Beef heart

[pdswife]

I plan on boiling it with onions, celery and carrots.
How long per pound should I cook it?

Boiling is the only way I've ever done it.. any other ideas?

Thanks,
T

 

[Andy M.]

I've never eaten or cooked it so I googled the topic and checked out some of the recipes.

Since the heart is a hard-working muscle, it's lean and tough. Recipes involved either roasting at a low temp for 7-9 hours or simmering in a liquid for several hours.

 

[GB]

Sounds like a good candidate for a crock pot. Low and slow all day.

 

[Otter]

Definitely tough and a candidate for hours of slow coorking. Or, like my mother, you could put it in the pressure cooker.

 

[pdswife]

Thanks, that's what I'll do.

 

[pdswife]

It turned out wonderfully!

I covered it in one can of beef broth and water
then added lots of onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt and pepper.
Brought it to a boil for about 30 minutes and then a slow simmer for about 1.5 hours.
It was so nice and tender. And very tasty.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[Claire]

What a laugh this line is for me. Mom always boiled or braised it all day, until she had a pressure cooker, now she uses that. In my teenage years I found a recipe for stuffing and roasting it. Wow, what a disaster. Dry heat just doesn't do it for this very tough peice of meat!!! But I miss those meats that my husband simply wouldn't eat, and since the 'invention' of cholesterol, are no longer considered "good for you". What I could really taste now is Mom's beef tongue with horseradish gravy.

 

[Otter]

What I could really taste now is Mom's beef tongue with horseradish gravy.

We had tongue last Sunday when my mother had us over. She doesn't make it often because she has difficulty peeling the skin. Anyone have any tips on peeling tongue?

 

[buckytom]

give it a really hot slice of pizza?

 

[pdswife]

LOL! Bucky!
You just made me spit coffee all over my computer!

You are funny!

 

[Otter]

give it a really hot slice of pizza?

Yup, been there, done that!

 

[Mylegsbig]

i just threw up all over my keyboard, isn't there enough beautiful foods out there in the world without having to eat animals internal organs?

 

[choclatechef]

i just threw up all over my keyboard, isn't there enough beautiful foods out there in the world without having to eat animals internal organs?

A lot of peoples cultural historical foods are based on "internal organs". Mine included.

I hope we stay open minded enough on this board to accept each others differences in taste, race, and culture without passing negative judgements based on our own cultural biases.

 

[Otter]

A lot of peoples cultural historical foods are based on "internal organs". Mine included.

I hope we stay open minded enough on this board to accept each others differences in taste, race, and culture without passing negative judgements based on our own cultural biases.

I'm with you CC. I don't bother the vegans, and so far they haven't bothered me.

 

[buckytom]

i've heard vegans are very tasty.

 

[GB]

I am not a fan of internal organs, but they are no weirder, gross, etc. (pick whatever adjective you want) than internal muscles or the skin of an animal. An open mind is a very powerful thing.

At one time the thought of raw fish was possibly the most disgusting thing in the world to me. I am so happy that I kept an open mind and tried raw fish. It is now my absolute favorite food, bar none.

 

[Claire]

Mom used to boil the tongue, then take a knife and rub the blade over it to scrape the skin off. Then she sliced it. I'll never forget the day that a freind of my sisters was over for dinner, rather last minute, and mom knew that beef tongue was hardly something to serve to a young teen who most likely would be grossed out by the thought. But that was what was planned for dinner, and we all liked it. She sliced it very thin, and we sat down and chowed down, all sworn to secrecy. Sis' friend raved about the great flavor and how tender it was. When Mom told her what she'd eaten, she turned an interesting shade of green and left the room!

I'm not sure why organ meats are percieved as being somehow worse than eating muscle meat. I mean, I don't like kidneys, can't get past the fact that they smell like what they are. Heart is rather tough. I LOVE liver, and bemoan the day that liver went from being something healthy to something I shouldn't eat. Tongue is super, very tender, and a beefy flavor to beat the band. I love it with horseradish gravy. Not fond of tripe; but this is probably more due to appearances than flavor. I've tried, and will try again, I'm sure. I loved it when on the road we saw a sign over a little mom&pop place that said, "Menudo: Breakfast of Champions!"

 

[Otter]

Thanks Claire, how long do you have to boil before scraping? My mother has always tried to slice it off before cooking, but last time she tried cutting it off after pressure cooking and it was even more of a problem. I'm sure my knives are sharper than hers, so I may have at it for her next time. I did talk her into buying a couple. I love liver, tongue and oxtail, but can't get into brains. Never tried them, and never will, just a mental thing with me. We got some really great meat at the butcher shop - the standing rib roast for Mother's Day looked particularly awesome.

 

[donnamaybell2004]

I am trying to find out how to cook beef hearts and I think slow cooking might work.

 

[Barb L.]

I am trying to find out how to cook beef hearts and I think slow cooking might work.

Can't help ya out, but my Grandma use to make pickled heart w/ onions, so good we use to snack on it !