beef jerky

How To Make Beef Jerky For Dogs

Calling all dog enthusiasts! Give your favorite companion some unique homemade dog jerky to show them how much you care. It is really easy to make, and they will love you for it. Instead of giving them something processed with a lot of fillers and chemicals, give them something nutritious and chemical-free.

What Meat To Use

When producing homemade dog jerky, ground meat is the best option. Make sure you get a package that contains 10% fat or less. This would be a 90:10 package, meaning 90 percent meat and 10 percent fat.

Spices That Are Best For Dogs

Also Read: How To Eat Shredded Beef Jerky

When it is a matter of marinades or flavoring, making dog jerky is much different than making human jerky. Beef jerky contains a significant amount of salt and spices, which is both unhealthy and unnecessary. Spices are only used in minimal amounts, and no salt is used. The Dog People have provided us with several spices that are best for dogs to consume.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has antioxidants that can help reduce the impact of diabetes. It may also aid in the treatment of halitosis, which is a major issue for everyone.

Also Read: How Thick To Slice Meat For Jerky?

Turmeric

It is effective in overcoming inflammation, which may help with weight reduction and maintaining a dog’s general health. It also aids with heart, joint, and brain health.

Ginger

Ginger is not only delicious, but it also aids in the digestive process and can assist with nausea. If your dog frequently has a stomachache, ginger is an excellent spice to use.

Also Read: How To Tell If Jerky Is Done Dehydrating

To enhance the taste and nutrition of your dog jerky, simply mix in a few teaspoons of a spice or two with 1 pound of ground beef.

Ingredients

Protein options

We switched to a grain-free diet and increased our intake of greens and vegetables. For example, we add avocado, which is good for them (it’s a fatty fish, so you’ll want to keep this jerky in the fridge, but your dog will go CRAZY for the taste). Check for bones with tweezers and remove them.
If you’re fortunate enough to find it on sale, lamb or mutton is a terrific alternative.
Flank steak is a lean cut of beef with little or no marbling.
Chicken breast or thigh (some fat trimming for the thigh, but we all know it’s more delicious than breast!)
Any white fish. Do check for bones and remove them with tweezers.
The USDA recommends freezing game meat before dehydrating to completely eliminate E Coli bacteria and any potential parasites, and it is recommended that you dehydrate it a little longer to ensure that it is fully cooked.

Marinade

The sauce is not essential, but it does give this jerky a flavor profile that is suitable for both people and dogs. We use low-sodium ingredients and do not add sugar to guarantee that this treat is as nutritious as it is delicious. You may make as much or as little of the marinade as you wish.

1 cup of unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 cup of liquid aminos (this is like low-sodium, gluten-free soy sauce you can find in the health food section of your grocery store. If you can not locate this product, try substituting low-sodium soy sauce)
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
The splash of fish sauce
The pinch of powdered ginger
Optional: 1-2 drops of liquid smoke

Equipment

We used a Snackmaster Nesco Pro Dehydrator, but the lowest oven temperature will also work.
For marinating, use a Ziplock bag, glass, or ceramic container.
Place your meats on racks on baking sheets or parchment paper sheets on cookie sheets if you are using your oven.

Instructions

Make a fresh batch of your marinade. You will need one pint of marinade for each pound of meat. Remove all visible fat from lean meats before cutting them into slices. Make whatever shapes you like with your proteins, keeping in mind that:

Thinner cuts can be dehydrated faster
For even doneness, uniform-shaped portions will dehydrate at the same rate
Using the grain will produce a chewier jerky treat
If you cut against the grain, your jerky treat will be less chewy.

Place your protein in the marinade and gently stir to ensure that it is well-covered. Marinate for 4 to 24 hours in the fridge. When you are ready to dehydrate, preheat the dehydrator to 165 degrees F, your oven at 160 degrees F, or the lowest temperature available.

Remove the trays from your dehydrator. You do not want raw meat juice on the trays you are not using, which will improve ventilation significantly.

Remove the chunks of protein from the marinade, pressing dry with a paper towel.
Place sliced meats on trays, leaving plenty of breathing room between each portion for optimum ventilation.
Place trays in the dehydrator, leaving adequate spacing between each one if possible.

Set the timer for four hours. If you are using the dehydrator, check for doneness at 4 hours; if you are using the oven, check after 3 hours because the temperature will most likely be higher. You want to see that the meat has been shrunk by at least half, is dark and uniform in color, and is dry all of the ways through (chicken, I am looking at you.)

After the meat has cooled down, wrap it in aluminum foil and store it in an airtight container. Clean your dehydrator trays and the interior of your dehydrator thoroughly, as the bottom shelf will become sticky over time and you do not want these tastes to transfer to your next cooking project!

The shelf life of beef jerky is one week on the counter, and two weeks in the fridge. If you want it to last for a few months, use a vacuum sealer. But we are pretty sure that your dog will help you consume it within days if not hours if you give him/her access to your pantry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Safe For The Humans To Eat?

Yes, this soup is salt-free and seasoned with just a little. It will taste very bland, however since there is very less or no salt and only a little amount of spices used. It is fine.