Have you ever wondered how to make dehydrated sweet potato dog treats?
Well, wonder no more because I’m about to tell you. They’re a favorite here in our pack, so I make them fairly regularly.
The pups love their taste and crunch factor, and I love them because they’re a single-ingredient dog treat without any artificial preservatives or harmful chemicals.
Disclaimer: This blog post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated in 2021. It contains affiliate links I may earn compensation through at no additional cost to you.
How To Make Dehydrated Sweet Potato Dog Treats
Let me preface this section by saying that dehydrated sweet potato treats make great goodies for your pooch AND yourself, too!
You can totally share some of Fido’s treats OR make a batch for yourself if you prefer salt and/or olive oil on yours.
What You’ll Need For The Sweet Potato Dog Treats
Now here’s what you’ll need to make these goodies:
- Sweet potatoes
- Sharp knife and/or mandolin slicer
- A dehydrator
- 10-12 hours of drying time
I was really lucky for a while when I had a neighbor who grew sweet potatoes in her garden and would always share a few with me.
After I moved, I’d get them from a local grocery store or a farmer’s market, depending on the season.
If you can get your hands on organic sweet potatoes, you won’t need to peel them because their skin won’t contain any pesticides.
That’s a huge bonus because the skin contains fiber & potassium!
How To Prepare The Sweet Potatoes
1. Wash & Cut Them
Give them a good wash in the kitchen sink and cut off any bad spots. Then cut them into more or less even slices with a sharp kitchen knife.
Tip: A mandoline slicer or a food processor with a slicing disc is helpful because sweet potatoes are much harder than white potatoes.
Side Note: I tried cutting a sweet potato with a cucumber slicer. Definitely the second best idea I had because they resulted in paper-thin slices!
I had a feeling they were too thin, but still put them in the dehydrator for experiment’s sake. They were done within 2 hours, but only made for a tiny batch.
2. Blanch The Sweet Potato Slices
Next, go ahead and blanch the sweet potato slices for 2-3 minutes.
Blanching simply means to put them in boiling water.
It’ll keep the bright, vibrant orange color of the sweet potato along with its flavor and texture. It also extends the shelf life of the sweet potato treats!
3. Rinse, Dry, & Dehydrate Them
Then rinse them off under cool water, pat them dry and place them onto the dehydrator trays (mine has 4).
Make sure that none of the slices overlap, or the overlapping parts won’t dehydrate all the way!
If your dehydrator has a temperature control button, put them in at around 125° F. If it doesn’t, that’s OK too.
The first one I ever had was a hand-me down NESCO dehydrator and didn’t come with a temperature control button.
The COSORI dehydrator features a temperature control button and stainless steel trays with a digital timer.
Either way, the dehydrating process takes about 10-12 hours. That’s why it’s a good idea to make them overnight, that way you’ll be able to “harvest” them in the mornings.
The Oven Alternative
If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can also try to make them in the oven. If you do, go for the lowest temperature setting on your oven or you’ll risk burning them.
I learned that lesson when I tested the oven option at 250° F for two hours. Not only did they not come out as crunchy as the ones from the dehydrator, they were also on the verge of being burnt!
What’s The Shelf Life Of The Sweet Potato Dog Treats?
Since your homemade sweet potato doggie treats don’t contain any artificial preservatives, their shelf life is fairly short.
The blanching process helps extend it some, so they’ll last you for about 10-14 days.
Store The Treats In An Airtight Container
I personally like to store the treats in recycled glass jars. But any airtight container will work!
Just make sure to let the sweet potato slices cool off completely before you close the lid of the storage container.
If you don’t, there’ll be condensation which is the perfect breeding ground for mold.
Benefits Of Sweet Potato Dog Treats
Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse as they contain beta carotene. That helps neutralize harmful free radicals & also helps prevent cancer.
They’re also rich in manganese, which is great for healthy bone structure & fat metabolism. Its Vitamin A content is great for a proper metabolism, and its Vitamin C content offers protection from infectious diseases.
As mentioned earlier, their skin is a great source of dietary fiber, meaning sweet potatoes are wonderful for digestion!
Sweet Potato Dog Treats Are A Low Calorie Treat
If you’re looking for a low calorie, high value training treat, look no further!
Sweet potatoes are also low in calories. 1 cup has about 114 calories.
Most dogs really love their taste & texture and will gladly “work” for them.
Single-Ingredient Dog Treats Made In The USA
You know what I like best about my homemade sweet potato dog treats? The fact that I know exactly what they’re made of & where they’re grown.
Right here in the USA!
Now THAT’s peace of mind!
Store-Bought Dehydrated Sweet Potato Dog Treats – An Alternative
Every now and then when I don’t feel like wearing my chef hat, I’ll order some Dr. Harvey’s Sweet Potate’r Chews on Amazon.
It’s an easy and QUICK alternative I resort to every now & then. The pups love them, but of course it’s not the same as making them yourself!
Leave your comments or questions below in the comment section!
Related Reading:
What’s so special about single-ingredient dog treats?
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