Why did modern Western diet shy away from eating animal organs?

by [deleted]
cheftlp1221

Many classic European dishes are centered on organ meats. French cuisine in particular has elevated organ meat to fine dining as opposed to the UK. Sweetbreads (thyroid gland) is a staple of French fine dining and a measure of a chef's skill. In the UK offal plays a prominent role in special occasion working class meals; Haggis and Steak & Kidney Pie to name a few.

It is the United States' diet over the last 50 years that has moved away form the use of organ meat. Mostly this relates to the US's post WWII affluence and easy access to cheap meats. Simply put having streak or a roast that used to be an occasional meal became an everyday meal in large parts of the rapidly growing middle class. Offal became associated with poverty, something you ate because your family did not have a lot of money.

Edit: To add to the diminished use of offal. The cooking of offal takes a skilled hand to do correctly. Mis-cooked offal truly is awful and creates bad food memories that persist. The home cook and even most processional cooks no longer have the knowledge and skill set to cook offal.

vonadler

Many Swedish traditional dishes contain animal organs.

Pölsa contains liver and heart of pig.

Lungmos was nearly the same thing, but included lugns.

Leverpastej, paté of liver is still a very common sandwhich spread in Sweden.

Blodpudding, blood pudding/black pudding is a common meal as well.

Liver in stews and even fried liver is considered a delicacy in many places in Sweden.

Bones are boiled to stock and intestines are used for the best saucages.

Really, most of Europe still eats a lot of animal organs. Traditional food (still eaten a lot on everyday basis) still uses a lot of animal organs, blood and bone marrow.

macoafi

Hot dogs and sausages are encased in organ. Aside from the occasional vegetarian, there doesn't seem to be much shying away from those foods.

Well, and then there's haggis.