Homemade Dog Food with Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 6 cups water, or more as needed
- 4 cups uncooked brown rice
- 1 pound assorted beef bones (shin, shank, short ribs, or marrow bones)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 (15 ounce) can sliced carrots, drained
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can spinach, drained
- 6 eggs
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
Directions
Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard the grease.
Step 2: In a stockpot, add 6 cups of water and brown rice. Then, add the browned beef, bones, and rosemary. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 3: Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low or low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Continue simmering for about 45 minutes, or until the rice becomes mushy. If needed, add more water to maintain a slightly thicker-than-porridge consistency.
Step 4: While the rice is cooking, place the drained carrots, spinach, and eggs (with their shells) into an electric blender. Blend the ingredients until completely pureed, ensuring there are no eggshells left intact.
Step 5: In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin puree with the blended egg mixture until well combined.
Step 6: Once the meat and rice mixture is done cooking, remove the pot from heat. Pour the egg and pumpkin mixture into the pot and stir to cook the eggs in the hot contents. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Step 7: Allow the mixture to cool thoroughly, which will take about 30 minutes, before feeding it to your dog.
Cook's Notes
I feed my 60-pound dog 2 to 3 cups of this food per day, excluding the bones. I also add one bone to his food bowl daily. Adjust the portion size based on your dog's weight and activity level.
You can substitute different vegetables such as peas, celery, and sweet potatoes, or add fruits like apples, bananas, and blueberries. Fresh or frozen vegetables work too, just be sure to pure them well. Canned vegetables are a great storage option. My dog loves a tablespoon of nonfat yogurt on top!
Feel free to mix in oatmeal or barley, but avoid using wheat, soy, or corn. You can also use any cut of beef, chicken, fish, or lamb, but make sure to chop the meat into bite-sized pieces before boiling. Bones can be sourced from your butcher, but remember not to use chicken bones.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
| Nutrition Component | Amount | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 419 | |
| Total Fat | 15g | 19% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 26% |
| Cholesterol | 137mg | 46% |
| Sodium | 110mg | 5% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 45g | 16% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Total Sugars | 1g | |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 79mg | 6% |
| Iron | 4mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 560mg | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note: Nutrient information may not be available for all ingredients. If following a medically restrictive diet, please consult a doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe.
Comments
Susan J
10/06/2025 01:52:54 PM
I had some freezer burned ground beef and was looking for dog food recipe to use it. This was perfect. I used shredded fresh carrots I had, a couple of apples, a can of green beans that he loves and everything else according to the recipe. I gave him a taste when it was done and he gives it 4 paws!
CoralGyro8686
02/25/2023 01:37:30 AM
First, why would you use canned vegetables opposed to frozen? Frozen has all of the nutrients and none of the sodium and who knows what else. Used my culinary background to modify the method. Had a 1.8# freezer burned, skin on salmon fillet. Roasted it plain in oven. Used a bag of frozen peas and carrots, a pkg of frozen spinach and added two roasted sweet potatoes skin on. Much more nutrition as frozen veg is frozen immediately after harvest. Cooked the rice as I normally would. Bring to boil, lower temp just a bit, cook 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let sitar-30 minuted…never open lid. Blended eggs alone first, then added cooled roasted sweet potatoes. After that was combined I added all but rice. Took purée and mixed with rice. Dog loves it. Salmon adds the omega 3s that help with his arthritis.
cer
06/29/2024 06:54:09 PM
My dogs love this recipe just as it is. Although always good eaters, they are now visibly delighted before, during and after eating. I use as many organic non gmo ingredients as I can. I include beef in this recipe only on occasion. For health reasons I prefer Chicken, ground or chopped breast meat. I also add 1 c of raw organic oats and may use sweet potato instead of pumpkin. I don't puree the vegetables. I chop them small. I also add 6 oz of bowtie pasta sometimes. They love this recipe as is, but I like to change it up sometimes. Thank you for this!!!
RedOven2779
07/22/2024 03:30:50 AM
My GSDs are extremely picky… I was spending a fortune on commercial “homecooked” foods and they wouldn’t eat it or it would upset their tummy. It’s so much cheaper and easier to make the food myself, and they love this recipe and do so well on it!!! I rotate this with other recipes, and change a few things. I use fresh baby spinach instead of canned, beef bone broth instead of adding bones, and sauté and chopped beef liver and heart.
Eileen Pryor
05/24/2024 04:26:41 AM
Used canned beef and juice in 2 cups of brown rice cooked together, added a small can of organic pumpkin she’s pretty happy licking the bowl. Last night it was canned salmon, rice and a can of mixed veggies. No eggs she doesn’t do well on eggs and She doesn’t do well on dog food but she’s doing well on this. Thank you.
Brienna88
07/05/2025 03:02:19 AM
My AmStaff Manley loves this. However i slow cook 1.5kilo off beef roast or steaks instead of usin̈g bones.
WittyTofu3418
01/13/2025 12:48:24 PM
I have one picky eater , and as soon as I put this down in his bowl he comes running lol. They literally are trying to lick the enamel off the bowl. Also they have the crazy zoomies afterwards which is a good sign they have had a really healthy meal . Like they were playing in the snow for 1 1/2hrs afterward haha . I also find it easily as expensive as there high end dog food I buy them so I’d prefer to make them this.. The only thing is I prefer to place half the rice so they get more meat in there servings ( I like spoiling them…) not sure if I should but I do.
SnappyCorn5952
02/01/2025 02:32:56 AM
My dog’s love this recipe. We do have replace the egg with avocado or egg as we have an egg allergy but they love it either way.
Kristina Morison-McNair
11/29/2024 07:16:18 PM
I will try this for my westie she is so picky I cant count the different wet or dry foods we have tryed with her but if we have like swiss chalet chickeb she goes nuts for it! So will try with beef and then chicken as well
Michelle
09/02/2025 10:44:51 PM
This is being very well received by my dog! It’s easy to tweak it too which is great! Would it be ok to freeze it? I have a dog sitter coming for 10 days and it would be so easy if I could do that for her!
Peter
07/06/2025 10:48:34 AM
Everything sounds good to me. I would like to have an idea as yo how much I would serve my 7 pound Yorkie.
Diane Salloum
04/29/2025 09:34:31 PM
I have three big dogs. They all loved it!! This is definitely a keeper!
WobblyMint6053
11/24/2024 05:19:24 AM
I don't think this recipe is sustainable. I would add chicken liver and water packed tuna and sardines.
Stephanie Torres
11/15/2024 09:10:24 PM
Seriously, perfect 😱
Barbara Taylor
11/05/2024 08:41:14 PM
You can totally make this on a weeknight.
Linda Kirkland
11/04/2024 12:07:45 AM
Not sure how to grade this as I did make some changes. My dogs will not eat it. I put the ground beef, rice, carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans and eggs in but they turned their noses up and wouldn't eat it. Any suggesstions? I'm sure it's great for the dogs that aren't super picky!
Julie Lee
10/12/2024 03:25:18 PM
So flavorful and so simple to make.
Nicholas Rivera
09/29/2024 03:46:38 PM
Bro, this recipe is straight-up wizardry.