spleen

Spleen is an edible organ meat, or offal, with a dark red to purplish colour and a soft, dense texture. It has a rich, distinctly meaty flavour, somewhat comparable to liver but usually milder and less bitter. Because the spleen filters blood as part of the animal's circulatory and immune systems, it is particularly rich in blood and iron, which accounts for its dark colour and characteristic flavour.

The spleens most commonly used as food come from cattle, calves, sheep, lambs, goats and pigs. Camel spleen is also eaten in parts of North Africa, particularly Morocco, where a whole spleen may be stuffed with minced meat, fat, spices and other ingredients before being baked and sliced. Which animal is used depends largely on local livestock and culinary traditions.

Before cooking, the spleen is generally cleaned and any tough membrane or connective tissue removed. Depending on the cuisine, it may be boiled, braised, fried, grilled, roasted or stuffed. It can also be minced or combined with other organ meats. Long, gentle cooking is used in some recipes, while thinly sliced spleen can be cooked relatively quickly.

Historically, spleen belongs to traditions in which virtually every edible part of a slaughtered animal was used. It is now relatively uncommon in many Western kitchens but remains part of traditional dishes in several regions of the world, making it an interesting ingredient when documenting regional food traditions.