DIY Grass Fed Beef and Russet Potato Dog Food

Real food for real dogs — made with Pre 85% Ground Beef. This homemade dog food recipe, developed by board-certified veterinary nutritionists at Just Food For Dogs, delivers whole-ingredient nutrition with grass-fed ground beef, russet and sweet potatoes, fresh vegetables, and fruit. It's a satisfying project that yields nearly 12 pounds of food per batch, freezes well, and scales easily for multi-dog households or those who prefer to prep less often.

Before starting, set up the right equipment: a 15-quart rondeau or brazier pan (15 x 5") for browning the beef, an extra-large stainless steel mixing bowl or bus tub (20 qt / 20") for cooling and combining, and a very large stockpot or lobster pot to boil all the potatoes in one go. A box mandoline or dicer makes quick, uniform work of the potatoes. Don't skip the JustFoodForDogs Beef & Russet Potato DIY Nutrient Blend or the Omega Plus Fish Oil — these are essential for nutritional balance and are available online or at any JFFD retail store.

This recipe was created by board-certified veterinary nutritionists. It's always best to consult with your vet, and when changing your dog's food, do so gradually.

Total Time: 55 minutes plus cooling

Servings: Approximately 11.5 pounds of food

---

Beef and Russet Potato Dog Food Ingredients

• 5 pounds Pre 85% Ground Beef

• 2.5 ounces beef liver, diced or ground

• 4 pounds russet potatoes with skin, rinsed

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes with skin, rinsed

• 5 ounces carrots, roughly chopped

• 5 ounces green beans, chopped (a 5-ounce bag of frozen chopped green beans works well)

• 2½ ounces green peas

• 8 ounces green or red apples, rinsed, cored, and trimmed of any seed fragments (approximately 3 apples)

• 3¾ ounces safflower oil

• 1 tablespoon JustFoodForDogs Omega Plus Fish Oil

• 3 tablespoons JustFoodForDogs Beef & Russet Potato DIY Nutrient Blend

Instructions:

1. Fill an extra-large stockpot with hot water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Place ground beef and liver in brazier pan and begin cooking over medium-low heat, stirring and breaking up meat every few minutes. Keep heat low to avoid browning.

3. While beef cooks, slice russet and sweet potatoes to approximately ¼-inch thickness, then dice using a box dicer or mandoline, transferring to a large bowl as the dicer fills. This step takes approximately 15 minutes — about the same time needed for water to come to a boil.

4. Carefully lower potatoes into boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes. Using a handled colander, strain potatoes into a large bowl. Turn off heat and allow remaining water to cool before discarding. Allow potatoes to cool, tossing occasionally with a large spoon to release heat. Setting bowl outside in cool weather will speed this process.

5. Once beef and liver show no pink, turn off heat. Place carrots in a mini food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Repeat with green beans if needed based on dog size — smaller dogs require smaller pieces. Add processed carrots, green beans, and peas to beef mixture. Frozen vegetables are fine; residual heat will cook them through.

6. Core apples using an apple slicer and trim inner edges to remove all seed fragments. Apple seeds are toxic to dogs. Dice apple slices and add to beef mixture. Stir to combine, cover pan, and cook on low for 5 minutes. Remove lid and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to release heat.

7. Once both the beef and russet potato mixture and the potatoes are just barely warm to the touch, add beef mixture to potato bowl. Drizzle nutrient blend, Omega Plus Fish Oil, and safflower oil evenly over top and gently mix until fully incorporated.

8. Transfer to freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.

   
   

Feeding Guide

Feed 2–3% of dog's ideal body weight in food per day, divided into two meals. For a 35-pound adult dog, this equals approximately 1.5 to 2.5 cups (11–17 ounces) per day. Active dogs may require more; less active dogs may need less to maintain a healthy weight. Always consult a veterinarian when changing your dog's diet.