While I can’t share all of the trade secrets, here’s a valuable recipe worth sharing though it’s not a treat I actually sell. Big fish like tuna or even salmon carry some mercury risk so I don’t use them on on a super regular basis but I will whip up some of these Gluten-Free Tuna Fudge Bites a couple times a year for variety. They are soft, crumb-free, stinky, affordable and a big hit with most dogs.
I keep a gluten-free kitchen for my own health reasons so contaminating my kitchen with wheat flour gets dicey but I have included the substitution for those who don’t care about gluten-free. I like the texture of the tapioca flour version as it’s a little like the Turkish Delight confection without being sticky when it is not over-baked.
NOTE: if you experiment with using regular wheat flour you will have a different texture. It won’t be bad, just different. So you might want to play around with the recipe to see which you prefer.
GLUTEN-FREE TUNA FUDGE BITES
2 (184g) cans Tuna in water, do not drain
2 large Eggs
1 tsp Granulated garlic powder
2 tbsp Fat (any of: bacon drippings, duck fat, beef tallow, bison tallow, etc), melted
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cups Tapioca starch flour (or substitute wheat flour)
Combine the tuna, tuna water, eggs, garlic, melted fat and Parmesan cheese in a high speed blender until smooth.
Pour into a mixing bowl and combine tapioca starch flour, kneading until incorporated into a smooth ball.
Press into a 9×9 cake pan lined with parchment, smoothing the top with your hands or a flat egg flipper.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, turning at half time to ensure even baking — DO NOT OVER BAKE or you will risk a poor texture.
Let rest in the hot pan for 5 minutes and then carefully lift the parchment liner onto a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.
Cut into desired bites while still a bit warm on a cutting board with a sharp knife.
SHORT TERM STORAGE: Sealed in a ziploc bag or airtight container in the fridge and consume within a week.
LONG TERM STORAGE: I vacuum seal small packages and freeze them so I can defrost a bit at a time as a training opportunity presents itself. Vacuum sealing also prevents freezer burn and extends life in the freezer dramatically.
Most dogs go bananas for this treat! Be careful not to use it too often throughout the year so that it retains it’s high-value attraction.
For a better understanding of why high-value treats are worth keeping in circulation, see my blog post about it: