Grain-Free Hand Packed Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy Canned Dog Food, 12-oz, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Evanger's Grain-Free Hand Packed Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy is a wet dog food, featuring beef as its primary protein source.
There are no notable positive drivers for this food in our analysis.
The most significant concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means we can't confirm if this food is nutritionally complete. Additionally, our analysis indicates low protein quality from the beef and no declared omega-3 source.
Hard to recommend for any dog due to the lack of an AAFCO statement and other nutritional concerns.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Neutral fit for adult active large sporting breeds like Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and English Setters. Beef leads the deck at position 1.
Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.
Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.
Research informing this analysis
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- McGreevy et al., 2018lifespan · mortality · ear health· cited in 3 claims
- AKCbreed standard
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 36/100, landing in D-tier territory. A hard cap of 59 also applied because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). Even without the cap, the base component scores sit below the next band. The structural fix would need to address protein quality as well.
No positive drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
Low protein quality. beef delivers limited bioavailable amino acids.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
- Lowest fat quality in Evanger's's lineup (4/16)
- Lowest carb quality in Evanger's's lineup (6/16)
- Bottom 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (36/100)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
Similar dog foods worth considering
Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.
Evanger's Venison & Beef Dinner Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.8-oz, case of 12
Scores 22 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Evanger's Organics Cooked Chicken Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
$4.47/lb vs your seed's $5.85/lb (24% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2beef broth
Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 3: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 4legumepeas
Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
Position 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 5minerals {calcium carbonate
- 6mineralzinc sulfate
Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.
- 7mineralferrous sulfate
Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.
- 8mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 9mineralcopper sulfate
Inorganic copper. Standard, effective at small doses. Premium formulas tend to use copper proteinate instead.
- 10mineralmanganese sulfate
Inorganic manganese. Functional but less well-absorbed than the chelated proteinate form.
- 11mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 12mineralsodium selenite Flagged
Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →
- 13mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 14potassium iodide}
- 15vitamins {vitamin e supplement
- 16vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 17l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate
A stable form of vitamin C used in pet food. Provides antioxidant support and survives processing better than plain ascorbic acid.
- 18vitaminthiamine mononitrate
B vitamin (B1). Essential for nervous system function. Cooked-in vitamin loss is why thiamine is always added back.
- 19vitamincalcium pantothenate
Same as d-calcium pantothenate. Vitamin B5 in standardized form.
- 20vitamin a acetate
- 21vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
- 22vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 23vitaminbiotin
B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 24vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 25vitaminvitamin b12 supplement
Essential for red blood cell formation and neurological function. Plant ingredients lack B12, so it has to be added.
Showing first 25 of 26. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
21 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.