Liver Treats for Dogs and Cats

Homemade dried liver will smell up the house for a bit but liver treats are really easy and inexpensive to make and much appreciated

This is so easy to make, it barely qualifies as a recipe.

What you will need
All you need is an oven, a clock, a flat cookie sheet and a piece of beef liver. Liver has a very strong smell so it helps to do this when you can open the windows and run the hood exhaust as well. You may only want to invite 4-legged guests until this peculiar smell is gone.

How to cook
You can use fresh or frozen liver. Liver is inexpensive but sometimes hard to find.  If frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator for a day. 1/2 to 1 pound is a good place to start.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Ovens vary in actual temperature so you will want to adjust accordingly. It is better to start off at a lower temperature and cook for a longer amount of time if you are unsure. Place the liver slices completely flat on the cookie sheet with at least 1/2 inch of space between them. A nonstick sheet will make clean-up easier or you can coat it very lightly with oil using a balled up paper towel. Place the sheet into the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour.

The liver should be dark brown and hard to the touch. To make it even drier, turn off the oven with the door slightly ajar and leave it to dry out on the residual heat for another hour. The actual cooking time will depend on how hot your oven is, how much liver you are cooking, how cold it was to begin with and how thick the slices are.

Break up the pieces, store and share
When the liver has cooled, break it up into small pieces. Liver is very rich and too much can cause Vitamin A toxicity. It is a yummy and appealing as an occasional treat.

Store it in the refrigerator or freeze it in plastic bags. Better yet, place it into containers, add a ribbon and share homemade goodness with your pet-loving friends. Now you have a minimally processed treat for your cats and dogs.