Soaking Chicken Liver in Milk - Bye-Bye Toxins?

[shel]

A little searching on the net has brought up numerous recipes in which chicken livers are soaked in milk and then the milk is discarded. I have a vague recollection of hearing someone say that the soaking helps rid the liver of impurities and toxins. IMO, that's a very good thing. Is this true? I never heard of it before this week.

If it's true, does anyone have an idea of the science behind it - how does the milk remove the toxins?

Shel

[Suzanne]

It doesn't. It removes any residual blood, and some possible off-smells.

The only way to rid a liver of toxins is to not put any into it in the first place, imo. That's why I prefer birds raised without antibiotics, etc. (themselves or in their feed).

[Chad Aaland]

I've heard of people soaking fish in milk as well to remove the fishy smell. If you're using good quality fish or poultry though you shouldn't have to do anything like this.

[panini]

I have soaked items that may have a gamey taste in milk as long as I can remember. fresh killed duck, pheasant, boar, (livers), fish with a blood strap(striper, cod, bluefish).etc.
I don't mind this flavor but my family likes the flavor toned down.

[shel]

Originally Posted by Suzanne

The only way to rid a liver of toxins is to not put any into it in the first place, imo. That's why I prefer birds raised without antibiotics, etc. (themselves or in their feed).

The only chicken livers I get are from organically raised chickens. I'll have to see what soaking does to their flavor amd taste.

I don't eat chicken liver but I do supplement my cats' diet with them, and I'm very careful about what they are fed.

Thanks all,
Shel

[panini]

Shel,
Your cats! Chicken liver, egg yolks? are they on some sort of maintanance or are you mending something?
The vet told me yesterday that our beagles are getting close to obese. We don't think we over feed and they usually fatten up in the winter but it does concern me.

[shel]

Originally Posted by panini

Shel,
Your cats! Chicken liver, egg yolks? are they on some sort of maintanance or are you mending something?
The vet told me yesterday that our beagles are getting close to obese. We don't think we over feed and they usually fatten up in the winter but it does concern me.

I feed them a raw food diet - have been doing so for years - and am always looking for ways to improve things for them and make the food they eat better and healthier. You can find out a little about their diet and why they're fed the way they are at this site: http://www.felinefuture.com/

Although I don't buy the Feline mix too often, preferring to make my own food for the furries, the information on the site is very good. If you're interested, I'd be glad to discuss it further. There are similar sites for dogs as well.

Shel

[shel]

Originally Posted by Chad Aaland

I've heard of people soaking fish in milk as well to remove the fishy smell. If you're using good quality fish or poultry though you shouldn't have to do anything like this.

I've heard of this being done with anchovies. Supposedly it helps to reduce the saltiness and mellow the flavor. I've not tried it yet, but maybe I will later today.

Shel

[deltadoc]

Concerning liver in general, in the medical business, a liver is considered "a cesspool of organic compounds". It's job, besides creating bile, is to break down toxins in the body.

So, I basically never eat it because of that, and I've never been fond of the taste of liver anyway. (maybe cause my mother used to serve liver and onions, and the smell alone turned me off my food!).

doc

[Blueicus]

I've heard that the tamale of the lobster contains a lot of toxins (since its function is basically like that of the liver) and of course foie gras is liver, but it's so good that I won't be able to stop eating it .

[muscat]

Originally Posted by shel

I feed them a raw food diet - have been doing so for years - and am always looking for ways to improve things for them and make the food they eat better and healthier. You can find out a little about their diet and why they're fed the way they are at this site:

Although I don't buy the Feline mix too often, preferring to make my own food for the furries, the information on the site is very good. If you're interested, I'd be glad to discuss it further. There are similar sites for dogs as well.

Shel

I have to counter this comment with the other side of the story. Very few veterinarians recommend raw diets, and unless you are raising your own livestock to make that raw diet, on your own land, there are plenty of organisms that are likely to be dangerous to your cat or dog.

[shel]

Originally Posted by muscat

I have to counter this comment with the other side of the story. Very few veterinarians recommend raw diets, and unless you are raising your own livestock to make that raw diet, on your own land, there are plenty of organisms that are likely to be dangerous to your cat or dog.

I won't even bother to rebut this argument ... let's just say that cats have been eating raw food for thousands of years, and it's only recently that they have been fed prepared cooked diets made by pet food companies, and thise foods are full of chemicals and crap that offer little or no nutritive value for the cat, although they are very convenient for the owners and the quite profitable for the companies that make the food, which often includes garbage and waste from meat packing plants run by companies that are also selling us crap meat and poultry.

BTW, I am in the animal care business and have been seriously studying feline (and to a lesser extent, canine) nutrition and health for more than fifteen years, working with veterinarians in various parts of the world and at times with the veterinary department at UC Davis.

Let's just agree to disagree, as this is not the forum for an argument about feline nutrition, and it may not be the best place to discuss the poor quality of food that many people are buying and eating for themselves

Kind regards,

Shel

[muscat]

Originally Posted by shel

I won't even bother to rebut this argument ... let's just say that cats have been eating raw food for thousands of years, and it's only recently that they have been fed prepared cooked diets made by pet food companies, and thise foods are full of chemicals and crap that offer little or no nutritive value for the cat, although they are very convenient for the owners and the quite profitable for the companies that make the food, which often includes garbage and waste from meat packing plants run by companies that are also selling us crap meat and poultry.

BTW, I am in the animal care business and have been seriously studying feline (and to a lesser extent, canine) nutrition and health for more than fifteen years, working with veterinarians in various parts of the world and at times with the veterinary department at UC Davis.

Let's just agree to disagree, as this is not the forum for an argument about feline nutrition, and it may not be the best place to discuss the poor quality of food that many people are buying and eating for themselves

Kind regards,

Shel

Fine- we can agree to disagree, and we certainly do, but I'm qualified by my DVM degree to have an informed opinion too. Granted, cats are carnivores, and eating whole raw foods would more closely simulate what your pet's ancestors ate. But packaged raw meat at the grocery store is not the same as fresh game killed in its natural environment. While it is possible for people to feed healthy raw diets to their pets, most people are not going to take the care needed for it to be healthy for themselves and their furred friends. I looked at the web page you referred, and found a number of errors and small misinformations, and I'd hate others to be mislead.

If nothing else, our clear disagreement will hopefully at least encourage others to thoroughly research before jumping on what to me is the latest pet food fad.

I appologize for the thread hijack, but I felt that your first post needed, as I said, the other side of the story.

[kuan]

I've always soaked livers in ice water to remove blood.

Sweetbreads in milk, live mudbugs in milk too so they poop.

[MuskyHopeful]

Originally Posted by kuan

live mudbugs in milk too so they poop.

Cool. How long? They don't start dying?

Anchovies on pizza tomorrow. My dough is rising in the fridge. I've never soaked them before but I'm going to try it.

Kevin

Muskies anyone?