Cats Beef Heart and Kale Oven Chips

Instructions

1. Trim and Clean the Beef Heart: Set the fresh beef heart on a clean cutting board, rinse it briefly under cold running water and pat the outside dry with kitchen paper. Using a sharp knife, remove the tough outer membrane, visible tubes, large blood vessels and particularly firm connective tissue, then trim away excess fat for a more consistent texture. If the heart is too soft to slice neatly, chill it briefly in the refrigerator until slightly firmer; keep the raw meat away from the prepared kale and thoroughly clean all surfaces and utensils after handling.

   

2. Slice the Meat Evenly: Slice the trimmed beef heart into even pieces approximately 3 to 4 mm thick so they cook and dry at roughly the same rate. Remove any remaining unusually thick or tough sections, then cut larger slices into small, cat-sized pieces approximately 2 to 3 cm across. Avoid cutting them too small, as they will shrink during cooking, and pat each piece dry with kitchen paper before keeping everything in a single layer while you prepare the tray.

   

3. Prepare the Optional Kale: Wash the kale thoroughly under running water and dry it completely with kitchen paper. Remove the thick central stem and finely chop just one teaspoon of the tender leaves. Keep the kale as a very small optional addition rather than a coating or substantial filling, gently mixing it with a few beef heart pieces to distribute tiny flecks across a small portion of the batch while leaving the rest plain; this also makes it easy to offer the meat-only version if your cat isn't keen on the vegetable accompaniment. Do not add salt, garlic, onion, oil or seasoning.

   

4. Bake the Beef Heart Thoroughly: Preheat the oven to 160°C, line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the beef heart slices in a single layer with a little space between them. Place the kale-accompanied pieces together in a separate section of the tray, then bake until thoroughly cooked, checking the thickest pieces with a food thermometer to make sure they reach at least 71°C internally; this initial stage may take approximately 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the oven and slice thickness. Don't judge doneness by colour alone: remove any pieces browning too quickly and continue cooking the thicker ones until they reach the safe temperature.

   

5. Slow-Dry, Cool and Store: Once the beef heart reaches the required internal temperature, reduce the oven to approximately 90°C and return the tray to continue drying the slices for approximately 60 to 120 minutes, turning them halfway through. Check them regularly, as thinner pieces may dry sooner than thicker ones; they should feel dry and firm, with no wet or soft centre, but shouldn't be blackened, excessively browned or brittle with burnt edges. Remove the tray, transfer the chips to a clean wire rack and let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.