The term "offal" can mean the edible internal organs of an animal — hearts, livers, tongues, kidneys, and such. Frugal people have been known to relish these tasty treats, but now the trend is growing among more sophisticated eaters who recognize the health benefits of offal. Offal even means what is left over after being slaughtered; because our ancestors didn't have refrigeration, offal was consumed before it spoiled. In some parts of the world today, you might hear a chef talking about using every piece of an animal to maximize returns while feeding as many people as possible. Some also consider it a sign of respect when you use all parts of an animal in this way!
It's a fact that if more non-meat eaters ate offal, the price of meat would come down. This is because offal is largely used for pet food and other uses like fertilizers. To become an eco-friendly meat-eater by including offal as part of your normal diet. The liver, kidneys, sweetbreads, and stomach can be high in protein and iron and are often less expensive than many alternatives. They add great flavor to meals too!
Types of Beef Offal
Offal refers to a butchered animal's entrails and internal organs, typically leftover pieces that are not classified as good cuts for direct sale. People may prepare offal as a meal or use it as an ingredient in another dish. Examples of popular types of offal include calves' liver, hearts, kidneys, and even brains. We'll look at some of the most original recipes together!
- Hearts, Liver, Kidney, Cheeks, Tripe, Trotters, Tongues, and Sweetbreads. Also called Variety Meats or Organ Meats.
- Beef Heart = Slow Roasted
- Lamb Heart = Stuffed & Roasted
- Beef Kidney or Lamb Kidney = Steak and Kidney Pie
- Lamb or Pork Kidney = Fried
- Beef Cheeks = Braised in wine or stock
- Tripe = Boiled in Milk and Pepper. Said to be very good for digestion.
- Tongues = Salted and Boiled, and pressed into shape.
- Sweetbreads = Thymus or Pancreas glands of Lamb or Veal, dredge in seasoned flour and fry gently.
Beef Offal Recipes
Ingredients-
- 2-2.5kg/4lb 6oz-5lb 8oz of beef bones (rib, leg marrowbones – get your butcher to saw them up for you)
- 3 onions, unpeeled
- 1 whole head of garlic
- large bouquet garni of parsley, sage, and thyme
- 2 leeks, cut in half
- 2 carrots, cut in half
- 1 stalk celery, including the leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
Method-
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (or 400 degrees Fahrenheit if using that system). Place your bone fossils into a large roasting tin. Cut the onions in half and add them with the bone fossils to the pan. Slice up two bulbs of garlic evenly across their centers and add them as well. Pour some water into the tin so that there is one inch of liquid in it and then put it into your preheated oven for a total time of 45 minutes, replacing the water every 20 minutes or so if necessary.
Meanwhile, bring 4-5 litres/7-9 pints of cold water with 2-3 bay leaves and salt to a simmer over high heat in a large stockpot. Sort through the roasted bones for fat and pieces that might fall off and discard them before adding them to the pot along with onion, garlic, carrot peels, leek scraps, celery scraps, and cabbage cores. For the best results, gently simmer the stock for roughly six hours, topping up with water as required. A good strong stock can take up to eight hours or longer, so finding the time when you can be at home is best - it's likely that you'll need to do dishes and tidy things up afterward! It's important not to use a lid during this process. And don't forget about dinner! Be warned that some chicken broth will freeze very well for future use, although this need not put you off using fresh ingredients if you have them available. If your soup needs a dash of salt and pepper, this will be the time to add it. You can season with freshly ground sea or black pepper, put in a dash of cayenne for heat, chives for onion flavor with a hint of garlic or nutmeg for richness.
Source URL:https://malenyblackangusbeef.com.au/product/offal/
