5 Reasons to Eat Beef Offal (And Why Our Grandparents Were Right to do so)

For generations, eating the whole animal was simply common sense. Liver on the table, oxtail in the pot, slow-cooked cheeks on a Sunday—these weren’t “alternative” foods, they were everyday nourishment. Somewhere along the way, we lost touch with that wisdom.

At Nempnett Pastures, we believe beef offal deserves its place back in the kitchen. Not just because it’s traditional, but because it’s genuinely one of the most nourishing, sustainable and flavour-packed foods you can eat.

Here are five compelling reasons to bring beef offal back into your meals.

1. Offal Is Nature’s Multivitamin

Beef offal is extraordinarily nutrient-dense. Organ meats contain vitamins and minerals in forms that your body can easily absorb—far more so than many supplements.

Cuts like liver, heart and kidney are naturally rich in:

• Vitamin B12 for energy and brain function

• Iron and zinc for immunity and oxygen transport

• Vitamin A for vision, skin and immune health

• Selenium and copper for metabolic and hormonal balance

Gram for gram, offal delivers more nutrition than almost any other food on the planet.

2. It Supports Whole-Body Health

Each organ plays a unique role in the body, and eating them provides targeted nourishment:

• Liver supports energy production, immunity and hormone regulation

• Heart is rich in CoQ10, supporting cardiovascular health

• Kidney provides key minerals for metabolic function

• Ox cheek and oxtail are rich in collagen, supporting joints, skin and connective tissue

This is real food that actively supports how your body functions.

3. Eating Offal Is Better for the Planet

Using the whole animal is one of the most practical steps towards more sustainable food systems. When we eat only prime cuts, huge amounts of perfectly good food go to waste.

Nose-to-tail eating:

• Reduces waste

• Improves carcass efficiency

• Supports regenerative, low-input farming

• Helps small farms remain viable

Choosing offal is a simple way to eat more responsibly without compromise.

4. Offal Is Full of Deep, Traditional Flavour

When cooked properly, offal is not “strong” or “strange”—it’s rich, savoury and deeply satisfying.

Slow-cooked ox cheek melts into silky tenderness. Oxtail creates unbeatable depth in stews and broths. Heart is lean, beefy and incredibly versatile. Liver, cooked gently, is smooth and comforting.

These are cuts that reward patience and care—and once mastered, they quickly become favourites.

5. It’s Exceptional Value for Money

Offal offers some of the best nutrition-per-pound available. You’re getting:

• More vitamins and minerals

• More collagen and connective tissue support

• Incredible flavour

  —at a lower cost than premium steaks.

For families wanting to eat well without excess expense, offal is a smart and nourishing choice.

Bringing Offal Back to the Table

At Nempnett Pastures, our beef comes from our herd of native cattle which are 100% grass-fed, raised slowly and naturally on pasture. That quality matters even more with offal—because nutrient density, flavour and texture are directly linked to how the animal lived.

If you’re new to offal, start slowly. Add ox cheek to a slow cooker. Try heart in a stew. Blend a small amount of liver into mince (or buy some of our super mince if we have any in stock). You don’t have to do everything at once.

Your body and your taste buds will thank you.