Using the Whole Animal

For me there is a responsibility inherent in the taking of a life. Or, at least this is what I tell myself. While I do not feel the need to “use” the chipmunks that are killed in defense of my garden and the structural integrity of my home, nor do I feel compelled to save up all of the bugs I’ve killed until I have enough for a stir fry, I really do feel like, when I go out and hunt and kill an animal, I have an obligation to do my very best to make use of as much of that animal as I can.

In my effort to make this possible I am learning older ways of cooking. I am slowly working my way back in time, following the traditions of hunters who came before me. It wasn’t that long ago {and, many hunters still do} that is was very common to keep some internal organs; the bones, heart & liver, parts generally referred to as offal: the entrails and internal organs of an animal used as food. The practice of saving and eating these parts of the animal existed in my parents generation and to some small degree in mine, so I did not have to go very far back to find out about how to exercise this in my own life.

For further uses of the animal (kidneys, tongue, brain, skin, feathers, hooves, etc…) I am looking farther back, hoping to find information about how to utilize other parts that I am less familiar with. I am learning ways to utilize the feathers from a turkey, and the skin and various bones from other animals. I am hoping to gather much more information about this as I learn to hunt a greater diversity of animals..

It is my goal to see that no part of any animal I kill go into a landfill.

Some of the turkey feather earrings I made from my spring bird

When I harvested my first animal, a turkey, this spring I took special care to reserve the heart & liver for what would be the very first meal I would have from this bird, WIld Turkey Offal Rice. I am saddened now, when I realize that I unknowingly, buried the gizzard along with the intestines and lungs, out in the field. I would very much have liked to eat that as well, but this is a learning journey and mistakes are to be expected, they are how we learn best. I used a number of the feathers to make jewelry for friends and family. I am also fortunate to have friends that know how to make arrow fletching from the wing feathers and who needed a wing for traditional, spiritual offerings. I am still learning ways that I can use these feathers. My family has enjoyed several meals from the meat and the bones provided a rich golden stock that has been canned and stored on the larder shelves for another day. I plan to post recipes for the way we used each part of the bird in subsequent posts, but here I will share my recipe for Turkey Offal Rice. A delicious, warming meal best prepared the evening of your harvest, or the following day.

Wild Turkey Offal Rice:

    - Turkey Offal (heart, liver, gizzard, etc) cut into small pieces

    - 1 medium to large Onion

    - 2-3 Tbs Fat: oil, butter, bacon fat (the amount depends on the amount of offal used)

    - Salt and Pepper to taste

    - 2 cups Rice (I prefer a wild rice, brown rice mix)

    - 2 cups Chicken or Turkey Stock

    - 2 cups Water

Rinse rice and place into rice cooker. Add stock to rice cooker. Add enough water to bring up to the level as indicated on rice cooker for 2cups of rice.

Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Chop onion into fine dice. Add oil to pan. Add Onions to pan and cook until translucent. Add offal to pan, season with salt and pepper and and turn heat to med-high, cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through. Turn off and set aside.

Once the rice is finished cooking, turn heat in skillet back up and slowly add rice, stirring to incorporate until you feel you have reached a nice balance between rice and meat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!