Freeze dried is quite safe, but you can't do this with any home equipment. Dried like jerky also requires salt to prevent rancidty, somthing that pets shouldn't have much of. Might be best to simply freeze raw in small amounts, or cook and then freeze. Meat drippings can also consist of a lot of beef fat (suet), so you can melt this down and then bake it into dog treats. Something like what wild birds eat, but without the seeds.

Good point about the salt Ken, thanks. I should have mentioned, I will be making Milkbone-like dog biscuits with flour and stuff, and drying them in the oven overnight. Not just plain drippings or liver - the meat will be a flavoring in the cookies. Any thoughts on that?

Melissa

Why don't you just freeze the extra and take out just what supply you need for a day or two.

Using regular flour is almost empty calories for dogs. Maybe soy flour would be a better option, or a mix of both. Also chop up some parsley or other greens as they help reduce doggy breath. The drippings would be the only added liquid, so a dough could be made, rolled out and cut up like cookies. Then baked until totally crisp and dry.

Westelle, I will probably freeze some of them, but my dog likes nosing the cookie jar to ask for a treat. The cookie jar is at the opposite end of my apartment from the kitchen, and it's more fun if I keep a supply in there for when we happen to be in there. So maybe a week's worth in the jar.

Ken, I don't like to give too much soy or wheat to my dog, so I'm going to use brown rice flour and maybe some rye flour. I have some different recipes so I'll probably try a couple different kinds.

I do plan to dry them out very well, so hopefully I'll be able to get a week or so out of them. Right now the freezer is completely full so I'll have to wait a little while. I even had to pull out a bag of apples to make room, so I'll be making a pie tomorrow night.

Melissa

I wouldn't recommend rye flour, but rice flour is OK as a filler as is wheat flour. The soy flour is quite cheap usually. The more they are baked and dried out the longer they will last without any special care. Even an egg or two can be mixed in as it too gets baked, so they will not spoil quickly. Bake them at about 300 degrees or a little less. The dogs love crunchy stuff, good for their teeth. You can keep them in the fridge if you are really concerned. I have TWO freezers here and both are quite full. Rarely do I shop at the sup[ermarkets unless something is on sale really cheap. This week, boneless rib eye steaks (resturant quality) for $3.99 a pound. Boneless/skinless chicken breasts $1.69 a pound, but I have plenty of them already. Gotta start using some of my frozen broccoli, and yellow waxed beans from this last summer. Ive got about 5 or so gallon bags of each.