This is some of our Fox Trot Farm Lamb & Rice dog food in the freezer.
I know a lot of you folks love to use our meaty lamb soup bones to make stock and bone broth, but you can also make a nutritious and delicious food for your favorite canines. I’m not making any official claims here, and we don’t have our dog food analyzed, but we see the increased luster in our dogs’ coats, and they eat the food with great enthusiasm. Farmer Bob feeds it to them as a supplement to their regular grain-free dry kibble. Since we don’t sell our dog food, I am going to show you how I make it. Call or text me at 803-804-3541 to come to the farm for your purchase of bones and offal, or to place an order for the Matthews Community Farmers Market on Saturday mornings from 8:00-Noon.
Here’s the basic recipe for 5 pounds of dog food and, following that, pictures and tips. This is the quantity if you use your 6 quart Instant Pot®. If you have an 8 quart Instant Pot®, I suggest you use two lamb heads for the increased amount of meat and connective tissue they contain. I have the Instant Pot® Duo 6 quart model so, if you have another brand, adjust accordingly. Using the Instant Pot® with the natural pressure release locks in flavor and nutrients, which would otherwise evaporate into the air. (It’s that evaporation that makes your house smell so good when you roast in a crock pot or the oven!)
Fox Trot Farm Lamb & Rice Dog Food Recipe
Equipment
- 6 quart or larger pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds Fox Trot Farm meaty soup bones
- 2 pounds Fox Trot Farm offal, heart, spleen, kidneys, liver, etc.
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups uncooked raw rice, not minute rice
- optional vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, English peas
Instructions
- If using the liver, thaw in the microwave on high for 2 minutes to soften, then cut into chunks. Place offal into stainless steel Instant Pot® insert, and top with frozen soup bones. * Add optional vegetables at this step.
- Add 2 cups of water, secure lid and pressure cook on high for 2 hours. Allow pressure to release naturally, about 30 minutes or so.
- Release remaining pressure and, using a slotted spoon, remove bones and meat from insert and spread out on sheet pan to cool.
- Strain and measure remaining liquid, including fat, and add water if necessary to measure at least 4 cups. More is fine as the rice will absorb it all as it is stored.
- Stir in 2 cups of rice and use rice setting or low pressure for 12 minutes. Quick release, laying a paper towel over the steam release to catch sputters.
- While rice is cooking, remove all meat from the bones and discard the bones. If using the heads, all soft meat and connective tissue should be used, including eyes, tongue, cheeks, and brain. Chop the meat, offal, and optional vegetables into fine mince.
- Combine cooked rice with the meat; pack into containers and refrigerate or freeze.
2 1/2 pounds of meaty Fox Trot Farm Lamb bones, one heart, one spleen, and a big liver.
All the above ingredients are in the Instant Pot®. Don’t worry if they are higher than the max line on the insert. As long as you can secure the lid properly, it’s Ok since the bones will cook down.
Spread the cooked meat and bones on a sheet pan to cool.
Measure lamb stock to at least 4 cups, adding more water if needed. Return to the pot with the rice and cook.
I spread out the meat on the sheet pan and chop it with a sharp knife right in the pan while the rice is cooking.
Cooked rice in rich Fox Trot Farm lamb stock
Combine meat and rice in a large bowl and stir, stir, stir!
Pack into containers of your choice and refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
This is some of our Fox Trot Farm Lamb & Rice dog food in the freezer. The white that you see in the containers is rice, but also is the nutritious fat from the broth. Call me at 803-804-3541 for more information, to arrange for picking up your Fox Trot Farm Lamb here at the farm, or to place an order for the Matthews Community Farmer’s Market. EIEIO!