Organ Meat

[trulyblessed]

So what organ meat do you eat and how do you cook it? I don't think I'd like to eat it, but would put them into soups for stock flavor/vitamins. Any other ways?

Also, if we don't like it, do you ever feed it to your dog raw? I heard that's good?

 

[Erica]

Clean out the gizzard and peel off the inner orange lining (which is quite thin and comes away from the paler under-lining). The gizzard is great in soups and stock. You can also use gizzards and hearts by cooking first, then chopping up and putting into a prepared meat product like brawn.

Livers make fabulous spread for crackers (herbs, butter, cream, brandy, pepper, salt, then puree).

Feet can be briefly scalded then skinned and make the best stock you'll ever have.

Some people cook the heads and serve them up (including the comb) but I can't bring myself to go that far...

regards
Erica

 

[yinepu]

I like the livers sauteed in a little butter with salt and pepper.. makes a good sandwich too

 

[Denninmi]

All of it -- heart, gizzard, liver. I'm going to save the feet for stock -- all of the top chefs are into it. I understand that Martha did a segment about it, or talked about it on her Sirius radio channel or something-- I can't catch her anymore now that she is only on cable.

 

[jenny_kap]

i cut the gizzards in thin slices, add salt and pepper and fry them in olive oil, with the hearts. when they are done, i add the livers too and spread some oregano on them. cook more, until the liver is done too. when they are done, i have two options: i squeeze the juice of a lemon and make a nice sauce or i grind a head of garlic, put salt and 1/2 cup water and pour it in the pan. boil that for 2-3 minutes. this is very good with polenta.

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

We only use the liver and gizzard. I just coat them in flour add salt and pepper and fry them up in canola oil. This is how my grandma used to fix them when I was a girl and I love them this way!!

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
I like using hearts and livers for a broth that I make my stuffing and gravy out of. However, since I feed my dogs RAW, they need 10% organ meat in their diets. (hearts and gizzards don't count) So, now I use my organs for the dogs. They won't eat them raw, so I sauté them quickly until they are just heated on the outside and it becomes one of their favorite meals.
I don't mind, since we really don't like the organs all that much, anyway and dont miss them in the gravy/stuffing at all. I include the lungs, btw, so very little goes to waste.

 

[annageckos]

Quote:
I feed my dogs, cat and ferrets raw only. They all love the organ meats. It is very good for them, though gizzards and hearts are considered muscle meat, while liver is an organ, nutritional wise. I find some dogs will only eat liver frozen, I think it is the texture. Dogs and even some cats will eat the heads and feet too. The feet are great for dogs with hip/joint problems. The only thing I wouldn't feed them is the crop, intestines and (most) feathers. A few feather won't hurt them, and may even be good, kind of like fiber for us. Some people suggest feathers and hair may help keep the intestinal tract clean.

 

[Erica]

Forgot to add, I feed the dog kidneys, spleen, heart and anything that touches a surface I don't want it to touch... She waits 10 feet away for the goodies. Sometimes if I don't feel like making stock I'll also let her have the feet. I don't cook anything for the dog -- she catches and eats rats, so she'd hardly turn up fresh chicken parts.

 

[Tracydr]

Quote:
My dogs don't like the liver raw, although a lot of dogs do. Some like it frozen but not thawed. I've found just lightly cooking the outside, it becomes one of their very favorite treats. They do eat the heart and gizzards raw. For some reason, heart and gizzards count as muscle meat instead of organs on the raw diet, so I have a hard time with finding anything but liver (beef and chicken) for them.
I feed a raw diet and they are supposed to get %10 organ meat, 5% liver, 5% other organs if possible. Sometimes I can find sweetbreads, which they love. Beef testicles are too expensive, and until I move and can raise all of my own meat, we'll just have to make do with what we can find. They are doing great on the RAW diet, though. Very healthy skin, coats and perfect lab work. Even my teenaged chihuahua with a history of acute liver failure now has perfect bloodwork!
Dried chicken liver is another popular treat. If you have dehydrator and lots of livers and hearts, try drying them with some garlic powder. Your dogs will love it and it will be a non-messy training treat.