SoCal anyone? Looking for organ sources...

[Tuckamukk3]

Haha! Ok. I hate doing it, and it takes forever but I did recently buy some new scrubby brushes for just such experiments. If I do, I will let you know. I like the fact that they are dark meat, and as you say they are so small they seem very species appropriate.

Thank you for all your advice and help! I am actually making Cornish hen today with my newfound goodies - beef brain and heart. It's the first time I've had any non- liver organ so I'm kind of stoked about that.

Take care,
Beth

 

[Box of Rain]

Haha! Ok. I hate doing it, and it takes forever but I did recently buy some new scrubby brushes for just such experiments. If I do, I will let you know. I like the fact that they are dark meat, and as you say they are so small they seem very species appropriate.

Thank you for all your advice and help! I am actually making Cornish hen today with my newfound goodies - beef brain and heart. It's the first time I've had any non- liver organ so I'm kind of stoked about that.

Take care,
Beth

I hope your cat appreciates it. Desmond is a total foodie. Chester (our Vizsla dog) is too. Their high enthusiasm at meal times is a nice incentive to balance the time involved. And the results show in their fabulous conditions. No regrets about this path.

Kidney (beef) is typically an easy score at markets, so I feed it pretty regularly as an alternate "secreting organ" to liver.

Good to "meet" you Beth.

Bill

 

[furmonster mom]

… my newfound goodies - beef brain and heart.

Where did you get your beef brain?

Here in Las Vegas, I’ve been able to get a good variety from the Asian/Mexican markets.
I have incorporated frozen pork brains in my blends for years, but since covid I can’t seem to get them anywhere.
I got lucky last year, and found a case online, but now it’s time to replenish and I can’t find them anywhere. Beef brains might work just as well.

 

[Box of Rain]

Where did you get your beef brain?

Here in Las Vegas, I’ve been able to get a good variety from the Asian/Mexican markets.
I have incorporated frozen pork brains in my blends for years, but since covid I can’t seem to get them anywhere.
I got lucky last year, and found a case online, but now it’s time to replenish and I can’t find them anywhere. Beef brains might work just as well.

In a Mexican market, ask for "sesos."

Bill

 

[furmonster mom]

In a Mexican market, ask for "sesos."

Bill

lol
It’s tricky when I use the Spanish words for things at the Mexican market, because sometimes they will instantly start talking to me in Spanish, and I don’t actually speak it. But I have had some good interactions with the managers, so I’ll give it a try.

Should I specify “de res” or “cerdo”?

 

[Box of Rain]

lol
It’s tricky when I use the Spanish words for things at the Mexican market, because sometimes they will instantly start talking to me in Spanish, and I don’t actually speak it. But I have had some good interactions with the managers, so I’ll give it a try.

Should I specify “de res” or “cerdo”?

I think our markets generally have beef, but...

Bill

 

[Tuckamukk3]

Where did you get your beef brain?

Hi! I found the beef brain at a little carniceria (called El Ranchito Carniceria in Hesperia in case you're ever in the area - I know we get a lot of to and from Vegas traffic here). I also recently found that one of our mexican markets, Vallarta carries beef kidneys and sweetbreads {Box of Rain, don't know if you have a Vallarta near you... I think you were looking for sweetbreads}. I found even my local Stater Bros. up here has beef kidney I had just never noticed before. I have the opposite situation as you - I can find only beef organs where I live but no other animal organs (other than chicken livers of course). If you're looking to buy a large amount you might even find a place that's willing to order some for you, but I would do what Box of Rain suggested, and search for smaller carnicerias and meat markets too, and independent butchers if you haven't asked them already.

Good luck,
Beth

 

[Box of Rain]

Hi! I found the beef brain at a little carniceria (called El Ranchito Carniceria in Hesperia in case you're ever in the area - I know we get a lot of to and from Vegas traffic here). I also recently found that one of our mexican markets, Vallarta carries beef kidneys and sweetbreads {Box of Rain, don't know if you have a Vallarta near you... I think you were looking for sweetbreads}. I found even my local Stater Bros. up here has beef kidney I had just never noticed before. I have the opposite situation as you - I can find only beef organs where I live but no other animal organs (other than chicken livers of course). If you're looking to buy a large amount you might even find a place that's willing to order some for you, but I would do what Box of Rain suggested, and search for smaller carnicerias and meat markets too, and independent butchers if you haven't asked them already.

Good luck,
Beth

We do have Vallarta markets that are reasonably nearby. The closest one closed, but I'd travel for sweetbreads. Thanks for the mention!

Bill

 

[Tuckamukk3]

We do have Vallarta markets that are reasonably nearby. The closest one closed, but I'd travel for sweetbreads. Thanks for the mention!

Bill

You're welcome! I did visit el Super btw, but Vallarta seemed to have everything that El Super had and more. I didn't find any novel organs at El Super, just novel animal parts - pig feet, cow tongues and lips, stuff like that. But all at Vallarta too (which seemed to have slightly better prices).

 

[Box of Rain]

You're welcome! I did visit el Super btw, but Vallarta seemed to have everything that El Super had and more. I didn't find any novel organs at El Super, just novel animal parts - pig feet, cow tongues and lips, stuff like that. But all at Vallarta too (which seemed to have slightly better prices).

The price of beef tongue is finally coming down. Still high at $6.99 lb at Super King. Used to be so cheap. But it has been at least $12.99 here in recent times.

Beef tongue is a fairly good taurine source, but there are less expensive options (and I'm frugal).

Bill

 

[Tuckamukk3]

I didnt know that about beef tongue, but yeah, it is kind of pricey. I read somewhere online (and I think I saw you mention in an old post somewhere) that turkey thighs are pretty good taurine - wise, and I can always find turkey thighs at Winco.

 

[Box of Rain]

I didnt know that about beef tongue, but yeah, it is kind of pricey. I read somewhere online (and I think I saw you mention in an old post somewhere) that turkey thighs are pretty good taurine - wise, and I can always find turkey thighs at Winco.

Yes, dark meat turkey is an excellent source of taurine. Thighs and legs. It is a mainstay of Desmond's diet. Unfortunately, my favorite market (Super King) is very spotty about stocking turkey--mostly not. So my wife hits Jon's (which almost always has it).

I'd probably buy a little beef tongue, if I could get a small piece. But it is a whole one, or nothing around here.

Bill


Bill

 

[sophie1]

Tuckamuck, sounds like you're in great shape with the options you've already found. Second the frozen quail for edible bone. Do any of your local stores carry Cornish hens? They're a bit pricey, but most of those bones are edible. So are the ribs in whole chicken breasts, if you buy them for yourself you can save the bone portion for your cats.

Note, beef heart likely has more taurine than chicken hearts, so not sure where you got your information. There should be plenty of taurine in any dark meat, well used muscle like tongue & heart. I think that's only been shown to be a problem in cats fed a diet of 100% ground & frozen rabbit, but if you want some inexpensive extra insurance, buy taurine powder online and sprinkle some on the food every so often.

 

[Tuckamukk3]

Tuckamuck, sounds like you're in great shape with the options you've already found. Second the frozen quail for edible bone. Do any of your local stores carry Cornish hens? They're a bit pricey, but most of those bones are edible. So are the ribs in whole chicken breasts, if you buy them for yourself you can save the bone portion for your cats.

Note, beef heart likely has more taurine than chicken hearts, so not sure where you got your information. There should be plenty of taurine in any dark meat, well used muscle like tongue & heart. I think that's only been shown to be a problem in cats fed a diet of 100% ground & frozen rabbit, but if you want some inexpensive extra insurance, buy taurine powder online and sprinkle some on the food every so often.

Hi, thanks for the reply Sophie1. I'll have to look up the taurine in Chicken/beef hearts again. I've only recently stepped up my research on this stuff, and I do supplement with extra taurine, probably more than necessary since I switched to using the feline-nutrition.org recipe as a base (with some minor adjustments). I used to use Alnutrin but switched recently due to price increase. Eventually maybe I can figure out taurine supplementation more accurately but in the meantime I don't think they can be overdosed.

I've actually made Cornish hen batches for years, and yes lots of edible bone in there. Funny enough, just last night I found out that they are actually just a variety of fast growing young chickens. I had no idea! So nutritionally they're probably not very different than chicken, right? They are leaner apparently. Though at least one of my cats definitely has a preference for them over chickens.
I think I also have those little frozen quail available here, I just haven't bought any yet.

 

[furmonster mom]

I found some brains!

After not carrying them for a few years, the Asian market I go to actually had about 2 cases worth stocked in their freezer.
I am not ashamed to say I was a bit greedy and took about half the inventory. It should last me about 8 months… if my math holds up.

 

[Tuckamukk3]

I found some brains!

After not carrying them for a few years, the Asian market I go to actually had about 2 cases worth stocked in their freezer.
I am not ashamed to say I was a bit greedy and took about half the inventory. It should last me about 8 months… if my math holds up.

Great! Maybe your buying half the inventory will encourage them to keep it in stock more.