You don't want the bones getting hot "cooked" b/c that increases the odds of impaction happening. For another, I think you would end up having to take the lid off to scrape the sides. I just don't think this would work, in real life. Maybe for a commercial, but I don't think it would really work. 

If grinding a whole chicken, then I think you need to add a tad bit more meat for the proper ratio (ie, I think a whole chicken has too much bone:meat ratio).

I will tell you my favorite way of adding calcium is to rinse out eggshells, put in the fridge for a couple of days until you have several (I would make sure everyone got eggs for breakfast for a couple of days), then gently, gently dry them out in an oven or toaster oven. It only takes a few minutes, but you just don't want them browned heavily - you want the heat to be mild. 

Then go out and buy a $15 dollar coffee mill, and dedicate it only for eggshells. They grind up great. I can't remember off hand how much calcium is in a teaspoon - I have it somewhere in my records, and I know it was close to what dogaware.com would have. I could fine my info, if needed. But, it is pretty much, so would only take a small amount for a batch of food. It's cheap.

My newest favorite way is to go to iherb and order NOW calcium carbonate in powdered form. One bottle goes a loooong way and is worth the approximately $7 it costs. Well worth it, with no trouble. I place some into another container, and use my small measuriing spoons to mix with food. It has the amount of elemental calcium on the label. This form is from limestone, so doesn't interfer with food allergies. This is what I have used the last 2-3 years, and is definately my preference. It is easier, but also one dogs has egg allergies.


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## Metchosin (Jun 29, 2009)

Thanks so much. I always promise myself, "No more gadgets", but it's hard to resist those demo's :wink:
I agree about the heating of the bones, and the amount of time it might take to grind. So, scratch that idea.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Here's another thread on this topic that might help: http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=10187


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