Liver treats

Hi guys, I make liver cake for my dogs as some of you do. I've heard you can also slow cook it on its own to make dried treats of pure liver.

Now as I've a lb of beef liver chunks from my lovely butcher I'd like to try this for a change.

If anyone's done this please can you tell me oven temp / 'method' you used?

Thanks!

[Billy Sitch]

Haven't done it but keep meaning to try this

Making Your Own Delicious Liver Treats

Ingredients
Sliced liver of any kind. The slices should be 5-6 mm (1/4 inch) thick - or less. The thinner, the better - and the easier to make.

Procedure
Put the raw liver slices in the oven on a rack that allows maximum access of air all around. Set the thermostat of the oven as low as you possibly can. 50-60 degrees Celsius (130-150 Fahrenheit) is enough - anything above that will tend cook the liver - but your dog won't blame you for that (most dogs actually prefer slightly cook liver overraw liver...)

Bake the liver until it is reasonably firm and easy to cut with scissors. Open the oven often, so you let moist air out - this also help keeping the temperature down, if your oven cannot maintain the low temperature prescribed.

The whole point is to bake the liver at the lowest possible temperature, so you really turn the baking process into a dehydration process more than anything else.

When the liver is dry on all surfaces, you taken it out and cut your treats off the slices. Using a pair of scissors is easiest, but a sharp knife will do too.
If the cutting makes everything wet and greasy, you have not baked enough - back to the oven then.

If the liver is too hard to cut with scissors, you baked too long - better luck next time... the treats are OK though - you just have a problem you might need stronger tools for than what you might have in your kitchen...)

When the pieces are all cut to the size you want, you put them back into the oven, this time in a pan or on baking paper. Baking paper is best, because it is not totally tight and gives better air circulation around the pieces.
You now continue the baking until all surfaces are nice and dry and it is easy to grab a treat without getting greasy fingers. You should stir the pile regularly to accomplish this, still keeping the oven at the lowest possible temperature it can provide. If this is a problem, just open the oven often and let some fresh, cold air in!

The result
The end result should be a pile of treats with a fairly hard and dry surface, but still moist and gooey inside. If you squish them, they should give in - but they should also rattle if you put them into a small container.
The liver is not really raw - but it isn't really cooked either. It is a nice compromise between raw food and practical usefulness.
The recipe is great for novices in the art of baking - you are supposed to do just about all the mistakes you should avoid when baking a cake... ;-)

Thank you That method sounds very comprehensive.. Will try and report back.

[TandCs]

I make liver cake Anni but have never heard of slow cooking it. I`m sure that would mean the house been super stinky for EVEN longer But please post the results I`d be interested to know its sucess.


Tracy

I tried to make the dried liver and OH BOY did I get it wrong too hot ,too long and a house covered in black smoke and the smell well lets just say the neighbours were not pleased it seeped through thier walls I think! I will make liver cake but dried stuff not a hope in hells chance that I can do it even the dog VACATED the premises lol
Goodluck Anni!


Catriona xx

[Stuart]

It sounds like Jerky to me,.. just cut it thin and hang it on the washing line in the sun,.... I am not really a cook

Made them! Really easy, less trouble than liver cake. Dogs VERY interested and outside while treats are cooling! Can't add pic yet as not uploaded from BB but will be making them again

[claire_88]

Originally Posted by Anni

Made them! Really easy, less trouble than liver cake. Dogs VERY interested and outside while treats are cooling! Can't add pic yet as not uploaded from BB but will be making them again

Yep i made them yesterday and it was extremely easy!
Lowest setting on the oven and i kept checking them every 15-20 minutes.
I removed mine from the oven when they were quite a bright red on the top (which looked like they weren't cooked but when you turned them over they were a light grey), i also just touched the top to check they were not greasy.
Approx half hour cooking time. Hope you try it just keep checking them and if in doubt leave the oven door ajar and leave them for 45 minutes

Originally Posted by claire_88

Yep i made them yesterday and it was extremely easy!

Lowest setting on the oven and i kept checking them every 15-20 minutes.

I removed mine from the oven when they were quite a bright red on the top (which looked like they weren't cooked but when you turned them over they were a light grey), i also just touched the top to check they were not greasy.

Approx half hour cooking time. Hope you try it just keep checking them and if in doubt leave the oven door ajar and leave them for 45 minutes

That's what I did, Claire. They're dark reddish brown and shiny on one side and grey on the other after 30 mins, quick turn over (I cooked them on foil on a rack on 40 degrees C) and they're shiny all over and firm. Then snipped them into treat sized pieces and finished off in oven on same temp for 10 mins. Mine are in an airtight jar in the fridge - not sure how long they'll keep as they're sort of in between raw and cooked?? Anyway the dogs love them!

[claire_88]

great stuff! after i'd snipped mine to treat size iv froze them so i can scoop out what i think il need the night before puppy class....i'm not sure how they would last in an airtight container, although for fresh and cooked food 3-4 days in the fridge is usually the maximum time i allow before it hits the bin. Glad the dogs like em! Next on my agenda is liver cake mmmmm