# Dexter and his homemade Chicken Jerkys :O)



## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

as promised here are some pics and a bit of directions on how to make homemade chicken jerky treats for your pup!
Start time = 8:30 p.m
End time = 4:30 a.m
Total time for dehydrating = 8 hours
temperature = 160 degrees

there was no real measurements involved this was just a trial run so if you want to use olive oil you can but it wont last as long. i put only about a teaspoon of the garlic powder and some sprinkles of the wheat germ. i recommend using a cooking spray so the chicken doesn't stick or you can use vegetable oil








here's Dexter wantin to know what i was doing! when you get the boneless chicken breasts you will want to slice them into thin 1/4 slices. seasoning like this is optional but if you decide to put some flavor in your treats mix the oil, garlic powder, or any other nummies into a seperate bowl first then mix in the chicken slices. if you are picky you can put the chicken slices into an oven for about 30 mins first and then dehydrate if you please but it's not necessary. MAKE SURE TO CUT OFF FATS/SKIN LOOKIN PIECES!








after seasoning and such it's time to organize the pieces of chicken in evenly spaces so no chicken touches each other (this is very important) you can either place them like i did or horizontally








here's my dehydrator working hard








this is how it looked an hour in








about 4 hours in








about 6 hours in








finally! it's done. at 8 hours








please let cool first then you can tempt your eager pup!








Dexter Approved!








say goodbye/adios/aloha to toxic infested made in china treats








and say hello/bon journo/hola! to homemade natural chicken treats


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

after it is totally cool and done. pop it in the fridge for maximum quality & freshness...









ENJOY! :wave:

*EDIT!*
when u finish bakin/dehydratin the jerkys it wont really smell like jerky at all...
BUT!~!!!! BUTTTTTTTTTT....the next day after being in the fridge...boy does it smell like the treats you buy from a store:daisy:


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

OMG, thank you for this!! I ahve the same dehydrator as you so the pictures help me alot in knowing what the end results will look like.


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

That is just the neatest thing since sliced bread!!! lol. I have got to go get one of those dehydrators and make some treats! And I don't even give Lulu treat--she will think she died and went to heaven.


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## mooberry (Jan 31, 2011)

This is amazing! How much was the dehydrator? I'm tempted to do this for Bijoux..but I wonder if it would be expensive to do..we are on a student budget


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## pam6400 (Oct 5, 2008)

Great job! He likes them too!
I made some in the oven yesterday and they were a hit. I placed them on a cooky sheet sprayed with Pam and left them in for 6 hrs at 180 degrees. The boys love them too!


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## lynx8456 (Feb 26, 2009)

Great job Sugar...you kicked some Jerky butt!!! So glad Dexter likes it.


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Awesome thread, love your explanation and pictures, great job!
The end result looks so so yummy!


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## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

So you CAN just make these in the oven then; so long as the temp is set low enough?? I would definitely make some of these for my crew... but I don't have a dehydrator.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

yes they can be made in an oven too but i just didnt want to leave my oven on for so long plus i have so much pots and pans to remove from there and i didnt wanna go flip them in the process so a dehydrator was best for me and its so neat! lol 

this one cost around $60 but u can find it cheaper on ebay i believe. there even cheaper ones out for like $20 but theres no temperature controls so they will take longer hours to make because of it. theres also more expensive ones for around $120 or so but im not runnnin a business for them lol :lol:


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

There are SO many delicious things you can make for yourself too!


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## lynx8456 (Feb 26, 2009)

You sold my hubby on this...something we have debated about for a while now. Once I showed him the pictures today and he saw Dexter Approved...he finished his morning coffee and headed to Bed Bath and Beyond to buy the same one you have Sugar. Then to the butcher shop for the meats. We will let you know how it goes 
I told him that if a lady who doesn't cook can make such yummy Jerky for Dexter then we can do it to


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

~LS~ said:


> There are SO many delicious things you can make for yourself too!


lol true but i bought it mainly for dexters treats hehe. dont think ill have the patience to peel up fruits for myself. perhaps ill make some yam treats for him as well


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

lynx8456 said:


> You sold my hubby on this...something we have debated about for a while now. Once I showed him the pictures today and he saw Dexter Approved...he finished his morning coffee and headed to Bed Bath and Beyond to buy the same one you have Sugar. Then to the butcher shop for the meats. We will let you know how it goes
> I told him that if a lady who doesn't cook can make such yummy Jerky for Dexter then we can do it to


so i came on my pc just to comment back hahahaha!!! :lol: yayyyyy!!! glad u got it! also if u want to make beef jerky for urself bed bath sells that weird squeezin machine too, it should describe it in the booklet it comes with inside the machine~ i saw a youtube clip of it...it looked like a glue caulking device but for jerky!
hahaha i sure dont cook i love that line, i shall quote u on that :daisy:


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

jan896 said:


> OMG, thank you for this!! I ahve the same dehydrator as you so the pictures help me alot in knowing what the end results will look like.


welcome jan! now get dehydratin! march march march!



lulu'smom said:


> That is just the neatest thing since sliced bread!!! lol. I have got to go get one of those dehydrators and make some treats! And I don't even give Lulu treat--she will think she died and went to heaven.


i think so too! i was so excited to see it at the store in stock hehe =) she will LOVE it!



mooberry said:


> This is amazing! How much was the dehydrator? I'm tempted to do this for Bijoux..but I wonder if it would be expensive to do..we are on a student budget


like i replied before. do u have an oven? the chicken itself is cheap. i actually get mine from a wholesale place since my parents own a business so we get a big bucket of them nice and plain. at the supermarket i was looking and perdue sells em for around $4 - $10 , they even have them already sliced up if u dont like workin with knives so close



pam6400 said:


> Great job! He likes them too!
> I made some in the oven yesterday and they were a hit. I placed them on a cooky sheet sprayed with Pam and left them in for 6 hrs at 180 degrees. The boys love them too!


yay yay pam i know you had to tell me on fb! hehehehe =)



lynx8456 said:


> Great job Sugar...you kicked some Jerky butt!!! So glad Dexter likes it.


KICKED IT TO THE GARBAGE! well the toxic ones i did woooooooo!



~LS~ said:


> Awesome thread, love your explanation and pictures, great job!
> The end result looks so so yummy!


thanks LS! u should try it! saves lotsa money money



KittynKahlua said:


> So you CAN just make these in the oven then; so long as the temp is set low enough?? I would definitely make some of these for my crew... but I don't have a dehydrator.


in the oven it should be higher as pam said before 
laura actually gave a link before for the oven one. u can also find it on google and youtube!:coolwink:


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## Chiboymom (Jul 8, 2009)

I make Draco's chicken jerky in the oven. I don't put any seasoning or oil whatsoever on it and it turns out great. I slice the semi frozen breasts very thin and arrange it on metal cooling racks place a foil drip pan in the bottom of the oven and set the racks on the shelfs. I can make 3 pounds of chicken and 1.5 pounds of beef at the same time. I set the oven at the lowest temp and go to bed...when I get up...fresh non poison chicken jerky. We also eat the beef jerky ourselves...the chicken is a bit bland for us. Good going Pidge, Dexter will love the jerky.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

Chiboymom said:


> I make Draco's chicken jerky in the oven. I don't put any seasoning or oil whatsoever on it and it turns out great. I slice the semi frozen breasts very thin and arrange it on metal cooling racks place a foil drip pan in the bottom of the oven and set the racks on the shelfs. I can make 3 pounds of chicken and 1.5 pounds of beef at the same time. I set the oven at the lowest temp and go to bed...when I get up...fresh non poison chicken jerky. We also eat the beef jerky ourselves...the chicken is a bit bland for us. Good going Pidge, Dexter will love the jerky.


thankie! draco draco draco! wooooooo! so brave of you to leave the oven on while bein able to sleep...i cant do that LOL! :lol: i wanted the oil on there so i can get the wheat germ on it too  yay for vits! we are all so clever!


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

ahahaha awesome quote Pigeonsheep!!! LOL :lol:


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

~LS~ said:


> ahahaha awesome quote Pigeonsheep!!! LOL :lol:


hahaha i LOVE it! hhahaha! its soooo true


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## lynx8456 (Feb 26, 2009)

So my hubby sliced up 2 whole boneless/skinless/chicken breasts....cleaned any excess yuckies off, then patted them dry on paper towels, and then I lightly dipped them in a mixture of Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil (same I cook their chicken in for meals) mixed with about an 1/8 of a teaspoon of garlic powder) then laid them in the dehydrator pre-spayed with pam. They have been in for about 30 mins now.....the dehydrator instructions say to pat them down every 2 hrs to eliminate oil/fat that may accumulate the top....Sugar did you do that when you were taking the pics in 2 hr intervals? In 7-8 hrs we should have successful jerky. Dying to see what Moose,Jasper and Hannah think because they sure have missed the store bought crap. We have also made ourselves nuts finding alternatives that they could all enjoy and didn't cost a fortune

As a side note: This dehydrator is very quiet (no worse then running a 6" desk fan) and it was simple to put together and start. 

Boneless Chicken Breasts cost any where from $1.69-$1.89 per lb in 10lb bags in our butcher shops (cheaper than a grocery store). $17.50-$18.50. *2 whole chicken breasts sliced filled the 4 trays in the dehydrator

Bagged Chicken Jerky Crap from China=$9.99-$15.99 for 16-23.5 ozs pre-loaded with preservatives/fat/melamine and other toxic crap that the poor consumers who have not been educated don't even know about (I was one of those till recently...so thankful my dogs did not get sick or die due to my stupidity)

Watching Dexter's approval,the excitement of my dogs watching the process,awaiting for the yummy results, and knowing my dogs will be healthy and happy in the long run PRICELESS!!!!


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

This thread....

MAKES ME HAPPY!

That's all.


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

pigeonsheep said:


> thanks LS! u should try it! saves lotsa money money


I don't give my guys any jerky, so I'm already saving,lol! 
All three are on super strict diets, only in a blue moon
they get bully sticks and also tiny liver treats for training,
as far as treats go that is all. They love their raw diet so much,
it's a treat on it's own for them, almost every day something different.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

hey laura nope didnt pat dry till the very end. i didnt see the point as the fat was already sliced off beforw i threw them on the trays  i mean i guess u could pat them in your 2 hr intervals hehehe but i simply dont now the difference as when the 8th hour comes u can see the oils and such but u can do it rite there at that moment then cool it off  im goin to try veg oil next when i decide to make a bigger batch. yayyyyyy im so excited to see the results too!  its so excitin, bet ur peakin! hehehe :lol:


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

~LS~ said:


> I don't give my guys any jerky, so I'm already saving,lol!
> All three are on super strict diets, only in a blue moon
> they get bully sticks and also tiny liver treats for training,
> as far as treats go that is all. They love their raw diet so much,
> it's a treat on it's own for them, almost every day something different.


lol crunchy crunch crunch! dexter would be moritifed to hear that LOL

brodysmom: :lol: happy happy joy joy


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## OzChi (Oct 26, 2011)

Yay for yummy safe jerkey! Mine love the chicken jerky I buy them from the store but I had no idea I could do it myself. I will be trying the oven method once I run out of the bag i've got.


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## elaina (Jul 1, 2008)

i'm so happy you discovered you can make these for Dexter and he loves them. yay!!!


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

OzChi said:


> Yay for yummy safe jerkey! Mine love the chicken jerky I buy them from the store but I had no idea I could do it myself. I will be trying the oven method once I run out of the bag i've got.


lol i never knew either! wooohooo i actually ordered him huge bags of konaschips before i found out about this lol! so well be good on chicken jerkies for a while now. let ua know how it goes!



elaina said:


> i'm so happy you discovered you can make these for Dexter and he loves them. yay!!!


i sure am happy too elaine!!!  judgin by the results from the nutrition tests hes not high on protein! but does have protein in urine comin from the blood test. im not gonna go crazy givin these to him, just light praises :albino:


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## lulu'smom (Jan 4, 2012)

pigeonsheep said:


> im goin to try veg oil next when i decide to make a bigger batch.


Could you use cocont oil instead of vegetable oil?


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

lulu'smom said:


> Could you use cocont oil instead of vegetable oil?


i could and was plannin to but he has enuff coconut oil doses daily. hea only supposed to get a teaspoonful. i usually mix it in his kibble


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## Mel's chi's (Jun 2, 2011)

Thanks for this thread! I love the pics and now knowing first hand of a dehydrator someone likes!


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## lynx8456 (Feb 26, 2009)

Ralph gave the dogs a teaser sample a few minutes ago and they absolutely loved it. Can't wait...1.5hrs to go until it is all done. 

PS: Due to the content of this thread and the fantastic pics Sugar posted I really think this thread should be moved to the Chihuahua Diet and Nutrition section of the forum for future reference. Same for this thread since it contains the recipe from Brody's mom on how to make Jerky. 
http://www.chihuahua-people.com/chi-chat/66379-making-own-chicken-jerky.html


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## LostLakeLua (Sep 6, 2009)

I did a little experiment today and tried it in my oven. Our oven always seems to run higher than it should; I set it to the lowest setting "Warm" which in reality is around 200degrees. I just used nonstick foil over the pan and they didn't stick. But after about 3 hours they looked all tiny and shriveled LOL. I mean I guess it worked; I just think I need to adjust my oven. I'm just used to compensating for the temp difference; but if at the lowest setting it only takes 3 hours there's obviously a problem. Kahlua did like the treat though. I only did like 2 strips as a test and the doggies already ate them... so yeah... I'm gonna have Robbie bring me more chicken tomorrow so I can try again making a larger batch! I wonder, does ground meat work too or does it have to be actual filets to get the chewy texture? I used to have a jerky maker ages ago; and it came with a device that you added ground beef and seasoning to it; and extruded it onto the tray in thin layers. I can get ground turkey dirt cheap so maybe that'd be worth a try.


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## Wawies (Jan 23, 2012)

it looks so yummy id probably eat it 2. ill have 2 try this one day..


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## rms3402 (Dec 2, 2010)

Yum yum yum!! So glad these are healthy and handsome little dexter approves!


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## Finn (Sep 14, 2010)

Um . . . I would eat that jerky myself!!!!! It looks better than store bought. Lucky Dexter. Nice counters!!!


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

okies... got a full load of Chicken dehydrating right now...... only problem is that 8 hours will be at 3am!! lol... so I guess setting my alarm when I go to bed....

I also buy spices from here - *SAVORY SPICE SHOP* and bought some *Jamaican Jerk Seasoning* so this weekend I will also be making me some jerky 

also bought some Highlands Italian Cheese Sprinkle to try the recipe out they have for it...


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

jan896 said:


> okies... got a full load of Chicken dehydrating right now...... only problem is that 8 hours will be at 3am!! lol... so I guess setting my alarm when I go to bed....
> 
> I also buy spices from here - *SAVORY SPICE SHOP* and bought some *Jamaican Jerk Seasoning* so this weekend I will also be making me some jerky
> 
> also bought some Highlands Italian Cheese Sprinkle to try the recipe out they have for it...


awesome jan!!!!

hahaha yep 3 a.m! i'm actually dehydratin loads of yams right now and 1 sweet potato  yay more homemade treats for dexter! i cant wait to see ur result! at...3 am :lol:

hehe yea i saw those seasonins for beef jerky but i didnt want any of it....just yet. im busy makin treats for dexter not for myself hehe!


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

woo-hoo....... alarm went off at 3am.... chicken strips looks PERFECT!!!

before setting the chicken strips in the dehydrator I used a meat pounder/tenderizer so I could get the same thickness for all of them..... and it also flatten the strips...

gonna give Chico one when I leave for the Vets with Cocoa


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

so did chico like? hehe :lol:


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

pigeonsheep said:


> so did chico like? hehe :lol:


He LOVED it!!! I have thrown away all of the Bully sticks in the house..... I have GOT to get Chico's weight down and those Bully sticks make him fat..... I can now give him a treat one at a time instead of the available bully sticks all day.....

I am cooking Yams right now....lol.......

I am assuming the Chicken jerky and yams are not fattening??


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

everythin has fat  but this is less since chicken is less fatty than beef and yams are yummy and full of vitamins


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## Katkoota (Jun 27, 2010)

This looks sooooo neat! I so need a dehydrator now. Of course for my dogs. Would love to make some treats. I am sure they will love this. Thank u so much for posting!!


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

Katkoota said:


> This looks sooooo neat! I so need a dehydrator now. Of course for my dogs. Would love to make some treats. I am sure they will love this. Thank u so much for posting!!


welcome! if u get one share ur experience! :fish:


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## Mel's chi's (Jun 2, 2011)

You can do hotdogs too! A friend did that for me & they were great


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

Mel's chi's said:


> You can do hotdogs too! A friend did that for me & they were great


lmao! dehydrated hotdogs?


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## nicholeb5 (May 3, 2005)

Thanks so much for the pics. I bought a dehydrator specifically for dog treats over a year ago or maybe two years? You have given me the courage to actually try it out!! Thanks again.


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

nicholeb5 said:


> Thanks so much for the pics. I bought a dehydrator specifically for dog treats over a year ago or maybe two years? You have given me the courage to actually try it out!! Thanks again.


i hope it still works! :lol: think of all the money you could've been savin haha :sad5:


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## quinnandleah (Sep 28, 2011)

Great instructions. Love the pics.


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## Christabelle (Dec 21, 2011)

pigeonsheep said:


> lmao! dehydrated hotdogs?



Use turkey or chicken "dogs" - I have a friend who also does
turkey dogs dehydrated for his dogs.

( I just used dogs two different ways in one sentence :happy2::laughing8: )


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## pigeonsheep (Nov 8, 2008)

quinnandleah said:


> Great instructions. Love the pics.


thankie! hehe


Christabelle said:


> Use turkey or chicken "dogs" - I have a friend who also does
> turkey dogs dehydrated for his dogs.
> 
> ( I just used dogs two different ways in one sentence :happy2::laughing8: )


lmaooo u sure did. have u ever seen how hotdogs are made? i try not to feed that to dexter hehe


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