OFFAL and other exotic delights

OFFAL - organ meats. Where can you find it, what are the best ways to cook it? If you love heart attack on a plate foods, then the offals are for you. As a main stay of a diet primarily found in West Virginia and points south, I mined coal in Mann, W.Va. You ate what you caught or killed, and ate all of it. Small mom and pop joints, and/or corn liquor stops served it all up. Possum, squirrel, raccoon, whistle pig, etc. There has to be some more folk out there that now what I am talking about. Enjoy

Hi, CCJPO. Found your post most interesting. I'll admit I did not know the meaning of the word OFFAL. My dictionary says it is the WASTE PARTS, especially the entrails, etc. of a butchered animal. Guess what is OFFAL would vary from person to person. I grew up on a farm participating in butchering hogs, beef, poultry, etc., etc. We considered "chittlins" (chitterlings) and what we called tripe and lights to be OFFAL, but lots of folks like chittlins. I know of several big "chittlin suppers" which are high society social events (tho they do serve other foods, too). Then I discovered years later in New York City that the lights and tripe which we threw away as OFFAL to be fancy French cooking dishes called sweetbreads. I'm sure that a lot of people would consider liver, heart, poultry gizzards. and particularly brains which we loved to be OFFAL. You do not know what a good breakfast is until you have had scrambled eggs with brains. Liver, heart, poultry gizzards were usually sauteed or fried, although heart was occasionally stuffed and baked. Poultry liver, heart, gizzards, and neck meat became giblets for giblet dressing and giblet gravy. Even within our own family we treated tongue as OFFAL whereas my aunt loved it. When it comes to wild critters, such as 'possum, squirrel, 'coon, rabbit, etc., I don't guess they would be OFFAL though they would have parts which would be. Afraid I'd have to classify the entire 'possum as OFFAL, for don't believe there is any way I could ever make myself eat a 'possum. I have no idea how it was cooked but a common old dish I've heard of is "possum and sweet 'taters". I've had some barbecued 'coon which was pretty good, and the Gillette Coon Supper is the premier initial event of Arkansas' political season each year. Every politician throughout the state from local constable to senior US Senator just has to be there for it (tho again, too, they do have other foods). I'm nowhere near high enough up the social or political pecking order to have ever attended the Gillette Coon Supper. Guess coon can be cooked several ways, but I've only had it barbecued. Young squirrel and young wild rabbit are delicious fried, just like chicken. In my opinion wild rabbit is so far superior in both taste and texture to domesticated rabbit that you would never know they were the same species of animal. While fried young squirrel is good and is probably most people's favorite way to eat it, my favorite way to eat squirrel (and even old, tough squirrels can be prepared this way) is to have squirrel and dumplings. There has never been any chicken and dumplings half as tasty as a mess of squirrel and dumplings in my opinion. Of course you can have wild duck, dove, and best of all, quail. Dove and quail are just fried and served with mashed potatoes and gravy, just like fried chicken, and wild duck is roasted or baked with dressing like domesticated duck, chicken, or turkey. I don't know anything about cooking or eating wild turkey. I just had some delicious venison roast, rice, and gravy for supper tonight. And deer can be cooked many more ways; great little steaks, made into sausage, etc. Of course fried bullfrog legs and fried or sauteed turtle are delicious. That is primarily the wild critters we have around here, but if you get down into Louisiana you have alligator, which is good, and I guess maybe elk, bear, and who knows what in other parts of the country. We do have some bear around here and there is occasinally a limited bear season but I don't know anyone who has cooked and eaten bear, tho I'm sure some people have.Your topic of OFFAL and then of wild critters is most interesting and just opens up more and more avenues the more you stop to ponder the subjects.

As I've mentioned in other posts, whilst in rural Oklahoma, we ate our share of unusual critters and organs.. possum (too fatty), armadillo (yum!), fried rabbit and gravy (double yum!) and the aforementioned sweetbreads.. breaded and fried those were the richest most lucious thing I'd ever eaten at the time.. now if I could just find a place around here that serves rocky mountain oysters....

My JGranny used to make us fried squirrel and fried quail after my Dad and his uncles went out hunting in the Oklahoma woods. It was always good with mashed potatoes and pan gravy.

One of my boys got a javelina last year and my husband smoked this big roast
The taste was so "gamey" it makes me shudder now to think of it.

After our annual dove hunt on opening weekend we stuff each dove with a jalepeno, wrap it with bacon secured with a toothpick and grill at camp. The only way to do it.

I would have to be pretty hungry to eat an armadillo.

When I was a kid, my grandparents raised hogs, and we would help out (and generally bought one of the hogs) when the time for slaughter came (usually in late November). One of the meals I distinctly remember having shortly after the slaughter centered around the heart, liver and tongue of the hog. We only had chitlins a time or two, though I do recall liking them (but they weren't worth the stink they generated during cooking). And "mountain oysters" are excellent!
Fried chicken livers, gizzards and hearts made regular appearances at my Mom's table. I still like them, just don't indulge very often...

Years ago there was an excellent restaurant on State St. in Albany, NY, a place frequented by politicos and lobbyists, that always had sweetbreads on the menu - they were rich and delicious.

A few years ago we were driving up I-95 and someplace north of Richmond (perhaps at the inteersection with 301) we stumbled on a huge truckstop for breakfast. They had brains and scrambled eggs on the menu - the only time I've ever had that great dish.

I guess there's a certain amount of "offal" in many of our popular coldcuts - so i guess we all eat some of it sometimes...

I eat liver and kidneys every chance I get (never at home, my wife detests the stuff). We had huge slices of heart in a restaurant in Hershey, PA. - not a meal I've ever wanted to repeat.

I had my fill of tripe in my years as a merchant seaman - is there a way to cook it except drowned in tomato sauce?

Is oxtail offal? I love it in a rich brown sauce.

alright, I give up. concerning the above few posts: what is a "whistle pig", and what part of the body is "lights" a synonym for?

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

alright, I give up. concerning the above few posts: what is a "whistle pig", and what part of the body is "lights" a synonym for?

In Tennessee, a whistle pig is a groundhog. It is given that name because when is alerted to some type of danger, it gives off a very loud whistle. Thus a ground "HOG" becomes a nicknamed whistle pig.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

In my experience, "lights" are lungs. Yuk.

I think maybe I shouldn't have asked. double yuk.

Even after learning of those fancy New York restaurants serving sweetbreads, I still didn't think I'd missed out on anything by passing up on them in my youth, but now seeing them recommended by good folks from Oklahoma, I'm wondering if maybe I haven't missed out on something. As for the mountain oysters, which we also treated as OFFAL but which lots of folks liked, and which I wouldn't mind trying, I'm sure that famous old steak house down in the stock yards area of Oklahoma City (can't think of its name now) serves them. I should have tried them when there. I know it puts out some fine beef.

I real a lot of Louis Lamour books and some of the stuff he wrote is very correct. He mentioned that bear fat was the most desirable and the pioneers preferred this over any other fat and would eat it by itself.


I generally stay away from anything non domesticated. I guess when you eat hot dogs, sausages and etc, you do not know what you are getting.

I had a friend that lived in south Texas. When they killed a wild boar hog, he indicated that they let it lay for a hour or so before they touched it due to the fleas.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

alright, I give up. concerning the above few posts: what is a "whistle pig", and what part of the body is "lights" a synonym for?

I can't help you with "lights," but a whistlepig is a groundhog.

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

Years ago there was an excellent restaurant on State St. in Albany, NY, a place frequented by politicos and lobbyists, that always had sweetbreads on the menu - they were rich and delicious.

A few years ago we were driving up I-95 and someplace north of Richmond (perhaps at the inteersection with 301) we stumbled on a huge truckstop for breakfast. They had brains and scrambled eggs on the menu - the only time I've ever had that great dish.

I guess there's a certain amount of "offal" in many of our popular coldcuts - so i guess we all eat some of it sometimes...

I eat liver and kidneys every chance I get (never at home, my wife detests the stuff). We had huge slices of heart in a restaurant in Hershey, PA. - not a meal I've ever wanted to repeat.

I had my fill of tripe in my years as a merchant seaman - is there a way to cook it except drowned in tomato sauce?

Is oxtail offal? I love it in a rich brown sauce.

I guess I'll answer your question about tripe. Ever had menudo? it's a great Mexican soup made with tripas (tripe), veggies, and hominy. Traditionally served with fresh tortillas, chopped onions, cilantro, and lemon or lime on the side.

Menudo is a traditional (and VERY effective) Hangover cure. This is a personal testimony from MANY experiences with the Miracle cure.
About OxTails, They used to be dirt cheap OFFAL in the 'poor folks' end of the meat counter...but no longer. Our WalMart stocks them and the price yesterday was $2.99 a pound. I too enjoy the long cooked pieces in rich brown 'stew juices'.

Jennifer4: Thanks for the tip about Menudo - sounds like a good soup and reason enough for me to try Tripe again. However, my only recipe calls for calves feet - I'll never find them around here. Can I substitute something else? I guess the calves feet are for both flavor and thickening. And, is hominy the same as grits, or is it something coarser- like unground corn?

Hominy is kin folks to grits. I believe both are lye cured, but I cannot ascertain that. From what I understand, hard corn is soaked with lye (I am not certain of the dilution factor) and what remains is the interior of the corn. I believe it is allowed to harden and crushed to make grits. I hope I can partially correct in my statment. If I am not, I am sure I will hear from it.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Hominy is the whole kernel corn after the lye treatment...Grits are the result of grinding that hominy after it drys. You are correct again Paul,!!

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

Hominy is the whole kernel corn after the lye treatment...Grits are the result of grinding that hominy after it drys. You are correct again Paul,!!

Mr. Mayor, thanks for validating my thoughts on hominy. I went out on a limb talking about something before I looked it up on the internet.

Grits are something that I guess is a southern thing. I could have them every day with my favorite food. I sometimes have them by themselves with some salt and pepper and a little butter. My dad liked them with brown sugar.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I'm not certain of the details, but its always been my understanding that hominy is prepared basically as you describe, Sundancer. I know its prepared by soaking the hard, matured corn in lye water. And I really don't know from what version of corn grits is derived or how that corn is crushed or ground into the fine grain consistencey of grits. But I do know that hominy and grits are two distinct foods served quite differently. A grain of hominy is about the shape and size of a regular unprocessed grain of corn. I've always had it served as a vegetable, as "regular" corn or as any other vegetable might be served. I find it to be something to eat in lieu of potatoes or rice, and would not want it served along with either of those starchy vegetables. To me, its best with some "meat grease" or at least some butter seasoning in it along with a pretty heavy seasoning of black pepper, and it goes especially good with pork of any sort. Hominy is particularly good as a side for pork chops or for pork sausage when that is served at lunch or dinner. Grits are fine, tiny bits of ground or crushed corn, more the consistency of corn meal. My favorite way to eat grits is as an accompanyment to sunny side eggs. Grits need a good dash of both salt and pepper and some butter on them. Many people have said to me, "Grits have no taste", but that is same situation of spaghetti having no taste. Spaghetti gets its great taste when covered with meat sauce. Grits gets its great taste when covered with runny egg yellow and a bit of sausage, ham, or bacon is stirred in. Grits made into a cheese grits casserole or souffle is a delicious side dish for lunch and dinner. Both grits casserole and souffle are a good bit higher up the social scale in the foods pecking order than is hominy. Don't think many people do this but I at times like just some regularly cooked grits (not casserole or souffle, but just as you'd prepare for breakfast with eggs) as a lunch or dinner side (again substitute for rice or potatoes). Some people eat grits as a hot breakfast cereal such as cream of wheat or oatmeal, but I don't care for it that way. I know I have used the word "grits" both as singular and plural in this writing, and I'm not certain of which is correct; think its plural, but its one of those words which just "fits into the sentence" better sometimes when used as plural and other times when used as singular. Both hominy and grits may be made from both white and yellow corn.

Liketoeat:

I ain't a expert in hominy and hominy grits. I know that they are kin folks and are two different foods. I believe the difference is that one is served wet and the other has to be rehydrated. As the Mayor indicated, the dryed whole kernal corn when soaked with a lye solution and dried and crushed, it becomes grits.

I cannot get technical, but I sure do like grits with everything.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Yes, Sundancer, all the hominy I've ever had has been home or commercially canned and comes in "wet form" and is served "wet" as you describe. Grits comes as tiny dry grains, just the same as cornmeal or cream of wheat, and is basically cooked in water as is oatmeal or cream of wheat (extra preparation steps and ingredient additions for grits casseroles and souffles).

Take a couple of cups of the canned hominy, spread it out to dry for enough time to really get the moisture out, then toss a handful into your Mortar and Pestle and Presto "grits"
The process is identical for the making of cornmeal from regular (un-lye-treated) field corn.
My favorite form of breakfast grits are the Cheese flavored variety. I also enjoy the 'plain' version with butter and syrup!

I occasionally do the instant grits with bacon, cheese, garlic or other delicous morsels.

I like grits anyway.

I even add extra cheese, tomatos, onions and other good stuff.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Thanks for the extensive digression on hominy/grits - it is an education to this Yankee - I'll look for some canned hominy in our local markets.
Now , how about some education on calve's feet and some possible substitutes for them.

John,
Feet are sold here in most supermarkets...used as you said as a thickener and for the added flavor. I don't know if Pig's Feet(un-pickled) would do the same job, but it might be worth a try. I would think that beef soup bones (cracked if necessary) would also do the job.
BTW I always wondered where Campbell's Soup came up with the Idea for their "PEPPER POT" selection...Then after my first real MENUDO I found out. MENUDO leaves the Gringo canned variety in it's green fog!! It is possible to buy canned Menudo, don't know the brand names, but to be effective as the Miracle Cure it needs to be 'scratch-made'.
AL

My elders and betters have beat me to the punch I see, but that's why they get paid the big bucks...LOL! Let me just add that I personally would substitute non-pickled pigs feet or ham hocks (fresh, not smoked) for the calves feet. The hominy if cooked long enough and used in sufficient quantity will add an acceptable amount of thickening. as well.

John,

Was the point of the calve's foot for menudo? I don't know that it's crucial to any recipe I've encountered - pig's foot would work just as well [well, unless you're keeping kosher], or you could even try something else [just nothing smoked or pickled - unless you want some sort of New Wave menudo] if you're stuck. Or just leave it out entirely - there's not much need for thickening, as all of the good menudos I've had were rather broth-like. But at the point you decide to leave out the 'tripa' [honeycomb tripe], then the soup becomes "pozole" (which is also, quite conveniently, the Spanish word for 'hominy'), which you can even make with chicken.

I'll confess: I have eaten canned menudo. It ain't the greatest, but it's infinitely better than no menudo. I normally stick the can in the fridge beforehand to make skimming the grease off a little easier (greasy menudo a sure sign of the cook's inattention, at least in my family), heat it up with a little shake of dried oregano [not powdered] & red pepper flakes, then have at it with some oregano rubbed (in my palms - for my nostalgia moment) into the bowl along with a healthy squeeze of RIPE lime* juice, and sided by hot corn tortillas. {What would Homer's drooling sound like in Spanish?...)
Buen provecho,
Richard
Berkeley/SF, CA

*FYI: Tip to those of you who would plan to serve/prepare Mexican food: if you care about authenticity, please don't use unripe limes - while they're fine for cocktails [or American-style limeade], they're too 'green' for the flavors of Mexican cuisine. Truth be told, even lemons aren't an optimal substitute for ripe limes. Look for the yellowest & thinnest-skinned limes in your local mercado/market/greengrocer.

I posted a couple of dandy "Pie Photo's" on the what's ur Fav. topic...Now here is one taken at a corner burger shop in Henderson KY, during the Blues and BBQ Festival this weekend. This is not a vendor's stand, but it did add a really nice sign with menu notes for passing festival-goers. It was located across the street from the Music area, convenient to all. They wanted folks to know that they were ready to bring those St Louis items to the crowd as needed.

I have to say that I like chicken livers, gizzards and hearts. Chicken livers are great with a curry flavored gravy over rice, haven't had that in years. Beef liver and onions is great too. My dad used to bring home pickled pigs feet and hocks often, usually German or Polish brands I think. I can remember having beef heart and tongue too from the cattle that my grandparents butchered and it was quite good although I don't think I'd cook it for myself.