Most owners walk straight past the offal section at the butcher. Chicken hearts, pork hearts — they look a bit confronting and people aren't sure what to do with them. That's a shame, because heart is technically a muscle meat, not an organ, and it's one of the densest sources of taurine, iron, and B12 you can buy for your dog. It's also, at most places, extremely cheap.
These three recipes use either chicken hearts or pork hearts. Chicken hearts are smaller and easier to work with for small and medium dogs. Pork hearts are slightly bigger, lower in fat, and work well minced or diced for any size dog. Use whichever is easier to find.
🫀 Nutritional Value of Heart Meat
Per 100g cooked — based on USDA nutritional database
| Nutrient |
Chicken Heart |
Pork Heart |
Why it matters for dogs |
| Protein |
26g |
26g |
Muscle repair, energy, coat |
| Fat |
8g |
6g |
Pork heart is leaner |
| Calories |
185 kcal |
145 kcal |
Pork is lower calorie per gram |
| Taurine |
~69mg |
~65mg |
Heart health, vision, brain function |
| Iron |
13mg |
5.4mg |
Chicken heart is significantly richer in iron |
| Vitamin B12 |
7.3mcg |
3.6mcg |
Nervous system, red blood cells |
| Zinc |
6.3mg |
2.9mg |
Immune function, skin and coat |
| Coenzyme Q10 |
High |
High |
Cardiac energy production |
Taurine note: Taurine is an amino acid essential for dogs, particularly for heart function. It's found almost exclusively in animal tissue. Heart meat is one of the single richest dietary sources — far above chicken breast or beef mince. Dogs on grain-free diets in particular can benefit from regular heart meat in their diet.
What These Treats Cost to Make
Heart meat is sold cheaply at most butchers and Asian supermarkets. The numbers below are estimates — prices vary by region and where you buy — but as a rough guide:
Recipe 1 — Baked Bites
~$3–5
per batch of ~50 treats
under $0.10 per treat
Recipe 2 — Soft Chews
~$4–6
per batch of ~35 chews
sweet potato adds minimal cost
Recipe 3 — Crispy Chips
~$2–4
per batch of ~40 chips
no extras needed
Cost estimates based on 500g chicken hearts or 400g pork heart at standard butcher or supermarket pricing. Organ meats and offal are typically among the lowest-cost cuts available.
⚠️ Treat rule: Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog's daily calorie intake. These are high-value training rewards, not meal replacements. A small dog needs only 2–3 bites per session; a large dog 5–6.
❤️ · · ·
⏱️ Prep: 10 min
🔥 Bake: 20–25 min at 180°C
❄️ Fridge: 5 days · Freezer: 3 months
🐕 All sizes
Why this works
Baking at 180°C dries the outside of the heart enough to create a slightly chewy, firm texture — exactly what dogs find satisfying to work for during training. The egg binds the mix together without masking the flavour. No flour, no additives, just hearts and egg.
Ingredients
- 500g chicken hearts (whole, or pork heart diced into 1.5cm cubes)
- 1 egg, beaten
- Optional: 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (safe for dogs, freshens breath)
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- If using chicken hearts, leave whole if small (under 2cm) or halve if large. If using pork heart, dice into 1.5cm cubes.
- Pat hearts dry with paper towel — this helps them bake rather than steam.
- Toss hearts in the beaten egg and parsley (if using) until lightly coated.
- Spread in a single layer on the lined tray. Don't crowd them or they'll steam.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until firm and slightly caramelised on the outside. They should feel springy when pressed, not soft.
- Cool completely on the tray before storing. They firm up further as they cool.
Yield: ~50 bites from 500g chicken hearts
Texture: Chewy and firm
Best for: Training rewards, all ages
Storage
- Airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
- Freeze in zip-lock bags for up to 3 months — defrost a handful at a time
❤️ · · ·
⏱️ Prep: 15 min
🔥 Bake: 25–30 min at 160°C
❄️ Fridge: 4 days · Freezer: 3 months
🐕 All sizes — good for seniors and puppies
Why this works
Pork heart is leaner and milder than chicken heart, which makes it a good match for sweet potato. The sweet potato adds moisture and beta-carotene, and keeps the chew soft after baking. These are less intense than the baked bites above, which can make them easier to use with dogs who get over-excited around high-value treats.
Ingredients
- 400g pork heart, trimmed of any visible fat and sinew
- 150g sweet potato, peeled and boiled until soft
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp oat flour (blend rolled oats in a blender — or use plain rice flour)
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Mince the pork heart in a food processor until fine — about 30 seconds. Don't over-process into a paste; you want a coarse mince.
- Mash the cooked sweet potato until smooth.
- Combine the minced heart, sweet potato, egg, and oat flour in a bowl. Mix until you have a firm, workable dough. If it's too sticky, add another tablespoon of flour.
- Roll into small balls (about 2cm) or press into a silicone treat mould. Flatten each slightly onto the tray.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until set and lightly golden. They should hold their shape when lifted.
- Cool completely before storing. These stay soft even when cold.
Yield: ~35 soft chews
Texture: Soft and slightly moist
Best for: Puppies, seniors, dental-sensitive dogs
Storage
- These are moister than the baked bites, so fridge is essential — up to 4 days in an airtight container
- Freeze well for up to 3 months. Separate into daily training portions before freezing.
❤️ · · ·
⏱️ Prep: 5 min
🍳 Cook: 8–10 min on stovetop
❄️ Fridge: 3 days (best eaten fresh)
🐕 Medium to large dogs best — can be broken for small dogs
Why this works
Chicken hearts are small enough that when you slice them thin and cook them in a dry pan on high heat, they caramelise beautifully on both sides. The result is a thin, almost jerky-like chip — very aromatic, very crispy, and dogs are absolutely unreasonable about them. Use these for recall training or anything where you need maximum motivation.
Ingredients
- 300g chicken hearts
- No oil needed — the heart has enough fat to cook in its own juices
Method
- Slice each chicken heart in half lengthways to get two flat pieces per heart.
- Pat dry thoroughly with paper towel. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- Heat a cast iron or heavy non-stick pan over high heat until very hot.
- Add the sliced hearts in a single layer — work in batches rather than crowding the pan.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes without moving them. You want a proper sear, not a steam. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes on the other side.
- Remove and drain on paper towel. They will crisp further as they cool.
- Break into smaller pieces for small dogs.
🌡️ Temperature tip: The pan needs to be genuinely hot before the hearts go in. If you hear a strong sizzle the moment they hit the pan, you're at the right temperature. A weak sizzle means the pan is too cold and you'll get steamed heart rather than seared chips.
Yield: ~40–45 chips from 300g hearts
Texture: Crispy and jerky-like
Best for: High-value recall training, maximum motivation
Storage
- Best eaten the same day — these lose some crispness in the fridge
- If storing: airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a dry pan or oven at 160°C for 5 minutes before use
- Not ideal for freezing — the texture suffers on defrost
❤️ · · ·
A Few Things Worth Knowing
Heart meat is technically classified as muscle meat, not organ meat. That matters for one reason: some raw feeding guidelines recommend limiting organ meat (like liver or kidney) to around 10% of the diet because of their intense vitamin concentration. Heart doesn't carry the same restriction. It can be fed more freely without the risk of vitamin A toxicity that comes with overfeeding liver.
That said, these are still treats. Keep them to 10% or less of your dog's total daily calories. For a 20kg dog eating around 800 calories a day, that's roughly 80 calories from treats — about 5–6 baked bites or a small handful of chips.
One thing to watch: if your dog is on a low-fat diet for pancreatitis or other conditions, go with pork heart over chicken heart. At 6g fat per 100g cooked, it's noticeably leaner. Check with your vet if you're managing a health condition.
⚠️ Disclaimer: These recipes are treats, not complete meals. They are not formulated to NRC nutritional standards. Always keep treats to no more than 10% of your dog's daily calorie intake. If your dog has a health condition or is on a prescription diet, check with your vet before introducing new foods.
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