Making Liver/organ meats Palatable

[Hattie the Hen]

My mother used to make steak and kidney pie, which I hated as a child, but make myself now, when I can locate kidneys.

Could you share your pie recipe/method? That's one bit I've never been able to do so it tastes good.

I don't have a recipe as such, but here's more or less what I do:

Make a single pie crust (for the top; too soggy to use a bottom crust IMO), or use puff pastry. (Or skip the pastry entirely, and serve with mashed potatoes - but then, of course, it isn't a pie )
I think in England they usually use beef kidney, but that can be very strong. Veal or lamb kidneys are better, though I usually use pork as that is what I can get. Cut the kidneys into bite size pieces, and soak them in milk (or in water with a large dash of vinegar) for an hour or so, or while preparing the rest. (If you haven't dealt with kidneys before you might want to refer to a basic cookbook as to method)
Cut stewing beef into pieces, and brown in a pan. Add some diced onion, and mushrooms if you like. Add some good beef broth, not a lot, and simmer, covered, till the meat is tender. Season to taste with salt, pepper, herbs, maybe a dash of Worcestershire - this is basically just a beef stew. Add the drained kidney pieces shortly before the meat is to your liking, long enough that it cooks through, but not so long that it is overcooked - remember that the pie still needs to spend a bit of time in the oven. Thicken the sauce slightly with flour or cornstarch. Put the meat etc into a deep pie plate, and add gravy to your liking. Cover with the pastry, cutting in slits so steam can escape, and brushing with some milk or an egg glaze. Bake till the pastry is golden.

I would like to bring to your notice an older British version of a steak & kidney pie known as Steak & Kidney Pudding. Here is a link to a wonderful recipe by Delia Smith (who is a much loved cook here in the UK). I usually make mine with lambs kidneys but you can use any kind you can lay your hands on. It is totally delicious.....I urge you to try it!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/steakandkidneypuddin_66320

[Edited to add link]

Hattie

 

[Blackbird]

They all look like regular people to me?
Teeth.. Yup, terrible! Overlapping, crooked, sometimes I feel like I need my entire lower jaw replaced. LOL. Dentists cry when I open my mouth. My teeth grow in WITH cavities (no enamel) I'll probably have to have them all torn out some day. :/

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

They all look like regular people to me?
Teeth.. Yup, terrible! Overlapping, crooked, sometimes I feel like I need my entire lower jaw replaced. LOL. Dentists cry when I open my mouth. My teeth grow in WITH cavities (no enamel) I'll probably have to have them all torn out some day. :/

Which people are you referring to?

You can do a great deal to rebuild your teeth right now.
Going grain free, taking fermented cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil, and tanking on raw milk at the same time will go a long ways to healing the damage in your mouth.

 

[Blackbird]

Sorry; I meant many of the people in the old photos on Google look like average folk today. Well, aside from all of the overweight people.. Lol.

Grain free is something I would really need to work on, but I take FCLO daily and drink raw goat milk often (I wouldn't say every day, but quite a few times a week).

Off to look up high vitamin butter!

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Sorry; I meant many of the people in the old photos on Google look like average folk today. Well, aside from all of the overweight people.. Lol.

Grain free is something I would really need to work on, but I take FCLO daily and drink raw goat milk often (I wouldn't say every day, but quite a few times a week).

Off to look up high vitamin butter!

Ahh, Well try this out.
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html

The combo of grain free and butter oil will give your teeth a chance to heal.
Plus, I forgot to mention, make certain you are not using any commercial pastes or washes. The glycerin in them ensures they will keep getting worse.
You can brush with just water.

 

[Blackbird]

Thanks!
I stopped with tooth paste about two years ago. If I use anything at all it's simply baking soda.

 

[ORChick]

Sorry; I meant many of the people in the old photos on Google look like average folk today. Well, aside from all of the overweight people.. Lol.

Grain free is something I would really need to work on, but I take FCLO daily and drink raw goat milk often (I wouldn't say every day, but quite a few times a week).

Off to look up high vitamin butter!

Ahh, Well try this out.
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html

The combo of grain free and butter oil will give your teeth a chance to heal.
Plus, I forgot to mention, make certain you are not using any commercial pastes or washes. The glycerin in them ensures they will keep getting worse.
You can brush with just water.

When I finished high school I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time back packing and youth hosteling in Great Britain and Ireland. Pretty much everything I had had to fit in my rucksack so I, of course, wanted to limit it as much as possible. My dentist assured me that brushing simply with water was quite alright, so I was able to save the 3 oz (or whatever it was) of a tube of toothpaste . With another couple of cuts in other areas It meant I could always have a book with me And, by the way, it was a great trip.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Sorry; I meant many of the people in the old photos on Google look like average folk today. Well, aside from all of the overweight people.. Lol.

Grain free is something I would really need to work on, but I take FCLO daily and drink raw goat milk often (I wouldn't say every day, but quite a few times a week).

Off to look up high vitamin butter!

Ahh, Well try this out.
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html

The combo of grain free and butter oil will give your teeth a chance to heal.
Plus, I forgot to mention, make certain you are not using any commercial pastes or washes. The glycerin in them ensures they will keep getting worse.
You can brush with just water.

When I finished high school I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time back packing and youth hosteling in Great Britain and Ireland. Pretty much everything I had had to fit in my rucksack so I, of course, wanted to limit it as much as possible. My dentist assured me that brushing simply with water was quite alright, so I was able to save the 3 oz (or whatever it was) of a tube of toothpaste . With another couple of cuts in other areas It meant I could always have a book with me And, by the way, it was a great trip.

Toothpaste is just a modern item that we are told we need.
But prior to modern foods, it was not needed. No cavities, so no thought for scrubbing with nasty chemicals.

 

[ORChick]

Could you share your pie recipe/method? That's one bit I've never been able to do so it tastes good.

I don't have a recipe as such, but here's more or less what I do:

Make a single pie crust (for the top; too soggy to use a bottom crust IMO), or use puff pastry. (Or skip the pastry entirely, and serve with mashed potatoes - but then, of course, it isn't a pie )
I think in England they usually use beef kidney, but that can be very strong. Veal or lamb kidneys are better, though I usually use pork as that is what I can get. Cut the kidneys into bite size pieces, and soak them in milk (or in water with a large dash of vinegar) for an hour or so, or while preparing the rest. (If you haven't dealt with kidneys before you might want to refer to a basic cookbook as to method)
Cut stewing beef into pieces, and brown in a pan. Add some diced onion, and mushrooms if you like. Add some good beef broth, not a lot, and simmer, covered, till the meat is tender. Season to taste with salt, pepper, herbs, maybe a dash of Worcestershire - this is basically just a beef stew. Add the drained kidney pieces shortly before the meat is to your liking, long enough that it cooks through, but not so long that it is overcooked - remember that the pie still needs to spend a bit of time in the oven. Thicken the sauce slightly with flour or cornstarch. Put the meat etc into a deep pie plate, and add gravy to your liking. Cover with the pastry, cutting in slits so steam can escape, and brushing with some milk or an egg glaze. Bake till the pastry is golden.

I would like to bring to your notice an older British version of a steak & kidney pie known as Steak & Kidney Pudding. Here is a link to a wonderful recipe by Delia Smith (who is a much loved cook here in the UK). I usually make mine with lambs kidneys but you can use any kind you can lay your hands on. It is totally delicious.....I urge you to try it!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/steakandkidneypuddin_66320

[Edited to add link]

Hattie

Thanks Hattie. I got a book of Delia Smith's for my mother once - I think it was "Cooking for One" or something like that. It had some good recipes, and was a good idea for someone living on her own.

 

[Farmfresh]

The PA pre-made scrapple does contain wheat gluten. Corn would be fine. Oats are usually cross contaminated. Buckwheat is okay too. See, I DO need to make my own!

Grandma Nettie made scrapple Hen.

Here is her recipe:

Nettie's Scrapple *Bonus - This is a Gluten Free Recipe when gluten free oats are used !

12 pounds hog head meat - neck bones, pig feet, ears, snout, tongue etc. can also be used. (everything but the squeal!) (She also sometimes used pork shoulder roast to make extra)
2 Tablespoons salt
8 cups broth (from above)
2 cups oatmeal (or gluten free oats)
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Take meat scraps and 2 Tablespoons of salt and add to pressure cooker with 1 quart of water.
Pressure at 10 pounds of pressure for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Allow the cooker to set and cool until pressure drops by itself.
Open cooker and allow meat to cool till it is easy to handle - then debone the meat.
Pass the bone free chunks of meat through a meat grinder. A course grind is fine.
Place meat and all remaining ingredients in a large kettle and cook on low heat until mixture comes to a boil.
Stir constantly to prevent scorching.
Turn out into loaf pans and chill until set.
Slice into inch thick slices and dip into Grannys Batter then pan fry until brown or use as a cold lunch meat.

This recipe may also be frozen by wrapping tightly to prevent freezer burn.

Grannys Batter

2 fresh egg yolks
1 cups cold milk (or ice water)
1 cups cornstarch
cup flour (gluten free will work)
salt
black pepper (plenty!)

Whip all ingredients together well until mixture is very smooth with a consistency like thin cake batter.
Dip in your other ingredients and fry. This is basically a country version of the oriental tempura batters.

This BASIC RECIPE is used for many other recipes such as:
fried fish, scrapple, batter fried chicken (with the addition of an extra layer of flour), tempura vegetables, fried mushrooms and fried squash and daylily blossoms.

Smothered Liver

Liver - beef, pig or other liver sliced thin
bacon - several pieces
bacon grease
onions - lots cut in slivers
stewed tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes
garlic
salt
pepper
hot sauce (optional)

Fry up bacon until nice and crispy and remove from pan. Get pan hot and sear the liver slices on all sides. As soon as the liver is seared add the slivered onions and saute until translucent. Add the tomatoes, garlic, salt pepper, crushed bacon and hot sauce if desired.

Serve over rice. The key is little bites of liver, lots of bacon and onions. The tomato takes away the offally flavor.

Hope these recipes help.