Braised Beef & Lamb One Pot Stew
Graded by The Sniff System
The Honest Kitchen Braised Beef & Lamb One Pot Stew is a wet food featuring beef and lamb, though its specific life stage is not stated.
This wet food offers good protein quality, with beef providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources, like named fat with marine oil for EPA and DHA, and quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
The ingredient deck includes sodium selenite, which is a synthetic form of selenium. Also, the product lacks a guaranteed analysis and AAFCO statement.
Good fit for dogs whose owners prioritize quality protein and fat sources. Less ideal if you prefer foods with a complete guaranteed analysis and AAFCO statement.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15. 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 61/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+14 points): Reasonable protein quality. beef delivers solid amino acid coverage. Also adding to the lift: fat quality (+12). Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). The 14-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in protein quality (14 of 27 possible). Full protein quality requires named-species named-cut proteins in the top of the deck (e.g., "deboned chicken" rather than "chicken meal" or "poultry meal").
Reasonable protein quality. beef delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Top quartile for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (61/100)
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.
ACANA Premium Beef & Lamb Chunks in Bone Broth Variety Pack Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 12.8-oz can, case of 6
Scores 13 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Wellness Complete Health Lamb & Beef
Lamb instead of beef, 7 points higher, different brand.
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 bone broth
Real bone broth. Adds flavor, moisture, and a small amount of collagen. Pleasant inclusion.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4green 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.
- 5vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6tapioca
Starch from cassava root. Highly digestible energy source, but pure starch with minimal nutrition beyond that.
- 7vegetablekale
Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 9mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 10mineralsodium 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 →
- 11mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 12mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 13mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 14magnesium proteinate
Magnesium bound to protein for better absorption. The premium chelated form.
- 15mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 16fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
- 17fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
- 18supplementdried kelp
Natural source of iodine and trace minerals. A common premium-brand inclusion.
- 19thyme
18 of 19 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.