Demystifying Beef Heart – My Tips For Cleaning & Prepping This Nutritious Meat

Hey folks! I’m back with the nitty gritty on how to clean and prep beef heart for cooking. Now I know heart might sound intimidating. But when properly cleaned and cooked, it’s incredibly tender and delicious! And as one of the most nutrient-dense meats around heart is a vastly underutilized ingredient.

As a chef and huge fan of nose-to-tail cooking, I want to show you how easy and approachable cooking beef heart can be. With just a few simple steps, you’ll have this powerhouse meat ready for all kinds of recipes Let’s dive in!

Why Cook Beef Heart?

First things first – why cook heart in the first place? Here are some of my favorite benefits:

• It’s packed with protein, iron, zinc, selenium, B vitamins and CoQ10. Much more than typical muscle meat.

• Heart is super lean and low in calories Less fat than steak or ground beef

• The texture becomes incredibly tender when cooked right. Sort of a cross between steak and ground meat.

• It has a milder flavor than liver or kidneys if you’re new to offal.

• Costs just a fraction of other cuts like tenderloin or ribeye. Budget friendly!

Start With A Fresh Heart

Obviously, you’ll need to get your hands on some raw beef heart. Check for a few things:

• Bright red color with no dry or brown spots

• Firm with some bounce when touched

• Minimal to no odor

• Packaged securely and kept chilled

Frozen hearts are fine too – just thaw slowly in the fridge before cleaning. Now let’s get prepping!

Step 1 – Trim Off Fat and Membrane

Start by cutting away any large deposits of external fat. Also remove the thin membrane covering the heart.

Make sure to discard any major arteries, veins or hardened whitish bits. You just want the solid muscle.

Step 2 – Rinse Well

Give the heart a good rinse under cool water. This washes away any bone dust or residue from the butcher shop.

Make sure to pat it very dry afterward with paper towels.

Step 3 – Butterfly the Heart

Now comes the cool part – splitting the heart open to expose the interior ventricles.

Lay the heart on its side. With a sharp knife, slice from top to bottom following the seam between the two sides.

Open it up into two halves, like a book. Then remove any internal membranes or fat.

Step 4 – Slice Off the Ventricles

Notice the four chambered muscles inside the heart? These are the ventricles.

Trim them off from the rest of the heart muscle. They tend to get tougher when cooked.

Step 5 – Cut Into Pieces

Slice the cleaned heart into bite-sized 1-2 inch strips or small cubes. This makes them easy to cook evenly.

Trim off any remaining gristle, fat or membranes as you go.

How To Cook Beef Heart

Once you have your trimmed, sliced beef heart, the cooking possibilities are endless! Here are some of my favorite ways to prepare it:

• Pan fry slices in olive oil for quick weeknight meals

• Stew chunks in a tomato or red wine sauce

• Add to kebabs or skewers for the grill

• Use in chili, tacos, pasta sauce, etc.

• Bread and fry for protein-packed chicken fried steak

• Simmer in a soup, stew or braise

The key is to cook heart either very quickly over high heat, or low and slow in liquid. Both yield tender, juicy results.

Storage Tips

Store cleaned, raw heart in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Or freeze up to 3 months.

Use cooked heart within 3-4 days in the fridge. The high protein content means it spoils faster.

Ready To Try Beef Heart?

There you have it – everything you need to know to clean and prep beef heart for cooking. It just takes a few simple steps to unlock the full potential of this powerfully nutritious meat.

Until next time,

Mary, Chef & Beef Heart Fan