Pack Stew
A hybrid dog/human food system — nutrient-dense, batch-cooked, infinitely riffable
Named for the feeling of me and my dogs (Churro and Cim) eating from the same recipe.
Pack Stew started as a practical solution: make one nutritious batch that both my dogs and I can eat. The base is a smooth savory purée (sweet potato or butternut squash + bone broth + beef liver), folded together with a lean protein, grated or steamed vegetables, and a legume. No salt, no garlic, no onion — so the dogs get theirs plain, and I season mine at the table.
Components
The Base
Steam sweet potato or butternut squash until very soft. Combine with a small amount of bone broth. Add gently cooked beef liver (see note). Purée everything thoroughly in a food processor until smooth and savory.
- →For liver: soak in milk 1–2 hours first to mellow the flavor. Steam in Instant Pot on a trivet for 0–1 minutes (immediate pressure release). Or sous vide at 140°F for 45–60 min for a silky result.
- →Alternative base roots: parsnips (earthier, less sweet — grate fine, then steam stovetop 5–7 min with a splash of water)
The Protein
Choose one or blend:
- Shredded chicken breast — steam or pressure cook in Instant Pot
- Pulled pork shoulder — sous vide at 165°F for 18–24 hours
- Ground turkey — brown in a pan first to drive off moisture, then fold in
- →Avoid cooking pork shoulder or beef chuck too fast under pressure — they need 90–120 min at high pressure + natural release to become tender.
- →The sous vide pork shoulder is the gold standard for texture.
The Vegetables
Choose one or a blend, finely grated or steamed:
- Finely grated carrots
- Finely grated beets
- French-cut frozen green beans
- Riced cauliflower
- Riced cauliflower + riced broccoli blend
- Finely grated parsnips (steam stovetop 5–7 min)
The Legume
Cook from scratch in the Instant Pot — not canned (to avoid sodium, preservatives, garlic/onion).
- Lentils
- Cannellini beans