How to make budget-friendly, grain-free treats for your pets at home with a few simple, whole food ingredients.
Pet treats are a must to spoil your furry friends, but one glance at the label of these products at the store reveals a toxic cocktail of ingredients and synthetic vitamins.
Fortunately, it is very easy and inexpensive to make your own at home.
The recipe I prefer to use contains chicken livers, which cost just a few dollars a pound at the supermarket.
They are also an incredible nutritional boost to your pet’s diet.
This is the brand I typically buy.
If you want to go gourmet, it will cost you roughly double the price at your local grassfed farm for similar cuts. I prefer to save livers from my farmer for my homemade pate.
Despite their finicky reputation, even cats don’t mind cooked chicken livers.
If yours still object, I suggest mixing a few pieces in with their regular food.
When it comes to dogs, most will happily eat liver… raw or cooked!
While raw liver is certainly best, I have not had much luck getting cats to accept it. Raw livers are also a bit messy to handle.
Cooking the livers improves the texture and makes the treats more appealing to cats.
The pieces are simple to store in a small container in the refrigerator for dispensing a few at a time.
Note that these liver pieces also freeze well for later use.
Homemade Pet Treats
How to make budget-friendly treats for your pets at home with a few simple, whole food ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) fresh liver or combination of grassfed organ meats
- 2 eggs
- 2-4 Tbsp chicken broth for easy blending
- tallow or lard
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Heavily grease a stainless steel baking pan with tallow or lard. Set aside.
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In a blender or food processor, combine the livers, eggs, and chicken broth (or water). Blend until smooth, forming a thick paste.
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Pour the mixture into a well-greased baking pan. Spread evenly to about 1/4" – 1/2" thickness.
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Bake for 30 minutes until firm and slightly dry to the touch. Do not overcook.
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Let cool to room temperature. Cut into small, bite-sized pieces suitable for your pet's size. The recipe makes about 100 small pieces.
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Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freeze what you will not use in a week for up to 3 months.
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