Meat the Unexpected: Eat Fearlessly

Tatanka: It's What's for Dinner

I was going through the motions on my routine trip to the grocery store when I found myself in an unfamiliar area of the meat department.  Wrapped up in my audiobook, I guess I had wandered off my usual path, and as I came to, I realized that the styrofoam tray wrapped in cellophane I was holding looked a little different than the ones I was used to.  This wasn’t a ribeye.   It was beef heart, and for whatever reason, I didn't just put it down.  Memories of a movie I had seen years ago came to mind.  It was Dances with Wolves, and there was a scene where, right after killing a buffalo, a proud Native American warrior cut into the beast laid out on the plains.  He reached inside the buffalo and pulled out the heart and offered it to Kevin Costner, but not before taking a victorious bite.  It was ritualistic, and it meant something. More than just a turning point in the film plot, it was a glimpse into a world I knew almost nothing about -- “Tatanka,”  indeed. 

I am aware that this was just a movie and the actors portraying the warriors weren't really eating a buffalo heart, but only 150 years ago, this practice would have been commonplace.  Has that much changed in our human digestive biology over the last 150 years?  In a way, isn't raw beef heart just mammal sushi?

I knew right then I needed to buy that beef heart, take it home, and eat it—but not before cooking it to the USDA-recommended temperature to eliminate harmful bacteria, particularly dangerous pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella.    No point in disregarding decades of food science knowledge on this journey; our digestive biology might not have changed that much in 150 years, but our experience and knowledge of dietary distress has!

Having said that, millions of people every day have diets that don’t look like mine, and they’re doing just fine – thriving, in fact.   So why not get out of my comfort zone and try eating some different sources of protein?  In addition to the culinary adventure, it turns out there are other amazing benefits as well.  

What Am I, Chopped Liver?

Like most Americans, I've noticed my grocery bills creeping a little higher than I'm comfortable with.  Whether it is the price of eggs or beef, my dietary dollar isn’t going as far as it used to.  Well, when it comes to bargains, you can't get any better than beef liver.  Not only is it widely regarded as one of the most nutritious parts of the animal, but it is also one of the cheapest.  Liver has a distinct taste and can take a little more practice to cook just right, but there's a reason some people absolutely love liver and onions.  Ask any octogenarian in the Harris County area, and they'll tell you universally that Luby's makes the best liver and onions.  I haven't had the chance to test that theory, but I've definitely tried cooking it myself.  The simple starter recipe I used came from ChatGPT. 

Ingredients (2 servings)

• ½–1 lb beef liver 
• 1 large onion 
• 2–3 tbsp oil or butter 
• Salt 
• Black pepper 

Steps 

Prep 

1. Slice liver into thin pieces (about ¼ inch). 
2. Slice onion into thin strips. 
3. Lightly season the liver with salt and pepper. 

Cook the onions 

1. Heat 1–2 tbsp oil or butter in a pan over medium heat. 
2. Add onions and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly browned (about 5–8 minutes). 
3. Push onions to the side of the pan. 

Cook the liver 

1. Add remaining oil/butter if the pan is dry. 
2. Lay liver slices in the pan in a single layer. 
3. Cook 1–2 minutes per side—just until browned. Do not overcook. 

Finish 

1. Mix onions and liver together. 
2. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. 
3. Serve immediately.

 The most important part of this process is to not overcook it.  I think that's where I need a little experience: I didn't love the meal, but it was definitely edible.  According to those in the know, beef liver is extremely nutrient-dense, with high levels of vitamin A, B12, iron, zinc, and choline.  All of that combined increases your energy, brain function, and red blood cell production.  That, and the fact that liver is about one-third to one-fourth the cost per pound of premium cuts of beef like ribeye, makes it worth the practice to get better at cooking it.  Can you taste the savings? 

Don't be Chicken. Have a Heart.

Just like my grocery bill, my waistline has also seen an unwelcome increase in recent years.  One approach to both issues is to take a closer look at leaner sources of protein, such as chicken or beef hearts.  The even better news is that I tried both and was really surprised by how tasty they were.  Both beef and chicken hearts are lean, nutrient-dense, high-protein alternatives to other cuts of the animal.  Additionally, neither of these organs has any distinguishing taste differences from other cuts of meat from the same animal.   

I cooked chicken hearts in a skillet on the stove and served them with rice. Although they had a slightly different texture, they tasted "just like chicken."   Beef heart, however, requires a bit more prep time.  You will need to trim the fat from the heart, then slice it into thin strips.  Don’t think you need butcher-level skills for this; I got it done in no time with a cheap, marginally-sharp kitchen knife.  Once cooked, it tasted just like a lean ribeye or a T-bone. Chef’s kiss! 

Chicken, beef, and pork are what most people are used to seeing at their local grocery stores in Harris County, but in addition to the common cuts of these animals, here are some lesser-used and known parts that you might want to experiment with at your dinner table. 

Science Doesn't Care about your "Ick" Factor

You probably noticed the quotation marks I put around the phrase “Less Known” above, and I want to point out that this classification is totally subjective.  Depending on where and how you grew up, some of those names might sound as familiar as sirloin and prime rib are to me.  And that brings me to my next--and possibly the biggest lesson I’ve learned so far. 

Many of the types of protein I've listed might get a turned-up nose or pursed lips at the very least if brought up in some social circles, but in others, just the mention of one of these  “alternative meats” will be met with smiles and the look of someone fondly remembering a dish their grandmother made on special occasions.  There is an absolute truth in the science of what these cuts are and are not.  We can measure nutrients, vitamins, and calories with high accuracy, so deciding on the health benefits (or deficits) is easy, but understanding the popularity or cultural significance of the very same protein sources is an entirely different story.   

To me, that’s where the adventure begins.  Why not try to eat outside your comfort zone and venture into the exotic?  It’s not so hard when you realize that it might be just another completely boring meal in another household--maybe not far from where you live. 

It pays to keep in mind that the technology on everyone's phone can answer any question you might have in those unfamiliar sections of the grocery store. I mentioned ChatGPT was the source of the liver and onions recipe above, but I have used most of the available free large-language-model AI in the grocery store.  It’s so easy to see something I’m not familiar with and just ask my phone how healthy it is and how it is cooked.   

That Meat has Game

One last note about different animals – I know I’ve been spending a lot of time on beef and chicken, but I want to point out that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to meat protein. Here is just a small list of some (slightly less) common meat sources. Turkey, Lamb, Goat (Chevon/Cabrito), Bison/Buffalo, Rabbit, Duck. 

And that doesn’t even include these “game” animals.  You might need to look a little harder for these or shop online, but they are all available and just waiting to join you at the dinner table. 

Let me know if you have experience cooking or eating any type of “alternative” meat.  I will always love a good ribeye steak, but armed with all these options, I’m looking forward to staying outside of my comfort zone for a while. 

Odd Bits

The Complete Nose to Tail

The Carnivore Code Cookbook

Great Meat

The MeatEater Fish & Game Cookbook

The Wild Game Instant Pot Cookbook

The Modern Huntsman Cookbook

The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game