The Problem With Oxtail

[RobertJM]

I don't know what's accessible out there in the U.S but here in the U.K we have pots of beef/chicken stocks sold in pots in the chilled sections of most supermarkets. The ingredients are usually water, bones & herbs. One supermarket here does a 500g pot for £2, and it yields 50g of gelatinous protein. Of course, you buy it, and it resembles a pot of jelly (as you'd expect).

Personally I get on just fine with the Great Lakes powder, it's just so darn expensive so I use taurine instead now.

 

[cyclops]

Response from Ray regarding chicken. A bit different from what @DDK suggests.

"I think I said that I use wings and backs for making a gelatinous soup; thighs and legs are high in PUFA, and much lower in gelatin, so I don’t use those. I let the soup cool and skim off the fat. "

Do you think wings and back are better then feet for making soup?

Personally I get on just fine with the Great Lakes powder, it's just so darn expensive so I use taurine instead now.

Why taurine? Wouldn't glycine be the substitute?

 

[shepherdgirl]

Aren't stew beef and brisket high in collagen?

 

[freyasam]

Response from Ray regarding chicken. A bit different from what @DDK suggests.

"I think I said that I use wings and backs for making a gelatinous soup; thighs and legs are high in PUFA, and much lower in gelatin, so I don’t use those. I let the soup cool and skim off the fat. "

Thanks for the actual quote .

 

[freyasam]

I have the same problem with oxtail. Even cooling and removing the fat is not enough .The meat itself is still fatty. Besides I can never remove all the fat from the cooled broth. I don't know how anyone could get it almost "fat free."

I react to great lakes. Maybe I will try chicken wings, backs and feet.

 

[DDK]

Response from Ray regarding chicken. A bit different from what @DDK suggests.

"I think I said that I use wings and backs for making a gelatinous soup; thighs and legs are high in PUFA, and much lower in gelatin, so I don’t use those. I let the soup cool and skim off the fat. "

I said white chicken breast with skin and wings in my original post, but he told me all parts with skin would be good. I'm sure you've noticed, as have I, that Ray hasn't always been 100% consistent with everything that he says and sometimes he contradicts himself. But for the sake of semantics I'll just say "Use white chicken breast with skin and wings for gelatin" to satisfy you.

 

[DDK]

Personally I get on just fine with the Great Lakes powder, it's just so darn expensive so I use taurine instead now.

Pork rinds are a great substitute and cheaper as well.

 

[DDK]

I react to great lakes. Maybe I will try chicken wings, backs and feet.

All processed gelatin has endotoxin/histamine, this is what you are reacting to. Make broth with chicken feet or for a less tedious and time consuming source of gelatin, just eat pork rinds.

 

[DDK]

Aren't stew beef and brisket high in collagen?

Lamb or Beef shoulder/arm roasts are highest in glycine.

 

[DDK]

Do you think wings and back are better then feet for making soup

Not even close, nothing gives more gelatin than chicken feet, also they are low in fat since chicken feet are basically skin and bones, there is no muscle or fat.

 

[raypeatclips]

I don't know what's accessible out there in the U.S but here in the U.K we have pots of beef/chicken stocks sold in pots in the chilled sections of most supermarkets. The ingredients are usually water, bones & herbs. One supermarket here does a 500g pot for £2, and it yields 50g of gelatinous protein. Of course, you buy it, and it resembles a pot of jelly (as you'd expect).

Personally I get on just fine with the Great Lakes powder, it's just so darn expensive so I use taurine instead now.

Have you tried a few different stocks from UK supermarkets? Have you noticed any good ones or any bad ones to avoid? Where do you usually go for them?

 

[freyasam]

Does anyone get chicken feet in the US?

 

[DDK]

I don't react to any type of homemade broth but I do to powdered gelatin.

I know that's what I was saying.

 

[freyasam]

I know that's what I was saying.

Yeah I misread. Edited comment.

 

[vulture]

put it in a slow cooker, let it boil for 3 to 4 hours, save the liquid and put in refrigerator, fat will move to the top, gelatin will stay at the bottom, skim the fat off the top

Best, advice, ever

i dont know another cut of meat, you could make the gelatin and then eat a regular cut of meat, and use the gelatin with it

Cow knees have lots of gelatin and you may use above's trick to get rid of fat

 

[HDD]

Does anyone get chicken feet in the US?

My local Walmart carries them. I have also found beef foot at a local Publix.

 

[DDK]

My local Walmart carries them. I have also found beef foot at a local Publix.

Whole foods also carries them, as well as farmer's markets.

 

[Ella]

The dark meat chicken is high in fat/possible PUFA, but not white meat chicken breast with the skin.

Why would the skin on the breast be lower in fat than skinless thighs?

This jelly from the chicken thighs is thicker than the oxtails. It can be placed into a mould and it will keep its shape. The oxtail does not set so solid.

Wouldn't the concentration of PUFAs be spread throughout the carcass if chickens are fed predominantly grain diets.

My chickens eat lots of ripe fruits, leafy greens, prawn heads, worms, insects etc. Their fat would be more saturated. The same would go for pork rinds. It would depend on what the pig was fed.
Organic pigs are fed organic grains and grass-fed pigs are disgusting. Something very wrong with grass-fed pork I keep telling the butcher. Pig can't survive on grass alone. I can't tolerate the smell.

I don't know how anyone could get it almost "fat free."

When you place in the fridge the fat solidifies into a solid block on top of the jelly. As a solid, I break it and easily pull it away from the jelly. This is when using oxtail, or any sheep or beef gelatinous joints, due to the saturated fats like stearic acid. Chicken fat will be softer not solid. So it needs to be scrape off with a spoon and you are more likely to have residual fat left on the surface unless you invest some time removing it.

I have experienced that it takes less chicken thighs than oxtails to make a thick gelatin. I normally use the chicken jelly for my dogs but now that Peat says chicken is OK, I am inspired to tackle some of those old-fashioned aspic recipes.

 

[charlie]

Does anyone get chicken feet in the US?

I think it was @narouz who said they are disinfected with bleach. Or maybe that was cow hooves he was speaking of....

 

[yerrag]

is that it has too much fat! At least for me right now.

I'd love to find a balanced cut of meat with gelatin and muscle meat without so much fat. I like to eat the real thing rather then supplement gelatin.

Any suggestions?

I get the cow hoofs.