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Respect the beast and go for the offal, too

Jared Ingersoll

There's more to the beast than meets the eye fillet, so respect the animal and go for the lot.

A whole animal has endless opportunities for a delicious meal. Rump. Ribs. Liver. Shoulder. Kidneys. Fillets. Skin. Bone.

See what I did? Yup, I threw offal among the other cuts. Why? Because we have forgotten that offal is meat.

Beef rump is beloved for good reason. It tends to have more texture and flavour than beef fillet. But if you want texture and flavour, try offal.

Some might be a bit squeamish about tongue. Fair enough. But why are you so happy to chew on the ''business end'' of the beast?

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Offal is the black sheep of the meat family, but if you are willing to reach out and give offal a bit of love, it can turn into a delicious meal. Anything from time-consuming terrines and paˆte´s to simple and super-fast lamb's fry with buttery onions, a splash of balsamic and a touch of rosemary.

Every successful meal can be divided into two parts: one part good recipe and the other good produce. A great offal dish is no exception. Go to your butcher, ask for help choosing fresh, delicious offal, and give it a go.

I find the best way to get offal into people's mouths is to obscure the truth a little. When they ask, ''What's that flavour? It amazing!'' I say, ''Sherry, thyme, eschalot, butter and a few chicken hearts.''

There is a pause as they weigh up deliciousness with prejudice, and deliciousness wins every time.

Jared Ingersoll is a Sydney chef who has launched the Bottle and Beast pop-up restaurant in Pyrmont.

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