16 Items That You Rarely See in Michigan Meat Depts Anymore
READ CAREFULLY BEFORE COMMENTING. Why? Because yes, some of these are still available in frozen or packaged form, but not fresh. That's the point.
Okay, read on...
Grocery store meat departments in Mid-Michigan sure have changed. I remember when I was a kid, going to the store and seeing all sorts of fresh meat items - NOT frozen - in the display case. Sure, there are still the usual cuts of beef, chicken, pork, and turkey along with the ground versions. But whatever happened to the fresh meats & meat conglomerations that seem to have disappeared from the cases? Like what?
ITEMS THAT DISAPPEARED FROM MICHIGAN MEAT DEPT. DISPLAY CASES
BEEF HEART
Where did they go?
BEEF TONGUE
Taken away from most depts, probably because of their looks
BLIND ROBINS
A salty, smoked, brown, flat filet of herring. Haven't seen these in years.
FROG LEGS
No more fresh...just frozen. Maybe.
HAGGIS
I assume most meat depts. now refuse this one on looks alone...a meat concoction of sheep innards with spices and oatmeal, all packed & served in a sheep stomach.
HEAD CHEESE
Sure, there's the sliced sandwich version around, but where's the whole giant glob that used to sit behind the glass in the display case?
KIDNEYS
Another one I haven't seen in years. Do Michiganders still eat kidneys?
OX TAILS
I'd see these every day in a display case. Not any more.
PIG EARS
PIG KNUCKLES
PIGS FEET
No on the pig ears and knuckles, but I don't even see the pickled pigs feet that came in glass jars anymore.
PORK HOCKS
Same with the hocks...where are the pickled ones?
RABBIT
I definitely recall fresh rabbit meat on display. But no more.
ROOSTER
That's right...rooster. I remember having rooster for dinner when I was a kid.
SCRAPPLE
The lowest scraps to come from a pig (organs, head & face parts, etc.) mixed with spices and flour. Being made at home, but where is that big block of scrapple that meat depts. used to display?
TRIPE
Cow stomach lining, that is. Potted meat used to be made from this but not anymore, according to the ingredients I read on the side of the can. Brits used to cook and eat plain tripe...and Michigan meat depts. had packages of fresh tripe on display.
The above 16 meat items were all available in Michigan meat departments in the old days. I haven't seen any of these lately, except maybe in packaged or frozen form...but never fresh anymore.
Have you seen any of the above in fresh form lately?
Do you recall any others?