Organ Meats and Offal

I am always shocked by how many people refuse to eat organ meats! To me, the organ meats are the best part! So full of flavor, so tender! And of course, packed with the most easily assimilated nutrients of any other foods! I don't understand why people think eating muscle is fine, but not organs. What is the difference? If one is so disgusted by animal products, one shouldn't be eating meat at all, really! Also, it is respectful to make full use of the animal.

I wanted to point out some organ meats in particular that have an innate ketogenic ratio, and how I like to prepare them. The first is beef tongue. I prepare this by putting the whole tongue in a dry crock-pot overnight, with nothing else. In the morning, take it out, remove the skin, and that's it! So simple! It is a great meat to serve in slices or shredded by hand, with plenty of salt.

Another excellent and nutrient packed organ meat is sweetbreads, which are the thymus and pancreas of young ruminants. These organs get much smaller as the animal ages. But when young, the sweetbreads are large, tender, and delicious! I cook these first with a short parboil and cooling. This is to make it easier to remove the membrane and any fat surrounding them. Then I tear them into bite sized pieces and roast them in a toaster oven just till brown. It doesn't take much time at all, depending on your own, as little as 10 minutes. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, believe it or not! And of course, add your favorite sea salt or smoked salt. They are also absolutely excellent grilled over charcoal!

Both of these organ meats can be easily reheated in a toaster oven, just till they start to sizzle!

I'll mention some other organ meats which I enjoy, but don't partake in very often.

I enjoy chicken liver, hearts, and gizzards, from time to time, but I try not to have them too often as the omega ratio for poultry is not very good. All three will need added fat to make a ketogenic meal. Chicken liver is good served sauteed, or made into pate with marrow fat. Chicken hearts are excellent skewered and grilled over charcoal. Gizzards are tender and succulent just thrown into a dry crock pot overnight. Chicken feet are high in fat and delicious roasted in a dry crock pot, but speaking for myself, poultry fat does not agree with me.

Also beef heart, although extremely high in beneficial CoQ10, is also extremely lean, and would need a large amount of added fat to make a ketogenic meal. Beef liver is too high in retinol and is rather unpalatable, so I don't recommend it. Kidneys are quite lean, and the taste is too strong for my liking. Oxtail is delicious, easily thrown in an empty crock pot overnight, but is often too lean as is. Although, you can conserve the fat by refrigerating the drippings overnight and keeping the fat from the top.

Pork tails are naturally at a ketogenic ratio, and are delicious! And pigs feet, although not quite at a keto ratio, are extremely succulent and full of collagen, and easily thrown in a dry crock pot to cook overnight. But I've mentioned before that I do not recommend pork, as it raised my triglycerides and fasting blood glucose. And that was pastured, heritage breed pork too!

So I concentrate mostly on beef tongue and sweetbreads for organ meats. They are delicious, tender, easy to cook, and nutritional powerhouses!

Grassfed beef sweetbreads with smoked salt crystals