Buying dog treats is… expensive. And half the time, they’re packed with fillers, mystery ingredients, or just don’t impress your pup. (Chucko has literally turned his nose up at a $30 bag of treats.
He even spit at a pet store employee who tried to give him cod skin. Dramatic, but fair.
These steak jerky treats? Different story. One ingredient (okay, two if you count the sprinkle of sea salt), cheaper than store‑bought, and guaranteed to make you your dog’s favorite human for at least 24 hours.
Why Make Jerky at Home?
- Cheaper: A single pack of good treats can cost $10-$20. And you only get a few ounces. A pound of steak? Alright, admittedly expensive, but you get a whole heck of a lot more bang for your buck.
- Simpler: Just meat, no weird additives or preservatives.
- Better smelling (sort of): Okay, your house will smell like steak. But your dog will think you're a hero.
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds of lean steak (sirloin, flank, or top round work great)
- Optional: Dog-safe seasoning (a light sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Prep the steak.
I don't trim the excess fat, but you can if you want to. Slice into thin, relatively uniform slices. Too thick, and it doesn't dehydrate well. Too thin, and it can get dry and too hard. And when it's not uniform, it's all over the place. You don't have to be perfect, but the more uniform, the better. - Add (optional) seasoning.
Lightly sprinkle sea salt on the cut steak. - Arrange on a baking sheet.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and space evenly but close together (to get maximum use of your surface area).
- Bake low and slow.
Depending on how thin (or thick) you cut the meat, it should take 4 hours to be get yummy beef jerky. You can check the oven at 3 hours to be safe. - Cool and store.
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
NOTE: You can use a dehydrator, and for years, that's what I used to do. The only reason I stopped is that it takes about 12-16 hours, and the fan was kinda loud. Oh, and the racks got messy. But if you prefer that route, you do you! I recommend setting to high and checking after 8 hours. Then check again every couple of hours until you get the hang of how long your dehydrator takes.
I tried to take a picture when these were fresh, but Chucko ate half the batch before I got to it. But here ya go!
