Offal info...

[FairyRae]

I'm interested in trying some new things: heart, kidneys and sweetbreads. Can you eat all parts of these things or are there parts you cut off and discard?

Also, does anyone here do brains? I've read good things and then scary, mad cow things a/b them--would love to learn more!

[redvlagrl]

I would recommend you get a copy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall's River Cottage Meat Book. There are photos of everything and he does a lot of offal.

[kallyn]

I've done heart. I chop it into bite sized chunks and trim off the veiny/ventricle-y parts, then run it through a meat grinder and add it to ground beef. It's pretty obvious what to trim off when you cut it open.

I haven't made swetbreads yet but I've read recipes and I have a package of them in the freezer and I don't think you really need to trim anything off of them.

[FairyRae]

kallyn--what's you're ratio of ground heart to ground beef? Sounds like a great method!

Thanks for the book rec redvlagrl

[kallyn]

Originally Posted by FairyRae

kallyn--what's you're ratio of ground heart to ground beef? Sounds like a great method!

I usually mix 1/4 lb heart into 1 lb beef.

I second the book rec! Another good one is The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson.