It’s Not So Offal
MDA’s Quick Guide to Purchasing, Preparing and Eating Organ Meats
Everything but the Squeal, Thrift Cuts, Hunting Ethics… it would seem that in recent months we’ve spent a good deal of time talking about the benefits of feasting on the entire animal, but we’ve kind of side-stepped the fact that eating the whole animal also means eating the organs.
To some, organ meats are ho-hum foods of childhood, but to others, offal is an undiscovered – and somewhat stomach turning – culinary territory. Now, we’re not suggesting that everyone needs to eat organ meat in order to be perfectly Primal. Instead we’re endorsing offal as Primal food that has both fiscal and health benefits. Take a gander and let everyone know what you think in the comment boards!
Liver
Possibly the most common organ meat consumed in the U.S., liver was once regarded as a meal for the affluent and was even named one of the Eight Delicacies in The Li-Chi, a handbook of rituals published during China’s Han era. So why should you be eating it? According to those in the know, liver is an excellent source of high quality protein; contains an abundance of vitamin A and several B vitamins; is an excellent source of folic acid and iron; is the number one food source of copper; and contains CoQ10, which is important for cardiovascular function.
There really aren’t too many animals where liver is off limits – bar the polar bear, but there aren’t too many arctic explorers among us. In the U.S., the most frequently consumed types are beef, veal, goat, lamb, bison, buffalo, chicken, geese, or duck liver. When selecting liver for consumption, it is preferable to select one from a young animal as it is the mildest and most tender. How to know that you’re making a good choice? Many swear that the younger the animal, the paler the liver. Also, look for livers that have no slimy or dry patches and are relatively odor free.
To prepare a whole liver you’ll need to first rinse it and pat dry with a damp cloth. Next, with a sharp knife, remove any exposed veins, ducts or connective tissue then use your fingers to peel away the thin outer membrane and presto, the liver is now ready to eat! Sound too gruesome? A reputable butcher can usually take care of this for you! When preparing, it should be noted that liver should be cooked until it is light pink – cooking too much can cause it to toughen.
Kidney
Kidney beans might be a no-no on the Primal eating plan, but kidneys? They’re a-ok. Kidneys are most frequently available in beef, lamb and pork form and are generally sold trimmed, with the central strip of hard white fat and the outer membrane removed. We recommend that you ease into eating kidneys by first purchasing beef kidneys, which have a milder flavor and are also the easiest – and least expensive – variety.
When shopping for kidneys, look for those that are deep red in color – except for veal, which can take on a tan-cast – are plump and glossy with no bruised or discolored areas and no strong odor. To prepare, rinse the organs in cold water and, for a milder taste, soak in chilled water with a teaspoon of salt to each quart of water for one to two hours. From there, the kidney can be broiled, sautéed or braised.
Heart
Talk about eating your heart out – depending on the size of the animal the heart is yielded from, the heart could weigh as much as 3 lbs. Because it is a muscle meat, heart is very similar to steak, roasts and ground beef, but is typically less expensive (we blame the “ick” factor for that!) and actually has a higher protein content. In addition, heart is an excellent source of a number of nutrients, including thiamin, folate, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, CoQ10 and several of the B vitamins. In addition, beef heart contains amino acids that are thought to improve metabolism and compounds that promote the production of collagen and elastin (thin and wrinkle free? Sign us up!)
When selecting a heart, look for one that is a deep reddish brown color and has a layer of fat near its top. Culinary experts universally recommend that you purchase only high quality organs. Some experts suggest that hearts from grass-fed animals can keep longer, are better in color, smell better and taste better than organs procured from other animals. As with most organ meats, hearts are pretty delicate during the cooking process, so you’ll want to be sure to cook it slowly and serve it medium rare.
Sweetbreads
Sweet and bread? Sounds like a recipe for a carb overload, but in actuality, “sweetbreads” refers to the thymus and – depending on who you talk to – the pancreas glands of a calf or young cow, lamb or pig. In general, sweetbreads are pinkish-white in color, with those from the heart or belly taking on a round, plump appearance and those from the throat appearing more elongated and cylindrical.
In terms of taste, sweetbreads are…uhhh, sweet tasting (as opposed to the savory flavor of most meats), but they are by no means doughy! The “bread” part of the name comes from an old English word meaning flesh. The following is a delicious recipe from Cooks.com for sweetbreads and bacon that includes some solid tips for preparing the sweetbread for consumption: Sweetbreads and Bacon.
Tongue
If you’ve made it this far in the article, then chances are you aren’t going to be grossed out by the concept of eating tongue. In general, beef and veal tongues are the most commonly consumed, with both sharing a grainy, firm texture and a pinkish-grey color.
Tongue can be stewed, boiled or poached and is often pickled, or served roasted like roast beef. Before final prepping and serving the skin of the tongue is usually removed.
Brain
Type “eating brain” into a Google search engine and you find far more entries about zombies and brain, and the benefits of eating fish to boost brain power than you do for recipes that include actual brain. If you do dig deep (in a totally non-zombie sense), however, you’ll learn that brain has a delicate, crumbly texture and is popular in dishes from many different parts of the world, including French and Indian cuisine.
It should be noted, however, that brain can in some cases contain prions, a unique type of protein that has been linked to the development of mad cow disease. If you’re not perturbed by these warnings, check out this simple recipe for scrambled eggs and calf brains.
Tripe
Saving the best for last? You betcha! Tripe is generally defined as the stomach lining of sheep, goats, pig and deer. In the case of beef, tripe generally only refers to the first three portions of the cows stomach. Sound disgusting? Perhaps. But long ago, the dish was so revered that it was said to have spurred a tiff between between William the Conqueror and Phillip I, the King of France.
Since there is an obvious “ick” factor associated with eating another being’s stomach, you’ll want to take steps to ensure that the tripe that you eat is thoroughly cleaned. In most cases, a butcher will also remove any extra fat and bleach it for you so that it looks more appetizing, but it will be up to you to boil it so that the lining – the edible part – is fully cooked. Since the lining has somewhat of a rubbery texture, you’ll want to cook it for at least 2-3 hours to make it tender. From there, you can use it in salad, as an ingredient in soups, casseroles or stews, or as a main dish all by itself.
What do you think, readers? Did you grow up on this stuff? Old hat? Or does even the word “tripe” make you queasy? (Or maybe both?) Voice your opinion in the comment board!
t0fugurl, ulterior epicure, stu spivack, Toasty Ken, Nick Bair, perago89, gogogadgetscott, La Blageur a Paris, KitLKat, avlxyz Flickr Photos (CC)
Further Reading:
A Visual Guide to Antioxidants
Cheap Meat Round II: “Thrift Cuts”
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Posted By: Worker Bee
As a young houswife nearly sixty years ago, I cooked heart, brains, tongue, and recently I’ve gone back to those, plus sweetbreads. I did try testicles, and found them good when deep fried. I cooked and ate them by myself, and have told noone except you, Phyllis Skalak Las Vega I did write about it in my personal diary.s
Being adventurous and analytical, I’ve never had a problem braving the bizarre, so I’ve eaten pretty much everything on this list and made a few of them myself. I know many people, even if they dare to try, are often hesitant to experiment more due to the ‘gamey’ flavors, but once you get used to it, you often appreciate and crave the richer, more interesting flavors and textures.
I wonder how Mark feels about head cheese?
Great article! I came across this in trying to figure out whether organ meats may be used to replace fleshy meat. I grew up in a culture that eats all of these organ meats that you’ve listed. I love quite a few of them and even prefer them to “meat” which I often find boring. In your opinion, is it safe or even advantageous to eat more organ meats than “meat”? I am talking making organ meats my main source of animal protein e.g. 80%. Thanks!
Hi guys,
I just received my sweetbreads and I am eating one raw and unprepared!
It is delicious. I think cooking would ruin this sweet and tender flavor.
This would probably be best mixed in with steak tartar. Excellent flavor.
I wonder why this isn’t being used to sell in conventional stores, too.
This is considered garbage?
Unbelievable!!!
I tried Liver last year, it stayed in the freezer for months though before I could face it. But actually I quite enjoyed it, although I think it was overcooked. I will be getting some more. It was a hell of a lot cheaper than steak.
As a child I remember eating kidney as well as tripe. I dont think I minded the kidney but dont recall liking the tripe, I just remember the strange smell of it. I actually thought tripe was a type of fish until now.
recipe for the ick crowd:
1 dynamic offal good chef
1 blindfold
1 resistant offal consumer
all the various offal selections
prepared served ~ gourmet style
and savored in blindness
I would be up for that offal good experience and I bet many icker’s would be the next group of offal good eaters.
I grew up eating all of the above, except for glands (just didn’t have a chance to try). Liver was served in our household regularly, we typically just quick saute it in butter, a minute on each side, no longer, and sprinkle some salt and pepper on it when done. My mom always said “don’t overcook the liver, it needs to have some blood in it”
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Then onions were thinly sliced and sauteed in the “liver juice” in the same skillet. And of course chicken livers were fried or made into pate quite frequently. Long live liver!
You know what I wanna do? Put these in soup. Throw ‘em in the slow-cooker with a couple spoons of vinegar and a bunch of vegetables – and maybe a couple bones – simmer them on low for a couple of days, and make the most amazing POWER BROTH known to man!! >:D
I live in Brazil, and these organ foods are all very common here. Originally hailing from Canada, i have found it very difficult to get over the ‘ick’ factor as Mark so brilliantly put it. However, I am slowly acclimatizing! I already eat chicken hearts here, which oddly enough end up being more expensive than a lot of regular meats! Not sure i’ll ever get over tripe or brains though. I just can’t go there, although my wife’s dad eats it without hesitation!
I love tripe, grew up eating it as a kid and now I go searching for different restaurants that offer it. But I have an important question. I fully understand and accept all the nutrient value in the rest of the “offal”, but after the bleaching and cleaning that has to be done with tripe (to go from green to white), is there really any nutritional value left? For now, I eat it because I love it, but I’m not sure it is really doing anything for me from a nutrient standpoint.
I love this site I practically live on egg yolks and chicken livers -they are cheap and wonderful and versatile.
I love sweetbreads, too, but have a hard time finding them, would love to find chicken hearts, any suggestions where to get them?
I grew up eating tongue and tripe and kidneys so I’m down with all of this, a little cautious about cow products now -abut they do taste great
Good posting… I’ve been eating raw organ meats for about 12 years. I began doing that after took a (now discontinued) supplement made of raw extracts of liver, pancreas, thyroid and a couple of other organs that I don’t remember. I did a bit of research as to how beneficial they are. My interest was initially only on the weightlifting end of the effect, but a little farther down the road of life, my interest has expanded to the 30′s and on part of life, where the natural production of hormones decreases.
With the pink slime uproar, perhaps companies might start using hearts and tongues as their hamburger filler.
I wonder how many people would simply be less squeamish about organs if they simply looked like another chunk of meat in their stew? I could probably tolerate eyeballs if they were minced and mixed with something.
Hubby doesn’t like liver, but I do. For chicken livers I rinse them, then either throw them in a cold pan, put on a lid, and turn the burner to low for about a half hour, stirring occasionally. Or I soft-fry some bacon, turn the heat to medium, and stir the chicken livers often while the bacon is draining.
For beef liver, I put fat in a hot pan and saute sliced onion, dredge the liver slices, push aside the onion and brown each side of the liver for about a minute, turn down the heat and pile the onions under and over the liver, add a bit of liquid to the bottom of the pan, and gently steam until the entire liver is evenly firm. (It should be a little soggy and have the texture of cold dense quiche.) Pull the liver out of the pan and add a thickener to the leftover liquid, preferably what’s left on the dredging plate.
I use flour for that recipe, powdered cauliflower might work.
It’s simple. Place organ in pot/pan. Apply heat. Apply spices. Apply mental brainpower. Ope mouth. Insert organ. Chew. Swallow. Be happy!
Good read Mark, I’ve been eating organ meats in smaller quantities (as delicacies) since I was a child. Now I’m trying to eat them a lot more often, had liver for the past 2 days in a row. Lightly fried in tallow in my wok, it’s delicious.