This Homemade Dog Food with Liver and Blueberries is a whole, nutrient-rich dog food recipe that’s easy to make and packed with nutrients a dog needs. Our Great Dane, Magnus, absolutely loves it. In this post, I will show you how to make it in the Instant Pot as a one-pot homemade dog food method as well as on the stovetop.
When making my dog food, I had been concerned about ensuring our dogs receive all the necessary nutrients. Dogs absorb nutrients differently than humans, so it’s important to ensure they receive ample nutrients. After much research, we created this recipe and rotate it with our other recipes to ensure our dogs receive the nutrition needed, such as our Instant Pot Chicken Dog Food with Pumpkin , Homemade Beef and Cod recipe, Homemade Instant Pot Chicken Dog Food, and Chicken and Salmon (this recipe is coming soon!).
I am often asked how to cook liver for dogs, as people tend to be leery of cooking liver in general. If I had not grown up on a dairy farm, I would have been as well. Cooking liver is straightforward; you can boil it, bake it, or dehydrate it, among other methods. Below, I walk you through cooking the liver, along with the rest of the ingredients, in the instant pot and boiling it on the stove.
Why Liver and Blueberries Are Great for Dogs
Liver is a nutrient-dense organ meat that is essential for a dog’s balanced diet. It’s rich in protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamins, essential for muscle health, energy, and organ function. For this recipe, we use beef liver, however, you can substitute with chicken liver or other animal liver.
Blueberries are a superfood that are great for dogs as they are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to aid a dog’s balanced diet. They also add a natural sweetness to the food that dogs enjoy.
Other Ingredients
Ground Beef (1.5-2 lbs.): lean ground beef. High in protein. You can substitute it with stew beef or chopped sirloin.
Eggs (3 large): adds protein, and calcium. (may omit if your dog has an egg allergy)
Vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, and spinach. These are a guide, you can substitute with pureed pumpkin for the sweet potato, or frozen peas for the green beans.
Brown rice: added vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Instant Pot Method
Yields approx. 16-18 cups.
I use my Instant Pot to make all of my dog food. It’s simple, fast and a one-pot clean up! See recipe card for measurements.
Add ingredients in this order: rice, water, vegetables, blueberries, ground beef, liver and eggs cracked on top. Secure lid, set to pressure cook for 18 minutes and allow to natural release. Give everything a good stir. Allow to cool and serve to your pup! Store in the refrigerator.
Stovetop Method
Cook brown rice according to package directions.
In a large pot, add liver, ground beef (see note), vegetables, eggs, and blueberries. Add enough water to cover ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a good simmer (medium heat) uncovered and cook for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked. At this point the broth should be reduced down to half the liquid. Add cooked rice and stir to combine.
Note: if you are not using lean ground beef, then boil that separately so that you can pour off the fat. Add the cooked beef to the pot with the liver and vegetables, along with the cooked rice.
Where to Buy Liver
You can usually find beef liver in the frozen meat section of most grocery stores. It’s budget-friendly, typically about $2.50/lb. A local butcher at times will carry organ meat. Local farms will also have organ meat for purchase,
How Much to Feed
Every dog is unique. Serving sizes depend on several factors like age, size, weight, breed, activity level, and whether your dog is spayed or neutered. We always recommend reviewing your dog’s individual serving size with your veterinarian. There are many calculators out there, but it is always best to check with your vet first before adjusting.
For Magnus, who is a healthy active 2 year old Dane, weighing in at almost 170 lbs. 😳, we give him about 10-12 cups per day, with healthy snacks between meals (check out our homemade treat category). But it’s important to remember, he’s a large Great Dane, young and active. This amount will adjust as he ages.
This post may contain affiliate links by which I may receive a small commission. All product links are items I personally use in my kitchen.
I hope your pup enjoys this Homemade Dog Food with Liver and Blueberries as much as Magnus!! Please leave a comment below and let me know if you make it or if you have any questions.
Homemade Dog Food with Liver and Blueberries
Equipment
- Instant Pot OR
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 1 lb. beef liver, sliced
- 1½-2 lbs. ground beef, lean
- 3 lrg eggs
- 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
- 1 lrg sweet potato cubed, unpeeled
- 2 medium carrots chopped, unpeeled
- 1 cup spinach, chopped frozen
- 1 cup green beans, chopped fresh or frozen
- 5 ½ cups water
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Add rice, water, vegetables, and blueberries to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Then add liver, ground beef, and eggs. Set to Pressure Cook for 18 minutes, and allow to natural release.
- Once complete, open lid and give everything a good stir to mix, breaking apart the liver and combining the ingredients.
- Allow to cool thoroughly before serving to your dog.
- Note: frozen liver can be directly added to the Instant Pot.
Stovetop Method
- In a large pot, add liver, ground beef (see note), vegetables, eggs, and blueberries. Add enough water to cover ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a good simmer (medium heat) uncovered and cook for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked. At this point the broth should be reduced down to half the liquid. Remove from heat.
- Add cooked rice and stir to combine.
- Allow to cool thoroughly before serving to your dog.
- Note: use lean ground beef or stew beef. If you are unable to find lean ground beef, then boil in a pot separately and drain. Add to pot with liver and vegetables once they are cooked along with the rice.
