Protein is one of the most important parts of your dog's diet. The protein in your pet's food helps his body to build muscle tissue, create new cells and perform many other necessary tasks. It also helps to keep the immune system strong and provides Fido with the energy he needs. This homemade ground beef dog food recipe provides plenty of protein along with other essential nutrients that your dog needs.
If you're using ground beef in your homemade dog food, you need to be sure that it is lean. Ground beef with more fat is much cheaper per pound than lean ground beef, but it will add too much fat into your pup's diet. You should use ground beef that is at least 93% lean.
Ground beef is a great choice for the protein source in your homemade dog food, as it is affordable and extremely easy to find in any store. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Ground beef is also very easy to prepare.
This is one of my favorite homemade ground beef dog food recipe options. There are only 4 ingredients, and it's simple to prepare. Not to mention, my dogs go crazy for these healthy meatballs. They're great to serve as a full meal or to mix with kibble in order to add some additional nutrients to your pup's food.
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Homemade Ground Beef Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1/2 cup mixed vegetables
Directions
First, cook the rice according to the instructions on the box. You'll also need to steam or boil the vegetables. I used peas, carrots and butternut squash. You can use any type of dog-friendly vegetable of your choosing.
Preheat your oven to 400°.
When the rice and veggies are cooked, mix them with the beef and eggs in a large mixing bowl. If you've ever made homemade meatballs before, you'll know what to do from here.
When the ingredients are sufficiently combined, it's time to put this homemade ground beef dog food recipe together. First, grease a cookie sheet. Next, roll your meatballs as I demonstrate in the video guide above.
I love this recipe because you can make the meatballs bite-sized for your dog. If you have a teacup breed, just roll really small meatballs. For an extra-large breed you can make meatballs that are his size. The best part of making homemade dog food is that you can cater to your pup's individual needs.
Place the meatballs on the well-greased cookie sheet. They shouldn't be touching each other or they will stick together while cooking. Bake the meatballs in the 400° oven for 45 minutes.
Once the meatballs are cool you can immediately serve them to your dog. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 7 days. You can also freeze the meatballs (cooked or raw) for storage of up to 3 months.
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