Are you 'offal'ly squemish?

Offal has been given a lot of bad press lately. Whereas a steak and kidney pie, or pan-fried liver and potatoes was once the dinnertime staple of many a household, now people shy away from it as though it were poisonous!

So why the big change?

It seems to be the case that with the ever-growing consumerism in the food industry, people are becoming less and less connected with the sense of origin of their food. I know it seems extreme, but there have been countless scenario’s where this has been tried and tested. People have asked kids in primary school, ‘Where do you think pork comes from?’ and they say, ‘the supermarket’. Not good!

With this in mind, I believe the main reason people are put off by offal, is the in-escapable reality that it comes from an animal. The names, ‘kidney, heart’ and ‘liver’ as something to cook with, are just too much of a reality hit for a lot of people, I have to confess, myself included. The idea alone makes people shrivel up in horror.

Now, here I must quote Fergus Henderson, author of ‘The Whole Beast: Nose to tail eating’, an original best seller and favourite among many chefs and foodies: “It would seem disingenuous to the animal not to make the most of the whole beast: there is a set of delights, textural and flavoursome, which lie beyond the filet.” No one could say it better. (Note to self – try to eat more offal!)

But if flavour alone isn’t enough to tempt you, here is another curve ball… organ meats are extremely beneficial for our diet. In fact, they are one of the most nutritionally rich meats available, the benefits of which can combat a number of common modern-day conditions.

Here are some benefits you may or may not have known about offal.

Liver:
• Iron: great for fatigue, low blood pressure and anaemia
• Vitamin A: the most concentrated natural form available
• Value for money: you get a lot of meat for your money as offal meat is very inexpensive.
• High quality protein
• CoQ10: essential for our brain health!
• Trace elements Zinc, Chromium, Copper: all vital for a healthy body
• B12: combats fatigue and gives us energy!

Kidneys:
• B12
• Iron
• Vitamin B6: produces energy for the body (In case you are wondering, this is what all B vitamins do to some degree)
• Folate: a mild anti-depressant as it helps the body’s production of serotonin, also evidence of supporting reproductive health, brain function and heart health
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin): aids in skin repair, brain health, memory, digestion.

Heart:
• Tastes awesome: it doesn’t look pretty but makes up for it with flavour.
• Iron
• Zinc (you’re noticing a trend here aren’t you)
• Selenium: help to balance cholesterol, cognitive function and healthy immune system.
• B Vitamins: you’ll be bouncing off the walls… seriously!
• The heart is especially rich in CoQ10.

So, there you have it. Loads of goodies to be had from eating a balanced diet which includes offal meat!

Now, what’s really great for us is that the taste is incomparable between grain-fed and grass-fed. I bet you can guess which one the winner is… (GRASS-FED… of course!) Plus, all the other benefits included with eating a grass-fed diet: a healthier fat balance (more good fats and omega 3, less bad fats), numerous vitamins, beta-carotene, trace minerals, the list goes on. This makes grass-fed offal far more beneficial than its grain-fed, supermarket alternative. If you are eating your foods with your health in mind, then really, you should go for the most effective choice. That’s why we always go grass-fed!

Whether you haven’t tried it before or you think it’s time to try it again… which one will you try first?

• Lambs liver
• Lamb kidney
• Steak & pork kidney mix
• Calves liver
• Pork kidney

Not sure how to cook it? Why not start simple and try liver and bacon with onion gravy? It has a beautifully rustic British feel to it and is a sure hit with all bacon lovers!