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Pig Throat Anyone? Eating the Offal Bits
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December 05, 2011
Pig Throat Anyone? Eating the Offal Bits
by David Draper
In the town near where I goose hunt, there’s a little taquería that serves the best burritos for just $3. You can get them filled with just about any traditional Mexican meat you can imagine—from abodaba to tripe—with my favorite being la lengua, or tongue. Favorite, that is, until last week when I saw a new ingredient listed—buche, which was explained to me in broken English as being part of the pig’s stomach. Well, come to find out, it’s actually esophagus, but I was intrigued enough to try it, and let me tell you, it was delicious. So much so that I’m more excited for my next buche burrito than I am for the actual goose hunting.
As I devoured the burrito on the drive back home, I got to thinking about all the other parts of wild game that are probably edible, but that we don’t think to keep. If a pig’s throat is so tasty, shouldn’t the same be true of a deer’s? And what about the rest of its internal organs? I know a lot of people—especially among the older generation of hunters—value the heart and liver above any other part of the deer. I have a heart in my freezer that needs to be enjoyed, but I tend to reach for the other tastier, and let’s face it, more familiar steaks and chops when I’m digging dinner out of there. And I still harbor a great fear of liver from being force-fed it as a child.
I know nose-to-tail eating is all the rage among the cool kids who are using what’s known as the offal—an animal’s organs and entrails—to create some inspired and interesting dishes. Duck tongue hash, anyone?
So maybe we should hitch our horses to this bandwagon. Or maybe there are some Wild Chef readers that are already cooking and eating this way. Surely some of you bird hunters keep the hearts, livers, and gizzards? If you’re an offal eater, I’d like to hear about it.
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Comments (10)
I saved some heart, liver and the like from a couple of turkey and deer, ran them through the grinder, added some eggs, cornmeal and flour and baked some dog treats. Based on the smell of that cooking I don't know that I want to eat much liver or kidney, at least from mammals, I love just about all fowl liver I've tried (cooked properly). I took a couple of pictures, but they are not going to win many votes on Food Fight Friday.
I'm with you on the liver David, horrid stuff. Interesting they serve esophagus, I always thought that along with the trachea and epiglottis were the first things to start decomposing in a harvested animal.
I like kidneys,in moderation. They also add lots of flavor to stews and casseroles. Reindeer tongues are great on rye bread with sharp mustard. There's so much more than steak and chops on an animal.
Glad to see more discussion about this. I'm got a deep-seated hatred for liver, and haven't tried kidney yet, but tongue, heart, and brains are all good eats for sure (although with all the Mad Cow/CWD/Creutzfeldt-Jakobs publicity, I'm a little slower to eat brains these days).
I'm not going to go out and say every hunter SHOULD utilize the offal from our game, but I do recommend giving it a go. It's not for everyone, but I think most folks would be surprised at how tasty some of these "cuts" can be.
I've eaten it all--liver, heart, kidneys, tongue, brains--but I no longer eat waterfowl gizzards, hearts and livers. I've had a couple biologists tell me those organs, as well as the fat under the skin, are where most pesticides will concentrate.
On a similar note, has anyone tried real German liver sausage, head cheese or blood sausage. Kuntz's Butcher Shop in Glen Ullin, ND makes the best I ever have eaten!
I still save the heart when I shoot a deer but quit saving the liver when a lot of deer got infected with liver flukes.
I admit that I actually like liver, & kidneys for that matter, & fresh roe deer liver [small UK deer] thinly sliced & fried with thick bacon, eggs & mushrooms is a superb breakfast after a successful dawn stalking session.
The heart is usually a bit messed up after the .243 or .270 soft-point has done the business, but back in my student days one of my friends in the OTC had a father & brother who were butchers & we used to get lambs hearts for free [free food = more beer money]& properly cooked they were pretty good.
As a regular visitor to Scotland I have developed a real taste for haggis which includes "lights" [lungs] & other offal as its' ingredients; absolutely delicious - I don't suppose PETA will be sending me a christmas card anytime soon...
Have you guys watched "HAIRY BIKERS" - Last episode I watched they were fixing road kill, Hog mauls and chitlins, pig ear sandwiches and finally some hog head souse. If that episode doesn't make your tummy growl nothin' will!
Have you guys watched "HAIRY BIKERS" - Last episode I watched they were fixing road kill, Hog mauls and chitlins, pig ear sandwiches and finally some hog head souse. If that episode doesn't make your tummy growl nothin' will!
Ive eaten it all and I will say its either great or yucky! i find its all in the cooking of it and what you cook it with! Plus out in the field everything is better every time!
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I've eaten it all--liver, heart, kidneys, tongue, brains--but I no longer eat waterfowl gizzards, hearts and livers. I've had a couple biologists tell me those organs, as well as the fat under the skin, are where most pesticides will concentrate.
On a similar note, has anyone tried real German liver sausage, head cheese or blood sausage. Kuntz's Butcher Shop in Glen Ullin, ND makes the best I ever have eaten!
I'm with you on the liver David, horrid stuff. Interesting they serve esophagus, I always thought that along with the trachea and epiglottis were the first things to start decomposing in a harvested animal.
Glad to see more discussion about this. I'm got a deep-seated hatred for liver, and haven't tried kidney yet, but tongue, heart, and brains are all good eats for sure (although with all the Mad Cow/CWD/Creutzfeldt-Jakobs publicity, I'm a little slower to eat brains these days).
I'm not going to go out and say every hunter SHOULD utilize the offal from our game, but I do recommend giving it a go. It's not for everyone, but I think most folks would be surprised at how tasty some of these "cuts" can be.
I saved some heart, liver and the like from a couple of turkey and deer, ran them through the grinder, added some eggs, cornmeal and flour and baked some dog treats. Based on the smell of that cooking I don't know that I want to eat much liver or kidney, at least from mammals, I love just about all fowl liver I've tried (cooked properly). I took a couple of pictures, but they are not going to win many votes on Food Fight Friday.
I still save the heart when I shoot a deer but quit saving the liver when a lot of deer got infected with liver flukes.
Have you guys watched "HAIRY BIKERS" - Last episode I watched they were fixing road kill, Hog mauls and chitlins, pig ear sandwiches and finally some hog head souse. If that episode doesn't make your tummy growl nothin' will!
Have you guys watched "HAIRY BIKERS" - Last episode I watched they were fixing road kill, Hog mauls and chitlins, pig ear sandwiches and finally some hog head souse. If that episode doesn't make your tummy growl nothin' will!
I admit that I actually like liver, & kidneys for that matter, & fresh roe deer liver [small UK deer] thinly sliced & fried with thick bacon, eggs & mushrooms is a superb breakfast after a successful dawn stalking session.
The heart is usually a bit messed up after the .243 or .270 soft-point has done the business, but back in my student days one of my friends in the OTC had a father & brother who were butchers & we used to get lambs hearts for free [free food = more beer money]& properly cooked they were pretty good.
As a regular visitor to Scotland I have developed a real taste for haggis which includes "lights" [lungs] & other offal as its' ingredients; absolutely delicious - I don't suppose PETA will be sending me a christmas card anytime soon...
I like kidneys,in moderation. They also add lots of flavor to stews and casseroles. Reindeer tongues are great on rye bread with sharp mustard. There's so much more than steak and chops on an animal.
Ive eaten it all and I will say its either great or yucky! i find its all in the cooking of it and what you cook it with! Plus out in the field everything is better every time!
Post a Comment