Organ Meat Recipe: A Traditional Food with Modern Benefits

For much of human history, organ meats were considered a prized delicacy. Liver, kidney, brain, heart, and tongue, among other types of offal, are still consumed regularly in many cultures. Though these superfoods fell out of popularity in the US during the twentieth century, they’re making a comeback as we begin to fully understand their incredible health benefits. 

Organ meat is affordable, satiating, and rich in protein. Incorporating these meats in your home cooking helps reduce food waste and adds variety to the nutritional profiles of many common dishes like burgers, meat sauces, and baked dishes. Most home cooks feel intimidated by organ meats, but they can be easy to cook. They add richness, flavor, and depth to recipes and may become a staple ingredient in your kitchen. 

Why Are Organ Meats So Good for You?

Many of the fat-soluble vitamins and minerals that animal bodies need are stored in their organs. This is part of the reason that organ meats provide nutrients that muscle meats don’t. Besides supplying the nine essential amino acids humans need to acquire from food sources, organ meats are also rich in vitamin B12, folate, iron, and choline.  

Nutritional Content of Organ Meats 

Check out the multi-faceted benefits of these vitamins and minerals found in rich supply in organ meats. Interestingly, organ meats are great for your organs! 

• Choline: This nutrient promotes liver and muscle health and helps preserve DNA integrity (1). The standard American diet is typically deficient in choline. 

• Coenzyme Q10: This powerful coenzyme functions as an antioxidant and supports cellular and mitochondrial health, particularly in your heart, liver, pancreas, and kidneys (2). 

• Folate: Folate is an essential B vitamin. Folate deficiency is associated with weakness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating (3). 

• Selenium: This trace element supports immune function, thyroid health, and reproductive health. It can also help reduce inflammation (4). 

• Zinc: Zinc supports healing and muscle growth. It also can improve the efficacy of your immune system (5). 

• Vitamin A: While its benefits for the eyes are well known, many people don’t realize that vitamin A supports the health of most organs in the human body, including the heart, kidneys, and lungs (6). 

How to Cook Organ Meats So They Taste Delicious 

While most of our great-grandparents could confidently prepare organ meat dishes, we’ve sadly lost this skill set. It isn’t difficult to learn how to cook delicious meals that include organ meat, however.  Here a few basic principles to keep in mind as you explore adding organ meat to your diet: 

• Ground meat is the easiest starting point. Adding a small amount of ground organ meat to sauces, meat pies, soups, and similar dishes is the best starting point for beginners. This is both a forgiving preparation method and a good way to keep new flavors from becoming overpowering. Look for recipes that include 10-30% ground organ meat as a compliment to ground beef or bison. Some butchers will grind the meat for you or you can purchase an attachment for a stand mixer. 

• Choose assertive spices and flavorings. Organ meats have strong flavors, so they pair well with strong seasonings. Think curries, tomato sauces, and spicy dishes. 

• Look for ways to add organ meat to meals you and your family already enjoy. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel in order to add organ meat to your diet. Replace a small portion of the meat in your favorite stews and ground meat recipes with heart or tongue. 

• Cook organ meats thoroughly. If you’re adding organ meat to a dish like burgers, saute the organ meat before combining it with ground beef or bison. Medium rare organ meat is not a safe preparation. 

Where to Buy Organ Meat

As understanding of their diverse nutritional benefits increases, organ meats are becoming more widely available. The best way to find them in your area is to research local butcher shops and farms that sell meat to the public. If you have friends or family members who hunt they may be a good resource as well. As organs can collect toxins, you want as clean of source as possible.

Some online retailers now offer subscriptions to monthly boxes that include a variety of high-quality organ meats. This is the safest and most convenient way to experiment with organ meat for most people. 

Recipe: Quick and Easy Bison and Heart Spaghetti Sauce 

This recipe is an accessible way to introduce your family to organ meats. Combining ground organ meats with bison or beef keeps the flavors familiar while increasing the nutritional depth of the dish. Heart has a familiar texture and an incredible nutritional profile so it’s a natural choice for this recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground bison 

• ¼ lb. ground heart

• 1 onion, finely minced

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 

• 28 oz. can organic BPA-free spaghetti sauce 

• 4 oz. can organic BPA-free tomato paste

• 1 cup red wine (optional) 

• Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper 

Step 1:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute meats, onion, and garlic until meat is cooked through and onions are translucent. Remove from heat and drain excess liquid and fat.

Step 2:

Return to heat and stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, and wine, if using. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes, until fragrant and slightly reduced. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Serve sauce over gluten-free noodles or roasted spaghetti squash. Store sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or the freezer for up to a month. 

Not Ready to Make Organ Meat a Focal Point of Your Diet?

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Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.

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