Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

1

What are some of the less popular or unusual organs out there to try other than the well known brain, liver, kidneys, marrow and tongue?

I'm interested in those that we only very rarely hear about, yet would be a regular part of a traditional diet.

Also, bonus points if you can pin point some nutrients that are found in higher amounts only in specific organs and that would have helped caveman obtain his nutrition.

For example, I've read about people reporting mild vitamin C deficiencies on a long term very low carb diet, and it's true that vitamin C is scarce in animal products, but the thymus gland is actually pretty high in vitamin C.

Any others like that? Could we get our iodine by eating thyroid glands? More testosterone by eating testes?

I think offal should rhyme with a lot more than just liver and marrow, yet it seems to be getting harder and harder to get all the organs because of regulations.

flag	asked Jan 4 2011 at 16:33 Paleo Seb 4,238●14●32

Resurgent · Answer 1 · 2011-01-04 17:49:15Z UTC

3

Cant say about testosterone or any other nutrients, but Testes are one of the tastiest, creamiest part of the animal - Just stir fried with lots of butter, skin removed.

answered Jan 4 2011 at 17:49

Resurgent
3,883●1●4●22

Mmmm...I forgot about lamb and veal fries! NOM! – gone2croatan Jan 4 2011 at 17:54

3

Creamy is not a good adjective there, too visceral :P – sarah-ann Jan 4 2011 at 21:56

Cacktus Wayfinder · Answer 2 · 2011-01-04 17:09:54Z UTC

Pancreas. Good source of arachidonic acid: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachidonic_acid

Anthony Bourdain likes pancreas, and I'm kinda curious about it, but I haven't been able to find it yet. I agree, it's a bit of trouble to get the "nasty bits" of animals, as AB calls them. I prowl around butcher shops regularly and as a result have tried all kinds of new goodies: blood sausage, venison sausage, beef heart, beef liver, beef tongue, lamb kidney, duck eggs, bone marrow- the list is growing. I NEVER would have eaten those things before going paleo- (I used to prowl around bakeries!) but now I'll try just about anything. Next summer I plan to cook a whole pig in my back yard. Screw baking bread!

gone2croatan · Answer 3 · 2011-01-04 17:00:58Z UTC

Well, you mention them in your body text, but sweetbreads (thymus gland + pancreas) are amazingly delicious and definitely my favorite piece of offal in terms of flavor. They also happen to be a decent source of phosphorus and B12 in addition to vitamin C.

Tripe is also high in B12 and a number of minerals (selenium, calcium, zinc), but the texture takes some getting used to. Tripe has the distinguished characteristic of being the only food I straight-up dislike eating.

I like chitterlings (chitlins) and they are high in selenium, zinc, and iron as well as some other minerals. They are stinky to cook, though!

Travis Culp · Answer 4 · 2011-01-04 20:05:53Z UTC

1

My favorite part of chicken are the lungs, but I couldn't tell you if they are especially nutritious.

answered Jan 4 2011 at 20:05

Travis Culp♦
39.7k●1●32●132

Amy Butler · Answer 5 · 2011-01-07 01:14:01Z UTC

1

I love heart grilled (with a little "Montreal" steak seasoning sometimes) great with grilled fennel brushed with olive oil. do put some oil on the steak before you grill, it can be very lean.

answered Jan 7 2011 at 1:14

Amy Butler
11●1

Michael · Answer 6 · 2011-01-04 17:04:19Z UTC

0

The salivary glands should be high in vitamin K2, but I have not idea how it tastes. Thymus has some vitamin C and doesn't taste bad. Pancreas has a weird texture and okay taste.

answered Jan 4 2011 at 17:04

Michael
1

REAL Mexican "chorizo" is made from salivary glands and lymph nodes. Tastes great mixed with scrambled eggs....SPICY!! – ricechek Jan 4 2011 at 18:22

wjones3044 · Answer 7 · 2011-01-04 17:20:30Z UTC

0

Great Wikipedia entry on offal, featuring country-by-country examples.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offal

answered Jan 4 2011 at 17:20

wjones3044
10k●19●56

chantilly · Answer 8 · 2011-01-04 17:36:08Z UTC

0

Love sweetbreads, kidney, tongue, livers. Can't stomach tripe or brain though... just cant get passed what they are!

answered Jan 4 2011 at 17:36

chantilly
608●2●7

Alan · Answer 9 · 2011-01-05 00:04:19Z UTC

I tried ox heart the other day. HUGE organ and very tasty. The butcher suggested baked but I ran it through the food processor and used it like ground (minced) meat for patties etc. Delish and very cheap too. Also chicken livers pan fried with onions, butter, garlic etc and put through the processor make lovely pate. Also if you're adventurous you can make brawn,(jellied pigs head).

Less popular organs?

9 Answers