How to Cook Organ Meat

How to cook organ meat like pork, chicken, deer or beef liver. We will share how to cook chicken gizzards perfectly into crispy bites in the air fryer or stovetop. Ox tail is great, an easy beef heart recipe is one you have to try as well as cooked tongue with onions + sweetbreads all explained here!

Best Way to Eat Organ Meat

You’re going to want to soak many pieces in milk first and then cook it with other flavorful items. Most common is onions and bacon which make it taste amazing.

Let’s start with where to buy organ meat where you live. Start at your butcher. You may be surprised to know that most grocery stores will order just about any piece you want if you just ask.

Another location is your local butcher shop. Not the one inside the grocery store but one that only sells meat. Most of these places butcher on site and either have their own farm or buy from local farmers.

This is the best place to find SUPER fresh high quality pieces. Most offer organic, grass fed, free range meats of all kinds. Prices seem to be even better too.

• I did this later in the year when I wanted to cook boiled turkey necks. Didn’t see them but it was no problem when asked. It took a few days but was called when they came in and now I know!

How to Cook Liver

Let’s start with the most common “inner” that people think of when they think of animal organ meats to eat. The one you have probably tried to make or eaten at a restaurant would be from a cow, but there are others. I think the best way is to saute any of these, with caramelized onions in a pan on the stove.

We do have directions for Instant Pot liver and onions here too though if you want to go that direction. The biggest difference between the two is the texture. To me you really want a bit of texture or crisp on the outside, under pressure you won’t get that but that is up to you. We have directions on;

1. How to cook chicken liver with onions here
2. If it is hunting season you may need to know how to cook deer liver
3. Pork liver is actually really tasty and so so cheap to buy

How to make organ meats taste good

With all of these the steps are pretty much the same, seriously. You’ll want to soak in milk or buttermilk first for a good hour. This will get rid of the metallic flavor that is unappetizing, not so much that you can’t taste the meat but it is toned down. Then add seasonings you love, cook with onions to add flavor and there you go!

How to Cook Beef Kidney

So this is one thing that we do not cook. It is a bit controversial when it comes to whether it is healthy to consumer or not with doctors.

We had relatives with health issues and they were told to not, so we don’t either. Reason being is it is what siphons all toxins out of the blood and stores them inside. To eat it would mean you are potentially consuming those.

With that said we believe to each their own and it is high in protein and antioxidants. I found a good recipe with kidneys here you can follow if you do choose to make that part of your dinner.

How often should you eat organ meat?

They aren’t things you should eat on a daily basis, in moderation is best. So no more than 6 to 8 ounces of liver per week, plus another 6 to 8 ounces of mussels, clams, oysters, heart, or other organ meats a week are said to be safe to consume. I’d say How to Cook Tripe is about the same.

What is the best way to cook the heart of an animal?

We share how to cook beef heart here for you. It is a tough muscle meat to begin with so take your time and don’t rush it. When cooked properly it has an amazing flavor when sliced and can be served sauteed with seasonings or made into a stew.

How to Cook Organ Meat for Dogs

What organ meat is good for dogs? Vets agree that it is safe and healthy for them to consume some, cooked without seasonings occasionally. The best ones for pooches would be chicken gizzards, hearts and diced up livers from chicken, duck or turkey.

What you need to remember when it comes to homemade dog food is that you should skip the seasonings, especially salt. They will actually appreciate all the natural flavors and sodium isn’t great for them so leave it out. Instead dice it up into small bite size pieces and cook until you reach the ideal temperature inside. Then allow to cool completely, never give it to them hot.

Do NOT cook any types of organ meat for them with onions as you would for yourself either. Those are toxic for dogs. If you have leftovers from your meal the other day but cooked it with them I would not share those with them either just to be safe.

What is the safe temperature to cook organ meat?

You can use this safe internal meat temperatures printable chart for each one. Print out and keep handy so you always know when to remove and allow to cool. Never eat undercooked or you may get sick.

When you do find what you like, just cook the amount you are going to eat that day. Cut the rest into meal size portions and wrap properly to store in your freezer for later. Here are a few ways to

Best Organ Meat Recipes

• With any of them you can brown the outsides and throw it in with other ingredients to make a thick and rich organ meat stew. Add carrots, potatoes and broth to make on the stove or pressure cooker.
• If you love crispy, like us, you can dice into bite-size pieces and bread to make things like air fryer chicken gizzards or use another piece to do the same thing.
• Want to know how to cook bone marrow to tender? We’ve got it!
• We are creating an amazing beef tongue recipe as we speak and will link when done here!
• Ox tails are wonderful too, seasoned with salt and black pepper made into a stew or soup.
• With any of the meats listed you can always slice or finely chop, soak in milk, dry, toss with olive oil and seasonings and pan fry or air fry until cooked!

Another fellow blogger created a recipe with sweetbreads here that you can use. Once again sauteed with other items like fava beans in this case with salt and pepper to get a rich flavor throughout the dish that = yum.

How to store leftovers

You really should eat any of these in moderation. With that said we have information on how long you can freeze meat here, with a printable chart and all.

I hope we have discussed nose to tail all the pieces you were interested in trying. From how to cook cow tongue to lamb, deer, pork you should try each one. They all have their own unique flavor.

Organ Meat Benefits

You can download and print the health benefits for organ meat nutrition here that you see at the top of this post. It will remind you of the benefits of each one. Then you can come back here and decide which one you would like to try next.