Processed Cattle Order Use Questions

[Iluveggers]

So we are splitting half a steer with another family. They only want the “regular” parts, so we get the bones, and other “unwanted” parts, including the heart, tongue, liver, oxtail, tripe (which won’t be clean), sweet breads, kidneys, & jowls. Since there is no extra charge for any of it we said we would take it all. We figure anything we don’t want to eat will make great food for our large dogs. We try to cut their dry food with meat/fat/bones or eggs at every meal to give them protein and cut down on our cost of feeding them.

Any ideas on what would be best for them, and how to serve it to them? Also, which of these parts should we keep for our own eating? Usually we buy specific cuts but this year we are stocking up. Processed 3 roosters, with 4 more coming, this 1/2 steer, and hopefully DH will get a Doe or two in hunting season.

Thanks so much!

 

[vall]

Keep the tongue for yourself. Plenty of recipes out there though I am partial to (lengua) tacos.

 

[cassie]

I am not an expert. While kidneys are not often eaten in this country, they are popular in England. Steak and kidney pie is often on the menu there. As to how to prepare them, google is your friend. One thing that is sometimes not mentioned is that kidneys do need to soak in cold water for a while before they are prepared. If you don't want to eat them yourself, the cats will like them. Just cut them up in smallish pieces. Tongue may look funny, but I can tell you, it is delicious. I have never prepared it myself, but I have eaten it at Basque restaurants. It was marinated in something and served cold. It is often used in sandwiches. I liked it well enough that if I lived near you, I would be begging for that tongue. As for sweetbreads and anything else you don't fix every day, again, google is your friend. Kidney fat can't be beat if you are trying to put weight on a dog, but you don't feed very much at a time. Ask me how I know this. As for the tripe, I personally wouldn't fool with it. It is used to make menudo, a Mexican soup. On the occasions when I have made menudo, I just skipped the tripe. I read up on how to prepare it and just decided it was far more trouble than it is worth. I am not sure I would bother feeding it to the dogs, either, but that's me. If you just mix small amounts of the meat in their food and don't overload the dogs with it at any one meal, I don't see how you can go wrong.

 

[Iluveggers]

I am not an expert. While kidneys are not often eaten in this country, they are popular in England. Steak and kidney pie is often on the menu there. As to how to prepare them, google is your friend. One thing that is sometimes not mentioned is that kidneys do need to soak in cold water for a while before they are prepared. If you don't want to eat them yourself, the cats will like them. Just cut them up in smallish pieces. Tongue may look funny, but I can tell you, it is delicious. I have never prepared it myself, but I have eaten it at Basque restaurants. It was marinated in something and served cold. It is often used in sandwiches. I liked it well enough that if I lived near you, I would be begging for that tongue. As for sweetbreads and anything else you don't fix every day, again, google is your friend. Kidney fat can't be beat if you are trying to put weight on a dog, but you don't feed very much at a time. Ask me how I know this. As for the tripe, I personally wouldn't fool with it. It is used to make menudo, a Mexican soup. On the occasions when I have made menudo, I just skipped the tripe. I read up on how to prepare it and just decided it was far more trouble than it is worth. I am not sure I would bother feeding it to the dogs, either, but that's me. If you just mix small amounts of the meat in their food and don't overload the dogs with it at any one meal, I don't see how you can go wrong.

Thank you! I can’t wait to tell DH I will prepare the tongue. Lol. I almost said no to the tripe…maybe I’ll just toss it or see if my uncle wants it. My dogs will be very happy too I am sure!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Keep the oxtail too. I've heard it's good

 

[saysfaa]

The dogs can eat any of it except the leg bones or any cooked bones. But too much fat at once or organs at once causes problems.

For you, if you get the whole head, you can cut all the little bits of meat off to make head cheese.

 

[cassie]

Keep the oxtail too. I've heard it's good

I forgot about the oxtail. It makes the best soup!!

 

[RiverOtter]

Keep the oxtail too. I've heard it's good

Oxtail soup is very good

For you, if you get the whole head, you can cut all the little bits of meat off to make head cheese.

To make headcheese, you actually simmer the entire thing in as little water as possible until all the meat falls off the bones. Then you drain it (save the broth) run it through a grinder like sausage, mix back in some of the broth (how much varies by region/recipe) put it in molds and chill it until it's firm- the broth will have enough gelatin to make it set.

To me, that always seemed like a LOT of trouble for ground brain, gums and eyeballs, and stood as testament to just how hungry our ancestors expected to be. Because when you're hungry, that is delicious. For me, while fascinating historically enough that I learned how to do it, dogs gotta eat too.
The big leg bones, you cut them up into about 4 inch pieces and roast them in something deep and cast iron till the marrow is brown and starts to come out. Then you pour in some water, boil and can it. That is beef stock.

 

[saysfaa]

...

To make headcheese, you actually simmer the entire thing in as little water as possible until all the meat falls off the bones. Then you drain it (save the broth) run it through a grinder like sausage, mix back in some of the broth (how much varies by region/recipe) put it in molds and chill it until it's firm- the broth will have enough gelatin to make it set.
...

That would explain the tone my brothers used when talking about the headcheese my great-grandfather made. They are enough older than me to remember it.

He could have made it that way; I remember that it was "the bits" and could have assumed they were cut off.

Evidently great-grandfather actually liked it because he wasn't hungry the last time(s) he made it. I note that my grandparents never made it, though, and they made a LOT of things. Well, not in their later years anyway; I suppose they may have in the great depression.