RCBaughn
TVWBB Super Fan
If anyone has an aversion to eating a beef heart BTW, throw that notion out the window. If you find one in your local grocery, buy it and buy it fast because if you love beef then you're gonna love this cut. It's like a cow ate a entire other cow then kicked you square in the mouth. It's that beefy tasting with not a hint of gamey or minerally taste that comes from eating offal.
Here's a picture of the heart after I had it all prepped. it only took about 10 minutes to remove all the outside fat from the muscle and get the inside membrane all trimmed away. The yield is very good on the cut too, very little waste if your good with a knife. I would also recommend cutting it into 1x1" cubes so the marinade can get to more of the meat fibers.
Here's the marinade I concocted and left it overnight to sit and marry with the flavors -
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar or other vinegar you like. Balsamic may work well, or even straight red wine, but stick with dark wines and vinegars. Beef prefers it.
2 cloves garlic roughly smashed
1 shallot very finely minced
Pinch of thyme, or really any other dried or fresh herb you prefer with your beef. No rosemary though, it's too woody and overbearing I find with beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black Pepper to taste, I go heavy with it
When you go to cook it, preheat your grille to ripping, and I mean ripping hot. Thread the meat onto skewers and grille over direct heat for 2/3 minutes per side, or until the middle has reached a nice shade of medium rare. You really DO NOT want to overcook this meat. It turns very tough if you do, although the flavor will still be there.
I served mine on a sandwich on Portuguese bread I had made earlier in the day. Grille the bread to keep it from getting soggy too. Sprinkle on some grated pepperjack after the hot meat went on to let it melt. You could also put one half of the sandwich under the broiler or back on the grille indirectly to get the cheese melty and rewarm the bread.
Really though, I would say leave off the sandwich idea and eat it like you would a good piece of steak. Maybe a side of mashed potatoes and garlic bread and chow down. Seriously, this meat is extremely beefy. If you get past the notion that a heart isn't meat and try it, you're gonna love it. I am glad I ventured out and found it.
Here's a picture of the heart after I had it all prepped. it only took about 10 minutes to remove all the outside fat from the muscle and get the inside membrane all trimmed away. The yield is very good on the cut too, very little waste if your good with a knife. I would also recommend cutting it into 1x1" cubes so the marinade can get to more of the meat fibers.
Here's the marinade I concocted and left it overnight to sit and marry with the flavors -
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar or other vinegar you like. Balsamic may work well, or even straight red wine, but stick with dark wines and vinegars. Beef prefers it.
2 cloves garlic roughly smashed
1 shallot very finely minced
Pinch of thyme, or really any other dried or fresh herb you prefer with your beef. No rosemary though, it's too woody and overbearing I find with beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black Pepper to taste, I go heavy with it
When you go to cook it, preheat your grille to ripping, and I mean ripping hot. Thread the meat onto skewers and grille over direct heat for 2/3 minutes per side, or until the middle has reached a nice shade of medium rare. You really DO NOT want to overcook this meat. It turns very tough if you do, although the flavor will still be there.
I served mine on a sandwich on Portuguese bread I had made earlier in the day. Grille the bread to keep it from getting soggy too. Sprinkle on some grated pepperjack after the hot meat went on to let it melt. You could also put one half of the sandwich under the broiler or back on the grille indirectly to get the cheese melty and rewarm the bread.
Really though, I would say leave off the sandwich idea and eat it like you would a good piece of steak. Maybe a side of mashed potatoes and garlic bread and chow down. Seriously, this meat is extremely beefy. If you get past the notion that a heart isn't meat and try it, you're gonna love it. I am glad I ventured out and found it.
