'Sweetbreads'

[mschauer]

Sweetbreads are pretty readily available to me and I'd like to add them to my furries raw diet but I'd like to know exactly what it is that I'd be adding. Every online definition for sweetbreads says that it can be either thymus or pancreas with conflicting information on which it is more likely to be. One will say it is usually thymus. Another will say it is usually pancreas.

I've looked for online photos and best as I can tell from them pancreas is more firm and has lobes. Thymus seems to be "squishier" in texture. Distinguishing between them is further complicated by the fact that in packages they are usually sliced or cut up in some manner so the original size and shape is lost.

Can anyone tell me how to visually tell one from the other even if it is in pieces? I *think* if I can see definite lobes that it must be pancreas but I'm not sure.

 

[ldg]

I can't. :lol3: Where are they being sold? Perhaps someone there can answer????

 

[mschauer]

They're available at various grocery stores. I could ask the butcher but I suspect they wouldn't know. I think they get most things already packaged and labeled for sale or else they get a container of "sweetbreads" and repackage them. Wouldn't hurt to ask though. 

I'm surprised they aren't clearly labelled as what they actually are. I would think it would make a difference to anyone buying them for human consumption. 

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

that's odd..I always thought they were brains

.  Not that I ever thought about serving them, or even ever went looking for them

 

[vball91]

How interesting. I've never seen sweetbreads in a store.

I did find this:

"The rounder pancreas gland near the heart is more prized than the tubular thymus throat gland."

Plus, there are pictures on this site, and if I'm reading it right, on the left is the thymus and on the right is the pancreas.

http://www.cheftalk.com/a/how-to-cook-sweetbreads-the-supreme-offal

If they're already in pieces though, I don't know how you would easily tell the difference.

 

[mschauer]

How interesting. I've never seen sweetbreads in a store.

Houston is pretty ethnically diverse. We have large Hispanic, Asian and Middle Eastern populations and they all eat strange things!  Well, strange by my standards anyway. 

I did find this:

"The rounder pancreas gland near the heart is more prized than the tubular thymus throat gland."

Plus, there are pictures on this site, and if I'm reading it right, on the left is the thymus and on the right is the pancreas.

http://www.cheftalk.com/a/how-to-cook-sweetbreads-the-supreme-offal

If they're already in pieces though, I don't know how you would easily tell the difference.

Thanks! Those are the best pictures I've seen. In the store they're cut into fairly large pieces. Looking at those pictures I'm pretty sure that what I bought last weekend was pancreas. The pieces were too wide to be thymus I think. What I've seen at other times though didn't look much like that thymus. 

 

[mschauer]

that's odd..I always thought they were brains

.  Not that I ever thought about serving them, or even ever went looking for them

Nope, not brains. I can get lamb brains at a nearby Middle Eastern market though. I think I'm going to start adding them also. Good source of DHA and DPA omega-3's! I was using sardines for the omega 3's but one of my cats may be sensitive to fish so I've stopped added them.