Let's talk about offal...
Offal is a term that refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. Offal includes, but is not limited to...
- Liver
- Kidneys
- Heart
- Brain
- Stomach
- Intestines
Organ meats are highly nutritious. The Paleo Mom reports that "Organ meats are the most concentrated source of just about every nutrient..." Read more about the benefits of eating offal here!
Another positive trait of offal is that it is usually much cheaper than muscle meats. AIP can be somewhat expensive, so this is great news for those of us who are on a budget! As usual, grass-fed/free range/organic options are best, but if you can't locate or afford it, just do the best you can. Conventionally raised offal is better than no offal! If you're not sure where to find it, try a local farm, meat market, butcher, or the meat department in your local supermarket. If you can't find it, just ask! Sometimes organ meats are kept in the back freezers or coolers.
I'll be honest. I don't love the taste of liver. I'm not even sure I can say that I "like" it. But the benefits of eating if FAR outweigh the small moments of displeasure that I experience if I take an overly "livery" bite of something. If you struggle to eat it like I do, I'd recommend trying recipes that incorporate liver in with other meats, especially bacon.
Because, well... Bacon.
Another way that I get my offal in is to buy whole chickens. You know that packet of "unmentionables" that's stuck inside? Yep, that's your offal. After I roast my chicken, I empty that packet (usually containing a heart, kidneys, and liver) into a saucepan, add most of the delicious broth from the bottom of the roasting pan, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Then I pour it all into my blender and puree the organ meats into a gravy of sorts. I season it to taste and pour it over the chicken and veggies that I've made.
Since many people don't quite know where to start with cooking offal, I've assembled some AIP and Paleo compliant recipes. Disclaimer: I have not personally tried each recipe, so I cannot attest to the individual deliciousness of each one. This is meant to be a springboard of sorts to help you get some new recipe ideas and try something new.
- Beef Heart with Chimichurri Sauce - Phoenix Helix
- Bacon-Beef Liver Pate with Rosemary and Thyme - Mickey Trescott
- 50/50/50 Burgers - The Paleo Mom (This is a great one to try if you don't like the taste of liver or are nervous about trying it for the first time!)
- Chicken Liver with Raw Garlic and Thyme - Mickey Trescott
- Blueberry Balsamic Beef Liver Pate - The Primalist
- Offal (But Not Awful) Stew - The Paleo Mom
- Chicken Liver Fried "Rice" - Phoenix Helix
- BBQ Chicken Livers and Hearts - The Nourished Caveman (Omit the black pepper for AIP)
- Cinnamon-Braised Beef Cheek - The Paleo Mom
- Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Beef Heart (Omit black pepper and nutmeg for AIP) - The Healthy Foodie
- Lamb and Liver Meatballs - Adventures in Partaking
- Paleo Steak and Kidney Pie - The Paleo Mom
- Beef Heart Skewers (Omit black pepper for AIP) - Primal Palate
- Yam and Liver Meatballs - Field Notes on Healing
- Hidden Liver Sausage (Omit Fennel Seeds for AIP) - The Psoriatic Paleo Guy
- Balsamic Chicken Livers with Grapes - A Squirrel in the Kitchen
- Dirty "Rice" - Salixisme
- Asian Beef Liver Pate - Beyond the Bite
- Hidden Liver Taco Meat - Adventures in Partaking
My hope is that this post has inspired you to try to incorporate more offal into your diet. If you have a favorite offal recipe that is not listed here, please comment with the URL and I can edit the post to include it. The more great recipes we have, the better!
