The Free Ingredient that Comes with Your Meat

I can't believe I've been missing out on this all these years. It's full of nourishing ingredients and ...

All my life. . . I never knew.

It something our ancestors had ahold of, but I honestly never knew about this until I started the GAPS diet. And I think it’s genius.

So let me inform you: there is a free side dish – more like a condiment – that comes with the meat you purchase.

You never knew either? Now I don’t feel so bad. 😉

So here’s the deal.

You know when you roast a chicken, or roast beef/pork, or any kind of meat, there’s all these funny pieces left behind that nobody in their right mind is going to eat? Gristle, cartilage, sometimes organs like liver, kidneys, and hearts, and sometimes really slimy chicken skin. You know all that stuff?

Well, that disgusting-looking stuff is your ticket to taste bud paradise.

And bonus: all that stuff is really super-healthy and nourishing for your body.

Yes, you did read that right! Chicken skin! Fat! Organs! All of it!

What, you don’t believe me?

Contents

Animal Parts are Healthy

Our great-grandmothers and earlier ancestors had it right: use as much of the animal as you can. They would not let anything go to waste. Why have we wandered so far from that truth? They knew something that we don’t. Our bodies benefit from all those organs, skin, and bones.

Let’s take for example, liver.

Quoted from the Weston A. Price Foundation,

So what makes liver so wonderful? Quite simply, it contains more nutrients, gram for gram, than any other food. In summary, liver provides:

  • An excellent source of high-quality protein
  • Nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A
  • All the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12
  • One of our best sources of folic acid
  • A highly usable form of iron
  • Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium; liver is our best source of copper
  • An unidentified anti-fatigue factor
  • CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
  • A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA.

The article continues with other benefits. But that’s just liver. The other parts that you will be consuming are full of silica, vitamins A, D, E, and K, and B12, and so much more.

And here is more information, if you’re interested:

Principles of Healthy Diets – the myths vs. facts section is really fascinating

Meat, Organs Bones, and Skin – and their relationship to mental health

The Skinny on Saturated Fat

Saturated Fats are Good for You – and limiting them can be detrimental to your health

How to Eat More Organ Meats

What is the free ingredient?

So what is the free ingredient that comes with your meat? I thought you’d never ask.

Simply put, gravy. Not just any gravy – the tastiest and most nourishing gravy you’ve ever tried.

It’s so easy. And it makes such a delicious topping for your meat dishes. I dare you to try it. If you really get into it and consume it consistently, you’ll start feeling the difference in your body. Hair, skin, nails, and so much more. The skin on my face is the softest it’s ever been. All that collagen from my gravy! And it’s FREE with your meat. No expensive facial creams here.

I’ll show you how we do it here in our casa.

Nourishing Gravy – a Meat Freebie

I can't believe I've been missing out on this all these years. It's full of nourishing ingredients and ...

by Danielle

Ingredients

  • All the parts leftover from your roasted/boiled meat: skin, organ meats, soft cartilage, FAT, you name it. If it is somewhat soft and can be blended (not the bones!) then add it – Consider purchasing meat with bones and skin instead of boneless, skinless. There are far more nutrients to nourish your body and the meat is usually cheaper. Win/win.
  • 1 cup or more of the broth that formed when you cooked the meat
  • 2 tablespoons or more of ghee – You can also use butter, duck fat, or tallow, but ghee or butter will bring the best flavor. The more I add, the better it tastes.
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper or more to taste
  • If you are able, some seasoning salt can also bring a great flavor. If you’re on GAPS, make sure you’re at the correct stage and that it’s GAPS-legal

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Collect all the soft tissue parts from your meat as described above. Make double sure there are no bones. You don’t want bones in your gravy or wrecking your immersion blender. Please include any liver or other organ meats when collecting the pieces – they are a valuable asset to your health and you will not be able to taste them. Be brave!
  2. Combine all the ingredients into mason jar and blend on high with an immersion blender. About 30 seconds is usually good.
  3. Serve. Yep. It really is that easy.

Notes

This recipe does not have to be followed exactly. These are just estimations. My gravy never turns out the same way twice. And that is perfectly fine! You can add more fat, and add more broth if you want it thinner or want it to go farther at your meal. Season it to your taste. I always add lots of salt and pepper and it just tastes so good. You could add tomato powder as well.

And bonus for you if you are roasting a duck or chicken – the skin makes the gravy taste like fried chicken skin. Sooo delicious.

Did I mention healthy? 😀 Try it and and let me know what you think.

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I can't believe I've been missing out on this all these years. It's full of nourishing ingredients and ...

Peace, love, and gravy,

Dandy

15 thoughts on “The Free Ingredient that Comes with Your Meat”

  1. Oh thank you! I never could get the hang of making gravy, & I’m in my fifties now! I can’t wait to try this, I guess I’ll be roasting another turkey soon

    Reply
  2. I usually throw all that in with my bones to make bone broth (stock). But I love gravy and I may have to try this to get in the organ meats in my diet.

    Reply
  3. Wow! I just made this gravy and it is delicious! So easy and so tasty… and its packed with good nutrients! I’m thrilled to have found this recipe… not only is the ‘Creamy Chicken’ recipe for crockpot chicken from your website a huge timesaver and creates the most tender chicken, now I don’t have to waste any part of the whole chicken! Thank you Dandy!!!

    Reply
  4. My mom comes from Puerto Rico and there everything is used from the animals, my mother-in-law is Mexican and she does the same as so do I I am glad you are posting this. It also saves you money. Like my grandmother used to say waste not want not.

    Reply

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