The Himalayan region has long produced yak chews made from cow and yak milk. After boiling the milk, and separating the curds with vinegar or lime juice, it is sun dried. Chews made from the dried curds are either air dried or smoked for a few weeks.
It all starts with milk, the main ingredient in dog chew. We collect milk from farmers all over the Uttarakhand’s higher altitude hilly areas and mountainous regions.
After the milk collection is complete, it is time to pasteurize them. This is where the centuries-old traditional method of preparing yak chews begins.
For around 1 hour, the collected milk is heated at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The cream and fat are separated from the milk by the continuous heat.
After everything is finished, the fat and cream are separated, and the leftover milk is used to make our dog treats.
The skim milk is heated once more after the cooling down, but this time, some whey is added to the mixture. There’s also salt and lime added.
While salt speeds up the process and preserve the milk, whey and lime aid in the coagulation of the milk. Milk’s water activity is decreased by the salt, which facilitates microbial development and increases safety and preservation. It also has a favorable impact on the dog chews’ flavor, scent and texture.
With these additions and a slow stir, cheese curds will almost immediately appear. After that, the solid cheese chunks are squeezed out and gathered in cotton bags.
This is where the dog chews start taking their shape. For around a day, the cheese bags are stacked and placed beneath large blocks to press out extra moisture. They nearly completely dry out and solidify soon.
The flavor of these dehydrated cheese blocks is then enhanced by allowing them to ferment. They are also given a few turns over and allowed to dry for 25-30 days.
Drying right away stops the growth of molds and other fungi.
The chews are aged or allowed to ripen as the last stage in making our cheese delights.
The large blocks of dog chews are divided into several small pieces after fermentation. The sizes of dog chews can vary from small to extra-large.
To achieve the required hardness, texture and scent, the sticks are then either smoked or allowed to ripen or grills at approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
The length of time the chews are smoked and dried affects their flavor and scent. They are smoked for anywhere between 20-40 days.
The flavor of these cheese sticks improves and moisture content decreases with increased smoking. The items are subsequently dried at room temperature for approximately one month after smoking.
A stick of cheese made from milk typically has 14% moisture, more than 50% protein, and 0.9% crude fat.
Dog chews are a nutritious treats for your dog to chew on because of their high protein and low content fat.
Once the chews are prepared, they undergo stringent quality inspections. For further processing and packaging, only the chews that meet International standards are chosen, ensuring that your dog receives the ultimate product all the way from the Himalayas.
