Rawhide Alternative? Yes! Try this!

Sweet Potato Dog Chews

A steady diet of rawhides may satisfy your doggie's desire for chewing, but isn't great for his tummy.  Many chewy dog treats have been recalled or are just darn expensive.  In my quest for chews for my dogs, I found Sweet Potato Rawhide but it cost me $39.99 for a 24 oz bag.  Ouch!   I'd already had success with Homemade Chicken Jerky, I could find a recipe for sweet potato chews, right?  Right!  And here it is:

Ingredients:

1 Large Sweet Potato, washed & dried


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250° F
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Cut off one side of the sweet potato lengthwise, as close to the edge as possible. Cutting the side of the potato first allows you to then turn the potato onto this flat surface that you have just created. Having a stable area to rest the potato will make it easier to cut the potato into slices. Don't discard that first piece, it comes out just as yummy as the rest!
4. Cut the rest of the potato into 1/3" slices, no smaller than 1/4".
5. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 3 hours, turning half way through.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Degree of Chewiness - Baking for 3 hours results in a soft, but chewy dog treat. If your dog prefers more of a crunch, then bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. When you take the sweet potatoes out of the oven, they may at first appear to be too soft. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before you decide whether or not to bake them longer. This is because they will continue to dry or harden while cooling.

Storing - Although these treats are dried, you will want to keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. You can freeze them for up to 4 months.