Backcountry Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Hero's Banquet Stew, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Merrick Backcountry Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Hero's Banquet Stew is a wet food featuring beef, beef liver, and lamb.
This wet food has a strong protein profile, with beef as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes quality fat sources, like marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The formula also benefits from dried egg product and beef liver, adding diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
The formula contains guar gum, an emulsifier. While there's emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers, there's no specific canine clinical evidence to suggest it's a major concern.
Good fit for adult dogs of any size who enjoy a wet food with a strong protein base.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Irish Setters navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus beef liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor). In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) .
Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM concerns ? 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 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Solid grade. 64/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+20.5 points): Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. What we'd flag for vet discussion: controversial-ingredient penalty (-5 points). Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food. A-tier is 11 points up. Controversial-ingredient penalty is where to find them.
Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Top 2% for DMB protein in Merrick's lineup (50.0%)
- Bottom quartile for carb quality in grain-free wet foods (9/16)
- Top 2% for crude fiber in Merrick's lineup (13.9% DMB)
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.
Merrick Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Wilderness Blend, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Scores 3 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Hearty Beef Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
$3.76/lb vs your seed's $4.86/lb (23% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 50%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
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.
- 3turkey broth
Real broth from named meat. Adds flavor and moisture, signals a recipe that leans on real meat.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4protein animalbeef liver
Organ meat. Among the most nutrient-dense ingredients available, rich in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6green beans
Real vegetable. Fiber and a small amount of vitamins. Often used in weight-management formulas because it bulks up a meal without adding calories.
- 7vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 9dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 11mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 12fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13fruit juice color
- 14mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 15sodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 16fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 17mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 18mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 19mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 20cobalt proteinate
Cobalt bound to protein. Trace mineral needed for vitamin B12 synthesis, chelated form for better absorption.
- 21mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 22mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 23mineralsodium 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 →
- 24mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
- 25fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Showing first 25 of 32. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.