Why Eat Organ Meats?

Growing up in an Iranian family, our table was often laden with dishes containing all manner of organ meats. Liver, heart, kidney, tongue – these are commonplace in Persian cuisine, exquisitely fused into delicious meals with butter, garlic, onions, saffron and a range of other spices.

When we first came to New Zealand in the 1980s, it was difficult to find these organ meats outside our household. But I’d sometimes hear from older Kiwis who used to eat them regularly in their childhood, mostly because finer cuts of meat were prohibitively expensive and the organs were the most affordable parts of an animal.

What these folks may not have realised at the time, however, was that in eating organ meats out of financial necessity, they were filling their bodies with a spectacular array of nutrients found in no other food.

I lost touch with much of the food from my childhood when I moved away from home. But in recent years, through my own health journey, I became reconnected with organs and their remarkable health benefits.

Because of the vital roles organs play in a body’s metabolism and detoxification, they often contain extraordinary concentrations of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals. When eaten, this density of nutrients passes to us, supporting our immune systems, tissue repair, regulating thyroid hormones and boosting energy levels.

In recent years, more people have rediscovered the rewards of eating organs, which form a central pillar of dietary movement known as ancestral nutrition. Emphasising unrefined, whole, organic food – and a nose-to-tail approach to eating meat – ancestral nutrition is based on the foods our ancestors consumed before the advent of modern industrial agriculture.

However, it’s important to know the difference between the organs, where
and how you can source the best quality organ meat, and how you can integrate these meats into edible meals or convenient snacks.

Tainted offal

With all organs – and all meat – that you intend to eat, it’s ideal if they come from an animal that has been raised through organic or regenerative practices. Because organs act as filters in an animal’s body they may store toxins from chemicals or pharmaceuticals that the animal has come in contact with, which could then pass to you when you consume the meat.

One 2017 research article noted that some beef liver from conventionally raised animals contained detectable levels of antibiotics, which could be hazardous to human health. This could be due to animals receiving antibiotics close to the time of their slaughter.

If you’re raising a small number of animals for homekill yourself, chances are they’ll need minimal pharmaceutical treatment during their lifetime compared to commercially raised animals. Still, it pays be mindful of what they’re exposed to before you consume any of their organs.

When you have a large animal slaughtered, you can ask your homekill person to save the offal for you. Make sure you check the quality and colour of the organs. Discard if any look discoloured and atrophied – they’re not worth eating. If you’re sourcing your meat from another farm or retailer, do your research first and ensure that the animal has been raised to the highest possible standards, and killed with minimal stress or disturbance.

At the end of the day, however, it’s better to eat some organ meat than none at all. If you can’t find organic organs, conventional should suffice – the benefits will outweigh the risks.

Liver lovers

Of all the organ meats, liver is arguably the most popular. It’s not that it tastes the best, but its vital role in the body makes it an incomparable superfood packed with vitamins, minerals and amino acids. 

Liver – particularly beef liver – is the most abundant source of preformed vitamin A found anywhere in nature. Vitamin A is essential for healthy immune function, the integrity of the mucous membranes in our gut and respiratory tract, our vision and skin health, and to assist with iron metabolism. 

Beef liver also contains a remarkable range and density of B vitamins, including B12, B2, B3, B5, and B6 which all help reduce fatigue, boost brain performance and blood formation.

Beef vs chicken

The most common sources of liver for human consumption are typically chicken and beef. Both are incredibly nutrient dense in their own right, however they have a few key differences which may be relevant depending on your dietary health goals.

For example, while beef liver has more vitamin K, B vitamins and choline out of the two, chicken liver is higher in selenium, iron and folate. Beef liver is also higher in protein, while chicken liver is higher in fat.

While beef liver would be considered the best all-round superfood between the two, the nutrient profile of chicken means you can’t go wrong with either.

Get it down ya

Liver – particularly beef liver – has a distinct, metallic flavour that many people don’t like. However, it’s easy to disguise and transform this taste with copious amounts of onions, garlic and spices. If you still struggle to get it down, you can just as easily take liver in capsule supplement form. But try these
recipes first.

Classic Beef Liver, Onions and Bacon

• 500g beef liver, diced
• 5 rashes of bacon, diced
• ½ cup rice flour
• 4 tablespoons butter 
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 large onions peeled and chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup water

In a mixing bowl, blend together your rice flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then add your liver, tossing so that each piece is coated. In a skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of butter and fry up your bacon and onions for a few minutes. Add the rest of your butter to melt, then the liver pieces, and a cup of water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with warm pieces of sourdough.

Chicken Liver Dry Curry

• 250g of chicken liver (I use Bostocks)
• 1 medium brown onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 sprigs of fresh or frozen curry leaves (30 leaves approx)
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoon of ghee
• Salt to taste

In a large pan on medium heat, add ghee, mustard seeds (these should pop as they cook) and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds have browned, add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally. Add curry leaves to the pan once the onion and garlic mix has browned, followed by chopped chicken liver. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly until the liver is cooked through. Add more ghee if you notice the ingredients are sticking to the pan. Add cumin and turmeric powder and stir the mix. Add salt to taste and serve on a bed of mashed potatoes
or kūmara. ■