A customer at my shop in Spokane asked me why we don't sell more offal

This guy, named Mark, came in yesterday and was really interested in the lamb hearts and kidneys. He said he grew up eating that stuff and it's a shame more places don't push it. It got me thinking... we only ever put out liver and maybe some tongue. What's the best way you've found to get people to try the less common bits? I've got a freezer full of good stuff going to waste.

3 comments

3 Comments

casey8434mo ago

Have you considered that maybe most people just don't want to eat organs? I know some folks love it, but the ick factor is real for a lot of us. It seems like a tough sell unless someone already has that taste.

jones.angela2mo ago

and honestly the whole "ick factor" thing is kinda overblown if you ask me lol. i grew up in a house where we had liver once a week and i hated it until my aunt made it with caramelized onions and a splash of vinegar. totally different dish. the real problem is nobody learns how to cook them right anymore, they just boil em or fry em into leather and call it a day. my buddy swears by soaking kidneys in milk overnight before cooking, says it kills the gamey taste completely.

julia_jones724mo ago

You said it's a tough sell unless someone already has the taste, casey843, but that's the part I don't agree with. A lot of people just haven't tried it prepared well. The "ick factor" is usually about texture or the idea, not the actual flavor. A good braised heart or a crispy fried liver can change minds. It's more about getting past the first bite than needing a special taste for it.