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Post by nana on Jan 13, 2018 11:35:35 GMT -5
I have the opportunity (I guess that's what you call it) to aquire some rather unusual cuts of meat, that I have no experience cooking. My oxtail adventures turned out well in the end, so I'm willing to branch out. Pig trotters, anyone? Kidneys, heart, etc--both beef and pork? I've had tongue before, and have always been skeeved out by how tongue-y it looks, but I think I don't want to be so childish anymore as to reject potentially tasty foods outright because of some ick factor that's all in my head. I know I do not like the taste of liver, but if anyone has experience and or recipes for some of these things lay it on me, please! Ha. I just reread the title I picked for this thread. It sounds like a Wheel of Fortune puzzle.
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Post by mach12 on Jan 13, 2018 15:20:23 GMT -5
My vintage cookbooks refer to it as offal so I did an internet search using the term: offal recipes, and got hundreds of them. When we were raising beef and doing a lot of butchering we'd just cook a heart like a roast. The liver we'd just bread and fry with plenty of onion. My mother would always soak the liver in milk for a couple of hours after trimming off any sinew (I guess you'd call it). She said soaking in milk removed the strong and sometimes bitter tastes that are the reason a lot of people don't like liver. Then she'd just coat it in flour that she had added some salt and pepper to and slowly fry it in some crisco in a cast iron frying pan. I do pretty much the same thing except I use lard that I've rendered. I'm not too wild about anything hydrogenated and don't find pure lard in the stores, plus crisco is hydrogenated too.
I'll look through my cookbooks this evening too.
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Post by karitx on Jan 13, 2018 17:30:22 GMT -5
I started experimenting with some of the more "out there" cuts a few years ago, both for the fun of trying something new and because I think we should use every possible part of animals consumed for food. Kidneys: One of Sporko's friends (from Australia) insisted that we HAD to try lamb kidneys. He swore up and down that kidneys are the most delectable things on earth and when we didn't go out and immediately purchase them, he gave us some with instructions on how to cook them. Now I will say that there could have been some errors in my preparation, having never cooked any sort of kidney before, and from what others have told me, it could be that the kidneys weren't fresh enough, but... I would describe the flavor as liver-ish and the aroma as urine-marinated liver. I managed to get one bite down. Sporko somehow powered through and ate both of his, then spent the rest of the evening burping up regret. However, an Irish friend of ours claims that steak and kidney pie (the type served warm, not cold) is "quite nice". So maybe some day I will be brave and try kidney again. But I'm not there yet. As for some of the other items you listed... Tongue (beef, at least) is delicious! It's kind of gnarly to look at when it is whole, but once it is cooked and sliced or chopped, it is just a delicious, tender piece of beef. It makes a great sandwich filling when sliced thin and it really shines as a taco filling (tacos de lengua). Beef heart can also be good. I have had it prepared in a pot roast sort of way, but I prefer it marinated and grilled as suggested in Nourishing Traditions. Here is that recipe: Cultured Palate Heart Kabobs I've never cooked pig's feet, but I ate pickled pigs feet as a kid and thought they were tasty. My sister's grandmother-in-law used to pickle them herself, but she and I were the only two who would touch them. A couple other oddball things we've tried and liked: Sweetbreads (the thymus gland and pancreas of calves or lambs). They are really, really rich, so a little goes a long way. They are better eaten in small quantities as an appetizer than as a main course, in my opinion. Sweetbreads on The KitchnBeef cheek meat, if you can find it, makes the most delicious, succulent tacos you have ever tried. A lot of the taquerias around here cook the cheek meat over night in crock pots, then serve it as little breakfast tacos with onions, cilantro, a little lime juice and green hot sauce. They are really easy to make at home, too, and a lot less effort than the tongue.
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Post by Chuckie on Jan 13, 2018 18:29:54 GMT -5
Kidneys: One of Sporko's friends (from Australia) insisted that we HAD to try lamb kidneys. He swore up and down that kidneys are the most delectable things on earth and when we didn't go out and immediately purchase them, he gave us some with instructions on how to cook them.... I would describe the flavor as liver-ish and the aroma as urine-marinated liver. I managed to get one bite down....So maybe some day I will be brave and try kidney again. But I'm not there yet. I was always told that the ONLY way to cook kidneys is to "boil the PISS outta them!!!" LOL, mea culpa, Karitx, couldn't resist!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by karitx on Jan 14, 2018 12:12:51 GMT -5
Kidneys: One of Sporko's friends (from Australia) insisted that we HAD to try lamb kidneys. He swore up and down that kidneys are the most delectable things on earth and when we didn't go out and immediately purchase them, he gave us some with instructions on how to cook them.... I would describe the flavor as liver-ish and the aroma as urine-marinated liver. I managed to get one bite down....So maybe some day I will be brave and try kidney again. But I'm not there yet. I was always told that the ONLY way to cook kidneys is to "boil the PISS outta them!!!" LOL, mea culpa, Karitx, couldn't resist!! CHEERS! Chuckie hahaha! I should have tried that method!
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Post by nana on Jan 14, 2018 17:46:58 GMT -5
This is all good information! Sorry though Mach12, I don't think I'd like liver even if it was soaked in milk, and I DEFINITELY won't be trying kidneys anytime soon. ("Urine marinated liver" just can't be made to sound appetizing, can it?) Heart sounds like I could give it a try. Is it tough? The marinade would tenderize it somewhat... Maybe slow braising a la sauerbraten would work too...I think I'll post this question to the other site as well and see what comes up.
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Post by nana on Mar 14, 2018 17:35:19 GMT -5
So my first foray into the world of offal was a success and we haven't even actually had dinner yet! I put two pork tongues (smaller, less of an investment if they were rejected) in the thermowell last night with a bit of water, salt, cumin seed and a dried jalapeño, and enough gas to come to a boil and turned them on again this morning for just a few minutes. Then this evening I took them out, peeled the tongue-y skin off, sliced them up and since they were so tender shredded them, put them back in the pot with some taco spices, and let them simmer stovetop for a few minutes while I got the rest of the taco fixin's ready. The entire operation, from bringing the package in from the car and hiding it in the crisper ("he'll never look in here!") to the shredding of the meat was done out of my husband's presence, away from his suspicious prying eyes. I told him I was slowcooking pork for tacos. Not a lie. He came down just now for our pre-dinner drink, and of course snuck a bite of the meat, and said Wow, this is delicious! I will let him eat it all up first, accept my accolades, and then let him know what it was.
Pasture raised, heritage, non GMO pork from a local farm for about $2 a pound. Can't beat that!
I chickened out. I'm not going to tell him. I just won't hide it and I'll let him find out on his own. He was so happy. He said they were the best tacos he ever had. I just couldn't take the risk of raining on his parade...
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Post by karitx on Mar 15, 2018 14:33:40 GMT -5
Yum! I guess now I'll have to look for pork tongues!
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Post by nana on Mar 15, 2018 17:22:29 GMT -5
Look inside a pig's head, is my advice!
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Post by Chuckie on Mar 15, 2018 21:57:24 GMT -5
Look inside a pig's head, is my advice! ...and aren't YOU the wizenheimer, nana! Wish I'D of said that! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by pooka on Mar 16, 2018 2:12:19 GMT -5
The repartee is getting a little snappy here. I'm almost afraid of joining the foray.
I've always heard tongue is a nice cut of lean meat. I guess for most, it's the ick factor that scares people away. Years ago when my older sister was sixteen, she volunteered at an orphanage in Honduras for a summer. One of the meals she talked about was beef tongue. I don't remember the details, but she said it was delicious.
nana, you're the sly one, slipping it in on the down low on your hubby. Sometime that the better method. Get em to like it first, then spring the truth, or just wait for him to figure it out on his own.
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Post by nana on Mar 16, 2018 5:17:23 GMT -5
I was hoping my joke wouldn't come off too snotty. My apologies, Karitx, if it sounded that way! I almost put two winky faces to show I really, really meant it in jest, but I was afraid that might mean something else that I'm unaware of. I'm not fluent in emoji. Like maybe two winkies means "I'm not joking." I should just follow the rule we try to pound into the kid's heads: if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Yeah, I'm waiting for him to figure it out on his own. He may never, that's OK. I'll only use it in things where it is cut up or shredded, like tacos or sliders or something like that. I don't think even I would ever get to a point where I could just have a tongue on a plate and take bites of it. Oh boy. A million jokes along the lines of "bite your tongue" just occurred to me. I better stop now!
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Post by pooka on Mar 16, 2018 13:28:50 GMT -5
Good food is good food. You don't have to know what it is to like it. Just enjoy it, & don't ask what it is. I'll admit cooked tongue au natural laying on a plate doesn't sound appetizing to me, but I wouldn't turn it down out of hand.
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Post by karitx on Mar 16, 2018 18:46:27 GMT -5
I was hoping my joke wouldn't come off too snotty. My apologies, Karitx, if it sounded that way! Pffft! No need to apologize for humor, nana. I come from a long line of (to put it cleanly) "smarty-pants" people and my dad's nickname for me was The Baby-faced Assassin. I was sipping on wine when I read your comment and may or may not have snorted a little of it. But, for the record, I will NOT be looking in any pigs' mouths. But my friendly neighbor Bert did show me his tongue the other day!
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Post by Chuckie on Mar 16, 2018 20:19:26 GMT -5
I was hoping my joke wouldn't come off too snotty. My apologies, Karitx, if it sounded that way! I took no offense, and meant NONE to YOU either when I posted MY smartass reply!!! As stated, I was just jealous, and wish I was the one that said it----that's right up MY alley!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by nana on Mar 16, 2018 20:59:43 GMT -5
It's all good then. When you are not talking in person it is sometimes hard to get the proper nuance across. I'm glad it was taken in the spirit in which it was given!
Beef tongue may be next on the list...it's not so very different from pork I guess, just bigger, but pig's feet is a whole 'nother ballgame. I can't figure out any way to disguise those!
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Post by nana on May 6, 2018 19:39:34 GMT -5
Tonight was pig tails. Marinated overnight in a garlic/ginger/orange/soy marinade, then slow cooked all day in the oven (WTGTO), then a quick turn under the broiler to try to crisp up the skin. They smelled great, but there were some lessons learned:
While tender and tasty, there is not a lot of meat on them, and there is a LOT of fat. And the recipes I read all talked about the crispy skin, like pork rinds, so good, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well maybe happy, pasture raised pigs have thicker skin or something, but I think a saber toothed tiger would have had trouble with the skin on these. I should have cut the skin off, and also about an inch of the fat. That said, the skinny ends of the tail will make great broth--they're mostly cartilage. The other recipe method was to simmer them for an hour or two, then crisp them in a hot oven for 20 min or so. But I don't think that would help the skin of these any...So if there is a next time, I think it will be in a soup rather than on their own. So kind of a one thumb up, one thumb down experience.
The tongue was easily disguised, but there's not much you can do to disguise vertebrae. As we finished eating, my husband, who had avoided saying anything on the topic during the meal, asked carefully, "What cut of meat is this?" So I had to tell him. The final verdict? If I made them again, he would eat them, but he's not going to be asking for them anytime soon.
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Post by mach12 on May 7, 2018 18:19:07 GMT -5
As we finished eating, my husband, who had avoided saying anything on the topic during the meal, asked carefully, "What cut of meat is this?" So I had to tell him. The final verdict? If I made them again, he would eat them, but he's not going to be asking for them anytime soon. Heroes come in all types and your husband is definitely one in my book. We need to design some kind of a badge or something for those who are willing to support our stove and cooking endeavors. In light of your efforts with variety meats (also called offal) maybe we could call it the Offal Award?
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Post by karitx on May 7, 2018 20:27:04 GMT -5
As we finished eating, my husband, who had avoided saying anything on the topic during the meal, asked carefully, "What cut of meat is this?" So I had to tell him. The final verdict? If I made them again, he would eat them, but he's not going to be asking for them anytime soon. Heroes come in all types and your husband is definitely one in my book. We need to design some kind of a badge or something for those who are willing to support our stove and cooking endeavors. In light of your efforts with variety meats (also called offal) maybe we could call it the Offal Award? "Congratulations, dear, you've won the awful award! Offal! I meant offal! Yes, that's what I meant!"
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Post by karitx on May 7, 2018 20:28:40 GMT -5
As for pig tails, I had an old WWII era magazine (long ago misplaced) that had a recipe for pig tails in it. As I recall, the recipe didn't sound bad, but the b&w photo included with it was less than appetizing.
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Post by nana on May 7, 2018 20:51:36 GMT -5
They look kind of tail-ly even with the narrow part cut off. But pork is pork. Tastewise they were fine. But I think in soup or stew is the way to go. I'm just so easily lured in by the inexpensiveness of these cuts. I want to find the sweet spot of cheap, delicious, and appealing. So far it's a tie between tongue and the smoked jowls.(They were great-- like slabs of thick, tender bacon I ran under the broiler!)
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Post by vaporvac on May 7, 2018 21:06:10 GMT -5
How have you cooked the tongue so far?
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Post by nana on May 8, 2018 13:20:02 GMT -5
Seasoned, and very long and slow in the well with just enough liquid to braise. Then the skin peeled off and the meat shredded so it looked like pulled pork. Do it like that and, to paraphrase Oliver Hardy, 'No one will be none the wiser'!!
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Post by vaporvac on May 8, 2018 16:36:07 GMT -5
LOL! We had tongue in quite a few different ways growing up, pressure cooked it until done, then braised in different things. We also used it in special empanadillas for Xmas. My brother loved them until he saw my mom make them..... never again. However, he'll eat them when they're made with venison so I just don't get it. Do you like hot and spicy food?
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Post by nana on May 8, 2018 19:54:15 GMT -5
Although I love Mexican food, oddly enough, no. Frank's Red Hot is about at my uppermost limit.
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Post by sporko on May 19, 2018 14:25:12 GMT -5
How have you cooked the tongue so far? We have also smoked it. I believe I parboiled it a little to get the tongue skin off, then wrapped it in bacon to provide moisture. Smoke low and slow until done. You can then slice it like lunch meat and it's delicious.
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Post by nana on May 20, 2018 8:20:44 GMT -5
That does sound marvelous! I should look into getting (or making) a smoker. I'll put it on "the list"! Some of the older houses around here still have little brick smokers out back, like the world's smallest outhouses, which is what I thought they were when we first moved up here. Few if any people use them, though, which is a shame. You can still detect the odor of woodsmoke in them even after decades of neglect.
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