offal - cheap and definitely old style

odds-n-sods

I think that if there are veins ertc in liver then it hasn;t been butchered properly, good liver shouldn't have any. and it should also be skinned. I want liver now!!

sandy2_2

Here in spain they still use everything, trotters are readily available in the supermarkets (they are split down the middle thro the toes) pigs tail, chaps (pig cheek) they also have brains, sweetbreads, cojones (dangly bits), pig ears are also sold separately from the heads. chicken carcasses are sold for stock as are packets of assorted meaty bits for stews (this generally includes a lump of fatty stuff (speck?) and a chunk of marrowbone. The butchers have just started to sell lambs liver, but it´s a whole one (not sliced as in UK) and lamb shank. When rabbits are sold they include the head in the package. Chicken feet are also readily available
This thread certainly brought back memories for my husband, the mention of Udder (never seen it myself) and chittlings, he mentioned something called ´crow and maul´

LandyAndy

I see some of the earlier (veggie) posters thought meat eaters should eat all the animal. Should vegetarians have to eat all the plant? Rhubarb leaves anyone?:D

sandy2_2

foreverskint wrote: »

Homemade faggots are far superior to shop bought. I am having a little trouble locating my recipe, but it's here somewhere. When I find it I shall post it on the recipe thread.

Where/how do I find the recipe thread please

sandy2_2

competitionscafe wrote: »

OxTail recipes:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/braisedoxtail_13041.shtml

http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/food_and_drink/recipes/article4336.ece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,1084124,00.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-19494-1383141-19494,00.html
.

Sorry Indepent and Times links are no longer available, do you have copies of the recipes please

meanmarie

Haven't had liver for ages...must get some as OH and I enjoy it immensely. We are not so keen on kidneys for some reason and OH won't touch tripe or sweetbreads...have never heard of cow's udder being sold here. Oxtail makes a very tasty stew and pigs trotters ( we call them crubeens in Ireland) are delicious...I have even eaten lamb trotters in Italy and they were excellent.

I wonder if our distaste for offal has anything to do with our increased affluence, as most of us are better off than the last generation. Poor people had very little choice and children in general were so hungry by mealtime that you ate without thinking about whether you liked it or not, there wasn't a choice!

Would love a recipe for faggots and another thing I gather is an old fashioned tasty is Welsh caul (?)

Marie

thelawnet

Chicken offal is generally least strong-tasting for the squeamish. Calves liver is also a mild taste.

For unusual meats I recommend:

chicken gizzards
chicken hearts

Both delicious

scuzz

OOOOH chicken gizzards - yum!!! Also turkey gizzards go great in stuffing

Sarahsaver

WE can get sheep and cow feet and sheep heads locally as we have Turkish and Asian butchers, they also sell oxtail, also tripe, brains, but I have never seen or heard of udder on sale. Caul is the membrane around a calf and is used to wrap things AFAIK.
Janet street Porter was on the F word last night and she went to visit an abattoir to get some blood, tons and tons of blood is thrown away each year, she made desserts with it in, Italian recipes apparently.
I personally would not bother making faggots as they are 25p each on the local market so unless I made them in bulk it would not be cheaper;) They remind me of SUnday dinners when I was v. broke

sandy2_2

Sarahsaver wrote: »

Janet street Porter was on the F word last night and she went to visit an abattoir to get some blood, tons and tons of blood is thrown away each year, she made desserts with it in, Italian recipes apparently.

Here in Spain you can buy what looks like chunks of congealed blood. This week they also had Pig snouts in the butchers and ears.