Homemade dog food with pork, potatoes and green beans

Homemade dog food with well-cooked pork loin, potatoes and green beans. Why pork is never fed raw, how much calcium it needs, and every step.

Time
45 min + 15 min resting
Makes
About 1.15 kg / 2.5 lb (2 days for a 10 kg / 22 lb dog; 3-4 days for a 5 kg / 11 lb dog)
Type
Main meal
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Homemade dog food with pork, potatoes and green beans
The recipe at a glance
  • 41 % pork loin
  • 34 % peeled potato
  • 15 % green beans
  • 9 % carrot

Follows THE RULE. All 6 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.

This homemade dog food with pork uses loin, the leanest and easiest cut to find, with potatoes, green beans and carrot. It's a good option for rotation once your dog already eats chicken and beef, or if they don't tolerate one of them well. There's one condition, and it isn't negotiable: the pork is always thoroughly cooked.

Diced and simmered, the loin turns tender and shreds easily, and the potatoes, cooked in the same broth, soak up its flavor and bind everything together once you mash them a little. You end up with something that looks like a homemade stew, portions neatly into containers and freezes well without the potato turning mealy, as long as you don't overcook it.

Why it works

Pork loin provides complete protein with little fat, similar to chicken breast, and plenty of vitamin B1 (thiamine). Cooked potato is the energy source and replaces rice for dogs that do better without grains. Green beans and carrot add fiber, bulk and beta-carotene for very few calories. The ground eggshell balances the phosphorus in the meat, and the salmon oil adds the omega-3s EPA and DHA that pork lacks.

Step by step

  1. Cut the pork

    Trim the white fat from the edges of the chops and cut the meat into 2 cm (¾ inch) cubes. Wash your hands and the cutting board afterward: handle raw pork with the same hygiene as raw chicken.

  2. Prep the potatoes and vegetables

    Peel the potatoes, remove any green parts or eyes and cut them into 2 cm (¾ inch) cubes. Peel the carrot and slice it thinly. Trim the ends off the green beans and cut them into 2 cm (¾ inch) pieces.

  3. Cook the pork

    Put the pork in a pot, cover it with 1 liter (about 4 cups) of water and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes.

  4. Add the potatoes and vegetables

    Add the potatoes, carrot and green beans to the same pot and cook for another 15-18 minutes, until a knife slides through the potato with no resistance. Cut open the largest piece of pork: it must be white all the way through, with no trace of pink.

  5. Drain and mash

    Drain, saving a cup of the broth. Mash the potato with a fork, without turning it into a purée, and mix it with the pork and vegetables. If it seems dry, add broth a little at a time.

  6. Cool and add the calcium

    Let it cool for 15 minutes, sprinkle over the ground eggshell and stir well so it's spread through the whole batch. The salmon oil goes on each portion at serving time.

How much should I feed?

Approximate daily portion for a "spayed or neutered adult" profile. Split it into two meals (three or four for puppies).

— g a day

Weight3 kg5 kg10 kg15 kg20 kg30 kg40 kg
Grams/day2203255507459251,2501,550

Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.

Energy
115 kcal/100 g
Protein
51 % dry matter
Fat
17 % dry matter
Calcium:phosphorus
1.3 : 1

Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). An everyday meal. To feed it daily as the only food, add a vitamin and mineral supplement for homemade diets.

Storage

Fridge: up to 3 days in a sealed container. Freezer: up to 3 months, in one-day portions. Thaw in the fridge overnight and serve lukewarm (20-30 seconds in the microwave, stirring halfway). Frozen potato can turn a little softer; a couple of tablespoons of broth when you warm it brings it back. Salmon oil always goes on after warming.

If you don't have…

You'd rather not use pork, or your dog doesn't tolerate it
Turkey breast in the same amount, cooked the same way
You want more energy for a very active dog
Sweet potato in place of half the potato (225 g / 8 oz of each)
You can't find green beans
Zucchini in the same amount, added 8 minutes before the end
You don't have salmon oil
Swap 150 g (5 oz) of the loin for 150 g of cleaned, boneless fresh sardines, cooked during the last 6 minutes

Cooking tips

  • Buy plain fresh loin from the butcher or grocery store, not seasoned or marinated: marinades usually contain garlic, paprika and salt.
  • If your dog has never eaten pork, start by mixing a quarter of this recipe into their usual food for 3-4 days.
  • To feed it every day as the only meal, add a vitamin and mineral supplement made for homemade diets: the recipe covers protein, energy, calcium and omega-3, but not every vitamin and trace mineral.
  • Rotate with other proteins every few weeks: pork works well as one more option in the rotation.

Safety

  • Pork must always be thoroughly cooked, never raw or seared rare: raw pork and wild boar can transmit Aujeszky's disease (pseudorabies), which is fatal in dogs and has no treatment. Cooking it all the way through eliminates the risk.
  • No deli meats, ham, bacon, ribs or leftover pork dishes made for people: they contain salt, fat, spices and sometimes garlic or onion. No cooked pork bones either.
  • Potatoes always peeled and cooked, with no green parts or sprouts: raw or green potatoes contain solanine.
  • Grain-free
  • Single protein
  • Freezer-friendly

Frequently asked questions

Can dogs eat pork?

Yes, as long as it's well cooked and a lean cut such as loin or tenderloin, with no salt or seasoning. It's a complete protein and rich in vitamin B1. What dogs shouldn't eat is raw pork, deli meats, ham, bacon or leftovers from dishes made for people, because of the salt, fat and seasonings. No cooked pork bones either.

Why can't dogs eat raw pork?

Because raw pork and wild boar can transmit Aujeszky's disease (pseudorabies), caused by a herpesvirus that kills dogs within one or two days and has no cure. Raw pork can also carry parasites such as Trichinella. Thorough cooking eliminates both risks, which is why pork is never used in raw (BARF) diets.

Can dogs eat cooked potatoes?

Yes, peeled and well-cooked potato is a good source of energy and easy to digest. Not raw, though, and not if it has green parts or sprouts, because it contains solanine, a toxic substance. Serve it without salt or butter and never fried: French fries and potato chips are not for dogs.

What cut of pork is best for dogs?

Loin and tenderloin, because they're the leanest cuts and boneless. Pork belly, ribs, jowl or ground pork for burgers are very fatty and can upset your dog's stomach or, in sensitive dogs, contribute to pancreatitis. Always trim off visible fat before cooking.

What's in it, in detail

If they liked it, try

The fridge list

The foods your dog can eat, can have in moderation and must never eat, on a single printable page.

Download the list (PDF)