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Tasty Tuesday is Turning Two!
For two whole years, we’ve been sharing treats you can make at home, treats you can buy and we’ve even tossed in the occasional treat giveaway! To celebrate two years of tastiness, we’re challenge YOU to channel your inner dog chef and join in our Iron Canine Chef Competition! You don’t have to be a baker to join in, click here to find out all the ways you can get in on the fun and be entered to win some Tasty prizes!
Today’s recipes comes to us from our friends Vlad and Barkely at Parenting Furkids.
Here’s what they had to say:
I’ve not recently seen any homemade jerky treats in any of the recipes, so thought I’d send you the way I make it for our dogs–have for a long time now because they loved the jerky and fruit leather I made for the skin-kids years ago. Vlad & Barkly Get These Only for Birthdays & Christmas because frankly, it’s not exactly fast, and you have to stay home while it’s drying.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of NO SUGAR ADDED fruit preserves (If you use fresh fruit, you'll have to cook 2 cups of fruit and 1/4 cup water to get what is about equal to 1-cup of preserves. Cool completely before moving on.)
- 3/4 cup of the dog's favorite meat cubed, without fat (sometimes I've used muscle meat, sometimes organ meat, sometimes both)
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp celery seeds
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- (If you know your dog has special spice preferences, you can always substitute the spice list)
- 1. Parchment paper and a food dehydrator
- OR (since not everyone has a dehydrator, I'm adding these 2 ways)
- 2. A Silicone Baking Mat
- OR
- 3. Parchment paper & large cookie sheet
Instructions
In a food processor with the grinding blade, pulse the meat until it's chopped well. Add all of the spices and turn on low to blend. Then add the fruit and continue to blend until it's all of an even consistency and color—no streaks of color. I usually make 4 batches of this at once because I make it so rarely.
If using a dehydrator, line the trays (including about 1/8 inch up the sides or it will pour out if not REALLY careful) with lightly-cooking-sprayed parchment paper. Pour to about 1/8 inch depth. Mine will dry it in 2 hours. If you have one of the newer dehydrators, you probably have a fruit-leather tray & can skip the parchment paper. I've tried not spraying it, and it was kind of hard to peel off in some spots.
If using a cookie sheet, line with lightly-cooking-sprayed parchment paper (including up the sides), pour mixture on the paper (again about 1/8 inch depth), and bake at the lowest temperature setting that your oven has--many it's 170-F and some go as low as 140-F. The thicker you pour it, the longer it takes. You could also drop ½ teaspoonfuls on the paper to cut down drying time. If this is your first time drying something in your oven, check every 15 minutes to determine how long it will normally take. I'm told that some use the microwaveable plastic wraps to line their cookie sheets or dehydrator trays, and it won't melt because the heat is so low. But still, somehow that doesn't sound safe to me. I'm just not convinced that the plastic elements wouldn't leech out into the food.
Using a silicone mat is the same as a cookie sheet, except you don't have to bother lining or spraying it if you don't want to.
No matter the method used to dry it, it should somewhat have the consistency of Fruit Roll-Ups when finished. If you test it and a cooled piece from the center is not like that, dehydrate or cook longer. If you cook it too long, it will get crunchy around the edges.
Completely cool, then pull up. Use either kitchen shears or a cutting board and knife to cut into small pieces according to your dog's size. You don't want to give the dog large pieces--the fruit makes it kind of sticky-ish & you don't want it all over their fur (i.e.: your house--yeah I did).
I've also heard of others using foil and making jerky on their smoker-grills. But I've never tried it, so don't have a clue. But it's an idea, if you want to try.
According to all the directions for regular jerky, the soy sauce, garlic and Worcestershire sauce will help preserve the meat, but I store it in the refrigerator in zip-bags anyway. Better safe than sorry. It can also be frozen for about 3 months.
I also always make sure a small bag is used within a week whether fresh or defrosted. Call me crazy, but when it comes to jerky products, I don't even trust myself--despite never making anyone sick.
Holy Woof! Do these sounds fantastic of what?!
I’m barking at the Mama to get her into the kitchen to try this. Thanks for sharing it Vlad and Barkly!
It’s not too late to get into the fun! Don’t forget to click here to check out all the rules & Regs! (they’re easy, I promise)
Kirby the Dorkie
Wednesday 14th of August 2013
Mama tried making some fruit rollups which were a super fail! Maybe adding the meat helps?
Parenting Furkids
Thursday 15th of August 2013
I found with the fruit leather recipes, it helped to have a lot of the moisture cooked out so that it has a thicker consistency somewhat like preserves. Did you have a thinner, runny consistency when trying?
Purple Velevet Blackberry & Cream Cheese Dog Treat Recipe | Kol's Notes
Sunday 11th of August 2013
[...] we had so many amazing doggy chefs in our midst? We kicked off the week right with this awesome Meaty Fruit Jerky recipe from Parenting Furkids and today we’re sharing some totally tasty cookies from Cristina’s Dog Treats in [...]
Gizmo Geodog
Thursday 8th of August 2013
These sound really good and the over directions are great to have since we don't have a dehydrator any more...Thank you!