I don't have a dilema about being an omnivore - I am one and intend to continue at least for now. But I've got a couple of dilemas about eating meat.
I've been cooking oxtail and other bony gelatinous soups, and eating the associated meat in stews. But I've got a couple of concerns about it.
1. What I like about oxtails is that they have heaps of gristle that gives lots of gelatine. What doesn't cook off, I chew off. But the oxtails I've been cooking lately give up yellowish liquid fat. Thicker than olive oil unless the olive oil has been in the fridge, but pourable liquid (even after it's been in the fridge). I assume this means a lot of the fat is unsaturated. I guess that's because the cattle are outside in the cold. Could be that some of their supplemental winter feed has more PUFA than they are designed for. So in late summer, early autumn, I'll be interested to see if it firms up. I got some other lamb/mutton bones the other day, and the contrast was stark - the fat on top of the stock was solid and white well before the stock had cooled to room temperature. But those bones don't give me as much gelatin. I got a knee bone (knuckle?) the other week, and it made a fabulously thick stock, but also had liquid fat. I scoop off the fat from the stock (which is tricky when its liquid), so that's OK. But I want to eat the meat too, and it still has quite a bit of fat in it.
So, do you think I'm right that the tail and knee fat is high PUFA?
Has anyone else noticed this effect?
What would you do - keep eating the high gelatine extremities, or go with the low gelatine more saturated fat bones from the torso?
2. As above, I've been cooking soups and stews from well-boiled meaty gelatinous ruminant joints, because i want the more balanced protein that goes with the gristly bits. I also like the taste and find it an easy and tasty way to eat well cooked veges, too. But that means cooking for a while, and usually having the stock and meat waiting around for at least 2-3 days before it's all eaten. Which would probably mean more biogenic amines as a result of the meat breaking down, and those biogenic amines having undesirable effects in my metabolism, right? I'm especially concerned about them messing with my head - migraines.
What do you think? Ids this likely to be a problem? Would I be better off just going with quick fried steak and lamb chops, and following it up with OJ jelly for amino acid balance, for the benefit of less biogenic amines at the cost of less gelatine/glycine etc?
I guess I might just decide that since both ways have pros and cons, I might as well go for variety and taste - I like them all.
Or I could try a month being more rigorous about eating fresher shorter cooked meat, and see if I can notice a difference - but I'm not so keen on that plan.
I've been cooking oxtail and other bony gelatinous soups, and eating the associated meat in stews. But I've got a couple of concerns about it.
1. What I like about oxtails is that they have heaps of gristle that gives lots of gelatine. What doesn't cook off, I chew off. But the oxtails I've been cooking lately give up yellowish liquid fat. Thicker than olive oil unless the olive oil has been in the fridge, but pourable liquid (even after it's been in the fridge). I assume this means a lot of the fat is unsaturated. I guess that's because the cattle are outside in the cold. Could be that some of their supplemental winter feed has more PUFA than they are designed for. So in late summer, early autumn, I'll be interested to see if it firms up. I got some other lamb/mutton bones the other day, and the contrast was stark - the fat on top of the stock was solid and white well before the stock had cooled to room temperature. But those bones don't give me as much gelatin. I got a knee bone (knuckle?) the other week, and it made a fabulously thick stock, but also had liquid fat. I scoop off the fat from the stock (which is tricky when its liquid), so that's OK. But I want to eat the meat too, and it still has quite a bit of fat in it.
So, do you think I'm right that the tail and knee fat is high PUFA?
Has anyone else noticed this effect?
What would you do - keep eating the high gelatine extremities, or go with the low gelatine more saturated fat bones from the torso?
2. As above, I've been cooking soups and stews from well-boiled meaty gelatinous ruminant joints, because i want the more balanced protein that goes with the gristly bits. I also like the taste and find it an easy and tasty way to eat well cooked veges, too. But that means cooking for a while, and usually having the stock and meat waiting around for at least 2-3 days before it's all eaten. Which would probably mean more biogenic amines as a result of the meat breaking down, and those biogenic amines having undesirable effects in my metabolism, right? I'm especially concerned about them messing with my head - migraines.
What do you think? Ids this likely to be a problem? Would I be better off just going with quick fried steak and lamb chops, and following it up with OJ jelly for amino acid balance, for the benefit of less biogenic amines at the cost of less gelatine/glycine etc?
I guess I might just decide that since both ways have pros and cons, I might as well go for variety and taste - I like them all.
Or I could try a month being more rigorous about eating fresher shorter cooked meat, and see if I can notice a difference - but I'm not so keen on that plan.