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Nose to Tail: Forgotten Delicacies are Taking over Restaurants

‘Nose to Tail’ refers to the entire animal from head to toe. Specifically it means the most comprehensive consumption of the edible parts of an animal. In other words: Not only fine cuts such as fillet or sirloin steak end up on the plate, but also less popular parts that are no less tasty.

What do feet, brain and stomach have in common? They are rarely found in restaurants or domestic kitchens in Western Europe (at least on the menu). But it was not always like that: Before meat and even prime cuts became affordable for practically everyone, it was common to use as many edible parts as possible, even if it required more laborious preparation compared to chops or roasts.

Before meat and even prime cuts became affordable for practically everyone, it was common to use as many edible parts as possible.

But maybe things are about to change again. The ‘Nose to Tail’ principle is currently gaining popularity. The term was coined by the British cookbook of the same name by Fergus Henderson. First published in 1999 and reissued in 2004, the work describes the preparation of various parts of the pig – and touches a nerve.

More than ‘just’ meat

The ‘whole animal consumption’ approach is in line with the sustainability trend, which concerns end consumers and restaurant operators alike (More about it here: Let’s talk about sustainability: METRO’s international survey on sustainability).

And it fits right in with the high-end gastronomy: As a ‘culinary philosophy’, Nose to Tail ultimately aims to prepare special, often forgotten products as tasty delicacies. Because there is more to the animal (and in it) than ‘just’ the popular muscle meat. What exactly? A selection.

Beef:

1: Tongue
2: Cheek
3: Chuck, neck, throat
4: Chuck roll, bone-in chuck
5: Roast beef
6: Fillet Mignon
7: Rump
8: Silverside, top round
9: Flank, thick flank, round of thick flank
10: Skirt steak, belly
11: Flank, short ribs
12: Brisket, brisket point, centre cut brisket
13: Shoulder, picnic shoulder, blade steak
14: Anterior and posterior shank
15: Tail
16: Liver
17: Chopped meat
18: Udder
19: Lung
20: Heart
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Pork:

1: Head
2: Tongue
3: Brain
4: Neck, neck of pork
5: Pork loin
6: Pork chop
7: Leg roast (rump)
8: Back fat
9: Pork belly
10: Brisket
11: Cheek
12: Picnic shoulder, shoulder
13: Hock, ham hock
14: Ham, silverside, top round
15: Fillet Mignon
16: Tail
17: Stomach
18: Pork rind
19: Liver
20: Heart

Venison:

1: Joint
2: Back
3: Belly
4: Fillet Mignon
5: Blade steak
6: Neck, brisket
7: Heart
8: Liver
9: Kidney
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Chicken:

1: Neck
2: Brisket
3: Wings
4: Back
5: Thigh, drumstick
6: Heart
7: Carcass
8: Stomach
9: Liver
10: Feet

However, watch out:

People with certain pre-existing conditions or risk groups may need to take precautions before consuming offal and limit their intake. For example, some animal organs may contain elevated levels of cholesterol or vitamin A. Offal from wild animals can also be contaminated with heavy metals or other pollutants. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety therefore advises to limit consumption of offal of all wild animal species, i.e. only every two to three weeks.

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