Waste not want not taken a bit further.

[Boots]

Wow Jack - that was brilliant! And no doubt took a heap of thought and time, laying out the steps and explanations. Thanks! It's heaps clear - and will definately be handy for anyone dealing with large beasts and who may want to tackle it. I have never considered the head a useful part, so you opened my eyes. Even if it was to just go towards dog food, it would still be making good use of it.

Doing the same with poultry might be better received maybe... I imagine there would be others here on small holdings who'd be interested in how to properly gut a bird and remove the windpipe etc. Maybe not... I guess it comes down to whether folks need the info, as to whether they appreciate it or not. I do know that when I did my first poultry cull, I would have loved an explanation like you have provided here.

When I first slaughtered I remember going through a heap of emotions... so I do understand some of the responses, but maybe it was good to remind folks that their meat once had a head? I often wonder how many cows have been produced and only half sold in shops, just because their 'rump' became trendy for a while, or Dominoes was running a special on 'spare' ribs...

[Jack]

Gidday

Yeah you are right Boots. One of the most succulent and tasty parts of a cattle beast is the cheek meat. However it is very strong meat because of all the glands and you will find it will make you feel very satisfied with a much smaller portion. But I think all the cheek meat just goes down the chute with the rest of the unusable offal these days.

To me, if you kill an animal then turn around and waste any of it it is a sin.

Now, chicken head soup, that does sound interesting.

[Imp]

Very interesting Jack!

I'm still in a bit of shock from the pictures but reminded myself that when I'm dicing up the stewing steak or preparing the shoulder of lamb for the pot it is no different and photos of that wouldn't surprise anybody. Funny how squeamish we are yet we yum up parts of the animal further down without turning a hair

I think the smallholding forums such as ACL would love your frugality and the step by step pics too if you hadn't considered sharing there.

Lynda

[Bonniegirl]

Eww! There is nothing in the world that would make me eat something like that! The very thought of it makes ma want to throw up, same goes for offal.

I eat our own meat but I have been a non meater a couple of times and it's taken quite a bit of willpower to eat our own.

If someone put that in front of me I wouldn't touch meat again!

I have to admire those who don't waste anything, thats great and I wish I could, but I know I wouldn't!

I can't eat chicken cos I hate the bones and the very idea of them being just 8wks old and on your plate! Ewwww!

Good on you Jack, but it ain't for me!

[paddy]

Jesus Jack.....Sweeny Todd has got nothing on ya.

Me mom was just like you, she tells me in the war when food was rationed they would tuck into Sheep's brains on a regular basis, also buying Tongue and cooking it themselves. For those who havent seen a Cow's tongue in it's raw state it looks disgusting to eat anyway.

My mate once had a small porkmeat business and there is nothing wasted. Once a week the " Fatman " came round and scooped up all the waste fat which boiled over from the cooking pots. This stuff in the summer stank to high heaven and was crawling.

He used to take it away and heat it up, when it got to the right tempreture he threw in bicarbonate of soda and the bubbling fat seperated when it cooled down into 2 products which were Lard and Soap.

Pork Pie and Sausage-----if only you knew

[farmerdrea]

Thanks, Jack - very educational, and didn't even make me want to look away as I was eating my brekkie over the computer this AM.

I don't take the time to do any head meat usually, but think perhaps I will when the pigs are ready to go in a few months' time. We usually boil up the offal (heads included) and feed them to the chooks, and they leave behind nothing but bones, which we then burn and use in the vege patch. So, even if you don't want to eat it, there's still no reason for it to go to waste. But from what I'm reading, you can't do that under the DEFRA regs??

Andrea
NZ

[Jack]

Gidday

I know nothing about DEFRA Regs. But with your pigs, it's even more of a delight and much more food to get outa the heads.

In the summer time try braun with a salad.

[red]

But from what I'm reading, you can't do that under the DEFRA regs??

Andrea
NZ

its the mad cow disease thing. makes people a bit twitchy about eating brains. I don't mind in principal, but would not eat brains or spinal cord now because of BSE kinda different if you dont have that worry.

[ohareward]

Lambs liver and bacon, sheeps kidneys, stuffed hearts, pigs trotters, ox tails, this is all good trucker. Even hoo hoo grubs. A lot of people, because they are fussy eaters, miss out on a lot of fine cuisine. My grandma used to make braun out of pigs heads. There is too much wasted. I know that anything that is not considered edible, is rendered down and made into blood and bone manure.
Robin

[Jack]

Gidday

Too right mate. Just too much good tucker wasted.

I had a beast killed last week and tonight I tried a different approach, I had bar-b-qued heart steaks and boy is it bloody beauty grub.

[paddy]

Do you not kill them yourself then Jack?????

[red]

I quite like heart.
like most offal in fact, and the yummy things that can be made from them - like haggis.. black pudding, pate etc etc

[Jack]

Gidday

No Paddy I don't do the cattle. They are just too bloody big for this old joker abd need to be hung for a few days in a chiller to get the best outa them. You see our weather aint quite cool enough to hang them more than over night. But anything else I eat I kill myself.

[paddy]

Gidday

No Paddy I don't do the cattle. They are just too bloody big for this old joker abd need to be hung for a few days in a chiller to get the best outa them. You see our weather aint quite cool enough to hang them more than over night. But anything else I eat I kill myself.

Jesus i didnt know you were talking about cattle !!!!!

That's one hell of a freezer you have Jack.

[Jack]

Gidday

Sorry about that mate. I always refer to a cattle animal as beast but a sheep is a sheep what I do kill and do the lot myself.

I normally eat my sheeps hearts fried but they are a bit small to call a steak but with a cattle beast heart it is just bloody beauty as a steak.
But yes I do like stufed heart too unfortunately the wife don't which is good in a way cos I get to eat the lot meself.