On the Plus Side, They Sell Chicken Breast for $1.89/Pound

Do you guys know what these are? 

(Or can you not tell because my BlackBerry takes shitty pictures?)  (Or possibly the person operating my BlackBerry takes shitty pictures?)

Look closer. 

Need a hint? 

Moo.

Yes.  That's right.  These are cow hooves. 

Which are being sold at my neighborhood grocery store. 

Which must mean there's a neighborhood demand for them.

Which is so many kinds of wrong. 

Comments

[Colleen]

My husband wanted to make Ham and bean soup. We went to the local Chain supermarket and he bought some part of a pig. I swear to you, whatever he bought had a few strands of hair. It was the grossest thing I've ever seen. I have to divert my eyes every time I walk by this section in the grocery store!

[Lacey]

Rocky Mountain oysters, anyone? I was speaking with some of my Boston comrades who were horrified to hear that Rocky Mountain oysters are definitely not any type of shellfish.

[LilyG8762]

I grew up in a world where visits to the gorcery store almost always included a pig head (skinless but with eyes still in)staring back at me from behind the glass at the meat counter. At the tender age of 6 or 7 I rationalized that this must be an ancient Aztec ritual to appease the great butcher god whom we owed our bacon, ham, and pork chops to. But, as I grew older I began to ask questions about the variety of 'gooey items' sold at the butcher shop. To my shock I found out that the pig head is actually used for food and that there was also a selection of tongues, intestines, tripe, skin, and brains, and cow (maybe my mom meant this to be funny)..uhm...testicles. While this is not the standard fare in a Jewel or Kroger it is definitely common in Hispanic markets. What can I say...we're a frugal people. Use it all...waste nothing! So really, there is no need to worry yet. The day you see a pig head smiling back at you you may want to reconsider grocery stores. For now, cow hooves aren't so bad. BTW one way of preparing them is to pickle them....or is that pigs feet...hmm...I need to call my mother. I wonder what she's cooking today???

[Megan]

Hahahaha! I live in the delta down in Mississippi. It is common to see all sorts of "parts" at the grocery stores down here. Cow/pig's feet, cow stomach, chitterlings (pronounced chittlins- which are intestines), and so on and so fourth.

My mom makes the best chicken and dumplings on the planet, which in my adult years, I found out she uses the whole damn chicken. I asked her what that little brown piece was once and she said "It is the chicken heart!" OMFG!! What have you been feeding me woman???

So suffice to say, I am very careful when I eat her chicken and dumplins now. :)

[judith]

I googled for recipes. It seems to be a Jamaican thing in recipes.

[Chrystal]

Dude, I live in Austin, Texas, where one finds a plethora ("would you say I have a plethora of pinatas, Jefe?")of Mexican and Tex-Mex food, much of which requires use of just about every part that can come from a moo-moo, oink-oink, or cluck-cluck. I have seen cow tongue, tripe, pigs' and chickens' feet, and sundry innards displayed (splayed?) out in ye ole grocery store. Desensitization? Certainly. Desire to adopt Anthony Bourdain adventures in cuisine? No way in hell, dat shit be nay-stee.

[Lis]

EWWW! Disgusting! I haven't even seen that on the Bizarre Foods show and that is saying something!

[Eileen]

While we all are waiting for the next Jen Lancaster delight, and in the spirit of gross pictures of animal feet, I'd like to recommend a book I'm reading right now called "Julie and Julia" (a couple years old I think) which is Julie Powell's account of cooking her way through Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". She has some hiLARIOUS accounts of her adventures with aspic, and the cow's hooves that went with it. Odd, but funny. :)

[Dominique]

I went vegetarian about 6 months ago. At that time, it wasn't for ethical reasons, I just didn't want meat anymore. Since then, it has become more of an ethical issue. My boyfriend is still a carnivore, but I've made him switch to buying organic animal products from local farms. I've been to the farms, I've seen that the animals are being treated 100% better even though they are being raised for meat. Not to get on my soapbox, but we as a nation are -not- taking care of ourselves by the crap we put in our bodies. Since I've changed my eating lifestyle, I have lost 30 lbs and feel a million times better than I ever have.

[Mrs. K]

gross i thought they fed those to dogs...my old neighborhood grocery store in boston sold snake in the meat department, bull's balls and something from alligators. i always went and poked (especially the balls) but never tried them.

[Tamara]

I think i just threw up a little in my mouth

[Jess]

I thought it was fucked up when they sold real pigs ears at the pet store for my pup. Now this??

We need not entertain the idea of certain types of meat. Move about 4 feet up the cow - and I'm cool. Especially with a bit of blue cheese.

[Valeri in Fort Worth]

What in gay hell?

[SanKaye]

I honestly thought those were pigs' feet at first glance. I've seen them in grocery stores since I was a kid. Now, tripe...I got so sick the first time I saw it in the store that I could not even check out. I had to send my husband back for groceries. Now, he warns me when we're in the meat department if the store has any tripe in the case. Guess he doesn't like doing the shopping!

[SFShannon]

This photo and these comments reminded me why I'm gradually taking all meat out of my diet. It's not that I don't like it. I just like animals more. There are humane ways to use animals to feed the starving (and observe cultural customs), but they're not profitable and look around, how many of us are starving?

[nadine]

gross yes...glad a animal that had to give it's life is at least completely used and nothing was wasted? yes...but...

i'll stay w/chicken and fish ...

[Lauryn]

I live near Atlanta, and there are a lot of Korean markets near me. There is one that sells live bullfrogs, turtles, and the more 'normal' cuts.... testicals, pig's blood in buckets (I'm serious), brain, some more testicles...

My mom and I make trips to see the weirdest things we can find. The Chinese restaurant we ate at on one trip, where I subsequently got food poisoning, sported a freshly roasted pig head in the display window.

[southernfriedgirl]

Jesus. Did you move to this Nightmare Pit of Hell that I live and I did not know?

If so, I'm sorry. If anything, you can't help but feel intellectually superior so there is that.

[fe]

That's not so bad. Tripe - that's bad. My neighborhood is full of tripe - both raw and cooked (in all of its spongy glory).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Trippa.jpg

[Soren]

I worked in Trinidad for a few weeks one time, and I was treated to "cow ankle soup"... long story, but in the end, not bad, sort of a pumpkin base.

Maybe they're there for dogs? I know a lot of people get the marrow bones for their dogs, and turkey necks is the hot thing for us greyhound owners (though I say ICK and won't get them).

So... maybe that's what they're for?
ya, I'm going with that, and now I can sleep at night...

[Molly]

Doug's comment is TOO funny! Actually though I am on the side of a prior comment about raw food. I had to get used to the idea but my dog is loving it.
I don't think I could give him a foot though. Tendon from the groin - yes. Foot? No!

[Shelly]

If you watched the video www.meetyourmeat.org or read Fast Food Nation, you would probably never eat meat again. After growing up in a family that ate everything from deer to rabbits, I became a vegetarian two years ago. Reading Fast Food Nation began the journey and after seeing the video of how animals are treated, that pretty much did it for me. The misery and suffering of these poor animals is unfathomable.

Don't mean to be preachy...I'm just passionate!

[Jenn]

I just threw up a little in my mouth. Which is alot to say considering that I have no problem cooking up some ham hock for a little bit of ham and bean soup.

[Rachel]

I live in El Bx. I see those at my grocery store alllll the time, it's nothing new to me. Though since I don't eat cow, I've never even entertained the thought of buying those things.

[zandor]

Umm... I'm pretty sure my family buys cow hooves for my dogs at the pet store. Wierd.

[rebekah]

OMG. All I can think is that somewhere is a hooveless cow, trip-trapping through your neighborhood mooing for its lost feet.

I know. Trip trap? Not so much...yet the Ghost Cow of Jennsylvania, IL is now part of my fantasy lexicon...moooo!

[anna]

Reminds me of being at a grocery store in France, and seeing the sign for "cheval." Blech. Different strokes, I guess.

[Skinny Black Girl]

That is just effin gross!!

[Dawn]

My parents used to make a bean soup out of hooves. I vaguely remember liking it. I don't think it's an ethnic thing; I think it has something to do with an inexpensive way to make a lot of food. (Those pots of soup were huge) :)

[Frances]

How can you NOT want to know what you are eating? And be proud of your ignorance on top of that? Seriously, do you think that the government is watching out for your health - when they only allow one percent of the cows that are slaughtered for meat to be tested for Mad Cow Disease? Sorry, just a tiny rant. You guys need to take care of yourselves, and what you put in your body is pretty important.

[Slightlysmitten]

Don't they put pulverized horse hooves in Jello? :shudder::

[Frances]

How can you NOT want to know what you're eating? And be proud of your ignorance? You don't seriously think because it has a government stamp on it that it's been tested, do you? Less than one percent of the cows that are slaughtered in this country are tested for Mad Cow Disease....
Sorry - high school science teacher rant. Done now.

[saneandsingle]

I don't know which is worse....the hoof or the tongue! Ugh!!

[Marinka]

Know what's being sold at my local Whole Foods? Ostrich eggs. $39.99 each. That's like a million dollars for a dozen.

[Angela]

My grandfather (born in 1906, may he now RIP) was a old-school butcher, and he and my grandmother used to cook stuff like this all the time - tongue, feet, brains, you name it. In particular I remember them eating pickled pigs' feet and beef tongue. Gross. Granted, I do like foie gras but I didn't know what it was when I tried it. I thought it was just awesome dip but now I have ethical issues with it.

[Maria]

As disgusting and weird as it may seem, the hooves are used to make a soup. The marrow becomes like gelatine. It is extremely beneficial for nursing a weak person (afflicted by numerous conditions) back to health.
This is customary comfort food in a lot of ethnicities.
The older generation in my family SWOONS for that stuff.
Personally, I have never even tasted the stuff, and have no desire to do so.

[Tracy]

I'm home with Gastro... I know this doesn't change your life ... so... one of things that helps with the nausea is distraction!

THANK YOU - you have provided one moment of relief!!

Have nice day.

[Karina in T.O]

Oh yeah! Well if the rest of the bone marrow and bones/cartilidge get to become jello, shouldn't the little hooves be used for the first course of the meal? lol

Seriously though, if we knew where half our food came from? We wouldn't eat!!!

[Karina in T.O]

Daaaaaaaaaammmmmnnnnnn! I thought at first they were pigs feet! Honestly, I've got a few old school, ethnic grocery stores in my hood, and frankly, it really is turning me off the 4 legged meal. I don't want to be stared at by a pig head while perusing the polish sausages, ya know? Its a bit 'Animal Farm' for me.

Also, I read Fast Food Nation a few years ago, and he goes into detail of the goings-on at meat packing plants...:::shudder:::. I'm sure if I actually looked into the big sweet 'ole brown eyes of a cow, I wouldn't want to turn her into a tasty burger.

And like I say to my girlfriends, there are tons more chickens in the world than people, have you never seen Chicken Run??? 'Cause if they don't get eaten, they WILL take over! I'm sticking to fowl!

[Molly]

The joy of going to ethnic grocery stores is finding all the good raw stuff our dogs eat. Pork necks, chicken feet, etc. We once got a calf head, with the fur still on. At that point, even the dogs announced that they prefer their food a bit more processed.

[Liz C]

I appreciate cultures that utilize the whole animal since waste is such a... waste, but I'm a total wuss about animal parts. Feet, to me, seem to be as bad as intestines and reproductive organs). I mean, think of where they've been!

I totally agree with the comment about the smell of 'choo hooves' -- pig hooves for dogs. The smell is atrocious.

The other thing is gelatin. If you've ever heated up a large amount of plain Knox gelatin, you'd never eat jello again.

Excuse me. I need a moment. Urp.

[the governor of jennsylvania]

Seriously, someone makes soup out of them? I think the reson these squick me out so much is because sometimes I buy the dried hooves for the dogs and the second spit touches them, the whole house smells like cow manure.

And yes, I guarantee if I were to really research how the animals I eat are processed, I could never eat them again. (Which is specifically why I never watch/read anything about it.) For what it's worth, I buy Kosher whenever I can.

At the Top Chef dinner, I had something with foie gras sauce on it and OH MY GOD I DID NOT KNOW SUCH DELICIOUSNESS EXISTED IN HEAVEN OR EARTH. However, I'd never order such a thing because A) it sounds so gross and B) I have somehow not avoided conversations in which I learn the cruelty involved with producing it.

I'm not really sure what my point is here. But isn't it nice to know I'm really reading the comments?

[Ginny]

Confession: I loved pig's feet as a kid :) And, I still eat Scrapple (a meat product that uses everything from the rooter to the tooter)!! YUM!

[DJ]

Thats nothing. At least its under wrapping plastic. I am an apartment managerin the Twin Cities, Minneasota, and let me tell you, I've seen some doosies. In one refridgerator we had to remove the food and take out a busted fridge, then bring in a new one and replace the food to that one. There was, and I'm serious, GOAT LEGS in that refridgerator. Hair covered, hoof stompin goat legs. The smells that would repeatedly be coming from that apartment were choking. When you walked through the back entry you would have to cover your mouth and nose. Once they had a fire, and the fire department had to come and when they pulled out what was burning, and smoking enought to evacuate 40 people from the building, was some animal feet and guts. I shit you not.
This is IN the burbs. City is just the same.

[Becky]

Yeah, so our grocery stores are full of these random animal parts that I will never try, although tongue is actually really good - I tried it once not knowing what it was. Every time we visit our local chinese buffet, though, I throw up a little in my mouth when I pass by the chicken feet. HOW do you eat them is my question...there's no meat!

Side note on your previous post, since the 'commenting period' had ended...YOU GOT TO MEET STEPHANIE! I envy you almost as much as my stepdaughter, whe got to touch Dane Cook (yummy). And what's this about airing promos for the next season of Top Chef already?! Wheeeee!!!!

[Kari]

OMG that is so wrong. I can't bear to look at the photo any longer.

[Mrs.D]

heh heh. That's gross, but not as gross as the chicken feet. Chicken(and all birds) are soooooo much grosser. Andrew Zimmern on Bizarre Foods ate chicken feet in Mexico.

[Jennifer]

I am not a vegetarian, but I do think it's good for us to be reminded that the ground chuck or chop or breast was once part of a complete animal with hair and feet and eyes and other things that we might not be interested in eating. Kudos to those who do eat those things as they're making use of more of the animal, but ain't for me!

[Smartass Milf]

I used to work in a grocery store that was onthe edge of a dairy farm. They sold things like pigs heads, turkey necks, intestines, tongue, and every other part of any animal they could. It was disgusting that I had to ring them up, but even worse that someone actually bought the stuff.

[Heather]

I've heard them called "trotters" still not appetizing!