STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Mini burger sliders feature grass fed beef and cook up in just 10 minutes
- Dogs and cats thrive on real meat, which is why these grass fed beef burgers will not only satisfy your pet’s cravings but also help meet his nutritional requirements
- Grass fed ground beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein and healthy fats
- If you're not sure where to find grass fed beef, many grocery stores are now stocking it. If yours doesn't, ask the purchasing manager to consider adding it
- The least expensive way to obtain authentic grass fed beef is to find a local rancher you trust and buy it directly from the farm
Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published November 5, 2015.
Many dogs and cats love a good burger just as much as their owners … but you don't have to share yours. Instead, make your pet a treat of his own — mini burger sliders made from grass fed beef.
They're extremely simple to make, but don't let that fool you. Your pet will beg for these bite-sized treats morning, noon, and night! Best of all, they take almost no time to prepare and bake in just 10 minutes.
Grass Fed Beef Mini Burgers
Ingredients
- Grass fed lean (93%) ground beef
Directions
- Roll meat into 1/2-inch balls
- Press flat and place on baking tray
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes
- Let cool and store in your refrigerator for up to a week or in your freezer for a month
Burgers for Dogs and Cats? Yes, They're Healthy!
While it’s not advisable to feed your pets a burger from a fast-food restaurant (too many additives and preservatives, and too much sodium), a homemade beef burger is just what the doctor ordered for a healthy pet treat.
Grass fed ground beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein and healthy fats. It tends to be higher in healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than grain-fed beef.
A joint effort between the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Clemson University researchers determined a total of 10 key areas where grass fed beef is better than grain-fed beef. Grass fed beef was determined to be:1
- Lower in total fat
- Higher in beta-carotene
- Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
- Higher in the B vitamins thiamin and riboflavin
- Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium
- Higher in total omega-3s
- A healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (1.65 vs. 4.84)
- Higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a potential cancer fighter
- Higher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)
It's important to recognize that while the USDA 100% Organic label is good, it's not necessarily a guarantee that the meat has been grass fed and finished. In fact, the organic label is costly for ranchers, and many actually raise their grass fed cattle in ways that provide superior beef compared to beef bearing the organic label. A truly grass fed, grass-finished product is superior to organic.
Some producers of beef will misuse the term grass fed because the rules around it are still somewhat undefined. Most all calves are fed grass for a certain amount of time, which allows less scrupulous producers to get away with calling their beef grass fed.
The key to a truly grass fed product is actually the finishing. Optimal beef is both grass fed and grass-finished beef. So look for those terms, or 100% grass fed, on the label.
If you're not sure where to find grass fed beef, many grocery stores are now stocking it. If yours doesn't, ask the purchasing manager to consider adding it. Some stores will even stock specialty items requested by a single customer.
The least expensive way to obtain authentic grass fed beef is to find a local rancher you trust and buy it directly from the farm. Alternatively, you can now purchase grass fed beef from organic ranchers online if you don't have access to a local source.
Your Pets Will Thank You for Providing Real-Food Treats
So many pet treats on the market are loaded with fillers, grains, and artificial flavors designed to trick your pet into thinking he's eating real meat. But there's no substitute for the real thing.
The natural diets of canines and felines contain almost no carbohydrates, and those they do consume are primarily in the form of predigested grasses, fruits, and veggies found in the stomachs of prey animals. Dogs and cats thrive on real meat, which is why these grass fed beef burgers will not only satisfy your pet's cravings but also help meet his nutritional requirements.
