OFFAL

AlexandraCarlyle

I love it.
I've always eaten it.
It's nutritious, delicious and if well prepared, can actually convince even the most ardent anti-offal gourmet to admit that 'meh... actually, it's not that bad....!

Offal I have gladly eaten:

Tongue*
heart* (Lamb's, chicken's)
kidneys*
liver*
tripe*
sweetbreads
intestines (Chitterlings, Andouilette)
pig's trotters*
Oxtail (classified as external offal)*
Udder
poultry gizzards*
Chicken feet
pig skin (as crackling or 'Chicharron')
blood (in Black Pudding).

Offal I have tried once, and didn't enjoy, but might if I tried it again:

Calve's brains.

My dearly departed father once advised me (and it has been said on here elsewhere, already: Try everything once, cooked at least three different ways: If you don't like it all ways cooked - then you don't like it. I'v only tried brains done once, and I was very young then. If I were to try it in different ways, now, I might well enjoy it.
I understand soft cod's roe is very like it, and I love soft cod's roe....

Offal for the most part is extremely nutritious. It's probably the most intense protein hit you could have.

I could give you a recipe for every single asterisked one I have listed, above, and I have indeed, cooked them for others and others have eulogised the dishes and have been most enthusiastic.

If anyone wants recipes for the above items, let me know... The asterisked items, I have some to-die-for dishes...
Some of them are labour-intensive, but if you love cooking, it's worth every second of effort...

Please add your own contributions. Newbies might enjoy the encouragement....

Maybe @baconslave might like to add this to the launch-pad, somewhere...?

cstehansen

I'm totally interested in trying most of these, but in these days of all the stores being chains and having no stand alone butchers, where does one find these?

kpk54

I have seen some of these in Asian markets @cstehansen.

If you have local farmers who specialize in free range/pasture raised etc, they often offer a variety of innards and various parts. Look on line for local options.

The most unusual I have seen is goat penis. May show up on line as *kitten* so goat peni$. I live in a multicultural area with a variety of international markets so have seen many "not common to me" meats. All interesting and perhaps tasty when cooked properly. I tried beef tongue once. I felt it might have been more appealing had the little beef taste buds been shaved off.

Alaplum

I don't think I'd try brains, I'd be worried about mad cow. Other than that, I like most, not tripe tho, and I've tried it a number of ways.

Dragonwolf

cstehansen wrote: »

I'm totally interested in trying most of these, but in these days of all the stores being chains and having no stand alone butchers, where does one find these?

Farmer's markets are the best place to find farmers and butchers. You may even be able to get deals on the less appealing stuff if you build a little rapport with them.

pitbullmamaliz

I'd love to try it, but I'm a terrible cook and don't want to try making them myself. :-(

AlexandraCarlyle

Bouddie wrote: »

I don't think I'd try brains, I'd be worried about mad cow. Other than that, I like most, not tripe tho, and I've tried it a number of ways.

That has been an issue in the past, but with the ultra-stringent methods of precaution and care, that kind of scare is a thing of the past.
They know the cause, and have remedied it.
But it sure put people off for a while.
You can still get calves brains in France and Italy. it's commonplace....

AlexandraCarlyle

pitbullmamaliz wrote: »

I'd love to try it, but I'm a terrible cook and don't want to try making them myself. :-(

All cooks are terrible until they practise.....

Just_Eric

Sounds awful.

Just_Eric

God, maybe I'm a more adventurous eater than I think I am.

I've eaten beef tongue, tripe, and if it counts beef cheeks as well. Oh! Oxtails count too? Check.

Intestines via natural cased sausages, all manner of pig parts via boudin, blood in boudin noir and bun bo hue.

Chicken gizzards and hearts. I bought some feet once, let them sit in the refrigerator for a few days and couldn't bring myself to do anything with them. Threw them into the, (hopefully this is correct) rubbish bin?

Alex, what in God's name does one do with udders?

AlexandraCarlyle

It's quite solid. You either roast it, or purchase it ready sliced and shallow-fry, like schnitzel. It's common in France, and known as 'tetines'.
It needs soaking in a brine for 48 hours to remove traces of milk, then dried, sliced and fried.

(I would hasten to add that, like Tripe, it has been pre-prepared/cooked for consumption....)

Kitnthecat

I get my meat directly from my farmers, so have access to the whole animal, but limit my extras to pigs' heads ( I make head cheese), pig and chicken feet and pork, beef and chicken liver, bones, and fat if I run out.

lemurcat12

Hmm, I will have to ask for recipes. I always think I should eat more, but the only one I currently prepare myself are the various kinds of liver.

retirehappy

I grew up eating a lot of those.

Chicken feet are served at an Asian restaurant near me. The staff always comes by my table when I go there. They can't believe a white person actually enjoys them.

Another place near me does chicken livers and gizzards. Gizzards and heart were my favorite parts of the chicken when I was growing up. It used to be when you bought a chicken at the store the giblets came with them. Not any more.

I also had brains when a child, I did not like those, one of the few things my Auntie Mary put in front of me that I didn't just dig into, I just didn't like those for some reason. But slices of heart from the pig or a cow was a totally different thing. I haven't seen tongue in a market in years. My husband could not believe what it was when I did cook one I had found at a farmers market years ago. It is the best roasted beef ever.

Liver was a weekly staple when I was growing up, chicken, beef, pork, didn't matter. Most people don't care for it because it is cooked way beyond the edible stage in this country. And foie gras is in my top 10 foods list. Will need to be on my death meal list as well.

Tripe in the form of Menudo is available here in authentic Mexican restaurants. Chit'lins were a fav snack as a child, Auntie boiled her own outside in a huge cast iron cauldron.

Chicharrones are the new chips at my house.

When we travel in France I always have to have sweetbreads and when in England, steak and kidney pie.

I am a big fan of snot to tail for all animals.

pitbullmamaliz

I had a beef tongue in my freezer for ever because I was trying to get brave and cook it. Ended up feeding it to my raw-fed dog. She approved.

AlexandraCarlyle

pitbullmamaliz wrote: »

I had a beef tongue in my freezer for ever because I was trying to get brave and cook it. Ended up feeding it to my raw-fed dog. She approved.

AAAAAAAAAARHGH!!!!!

pitbullmamaliz

It was a lovely, huge tongue, but just couldn't get up the nerve to do it. Ah well.

AlexandraCarlyle

All that protein.....! *sigh*....

AlexandraCarlyle

The hardest part about cooking Ox tongue is actually peeling it once it's cooked. With lamb's or pig's tongues, however, this isn't necessary....
I used to make them in a rich tomato sauce with a slight kick of chilli, then on a bed of basmati rice.
'Course, I don't eat rice any longer (although the water rice might be a substitute of sorts) and the fresh tomato sauce has carbs.... but I can make allowances for that, given that my daily carb intake is below 15g most days....

kpk54

I think that "peeling it" part is what was missing in the cow's tongue I tried. I found no joy in feeling the cow's taste buds on mine. Is that what is peeled off @AlexandraCarlyle ?

Alaplum

I have a question about liver actually, I love the stuff. I stopped eating it years ago because the liver stores all the toxins, especially the medications etc given to animals. Is this even worth worrying about?