What is Beef Heart? A Complete Guide

Beef heart is an nutritious and flavorful organ meat that comes from the muscular heart of a cow. It may seem intimidating to cook with at first, but beef heart is quite easy to prepare and tastes delicious when cooked properly. In this complete guide we will cover everything you need to know about beef heart including what it is what it tastes like, nutrition facts, where to buy it, and how to cook it.

What Exactly is Beef Heart?

Beef heart is the literal heart muscle of a cow. It is the organ responsible for pumping blood throughout the cow’s large body. On average beef hearts weigh between 3 to 4 pounds.

Beef heart is considered an organ meat or offal. Other common organ meats are liver, kidneys, brain, tongue, tripe etc. Organ meats are often more nutrient dense than typical muscle meats like ground beef or steak.

When purchased whole, beef heart will have a thick yellowish membrane covering it called the pericardium. Once this is removed, the interior of the heart is revealed which is made up of deep red, lean, muscular meat along with valves, vessels and fat.

What Does Beef Heart Taste Like?

The flavor of beef heart is often described as mild, mineral-rich, and beefy. The taste is slightly stronger than a typical steak but much milder compared to other organ meats like liver.

When cooked properly, beef heart has a fork-tender texture similar to pot roast or chuck steak. The mouthfeel is meatier than a filet mignon but not as chewy as a brisket.

Many compare the taste of beef heart to being like a cross between venison and beef. It has deep beefy flavors with slight hints of minerality that give it a mildly gamey essence.

The outer membrane of the heart has a unique crispy, beefy flavor when pan seared to render the fat. The interior lean meat tastes somewhere between steak and roast beef depending on preparation method.

Overall, beef heart has a wonderful mild flavor profile that adapts well to various seasonings and cooking methods. It tastes best when cooked medium or medium rare to prevent it from becoming tough.

Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Beef heart is surprisingly nutritious and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Some of the biggest health benefits include:

• High in Iron – Provides 68% of your RDI for iron which prevents anemia.

• Rich in B Vitamins – Excellent source of B12, folate, niacin. Helps convert food to energy.

• Contains Selenium – Has 48% of your selenium needs which supports thyroid function.

• High Protein – A 3oz serving contains 25g protein to build muscle, bones and skin.

• Low Fat – Much less fat compared to other red meats at only 4g per serving.

In addition to being rich in B-vitamins like folate and B12, beef heart contains higher levels of minerals like zinc, phosphorus and iron than regular ground beef. It’s an incredibly nutritious cut!

Where to Buy Beef Heart

Beef heart can be difficult to find at a typical grocery store since it is an underutilized cut. However, you can often find it fresh or frozen at:

• Specialty butcher shops or meat markets
• Farmers markets from local ranchers
• Asian or international grocery stores
• Online mail order steak companies

When buying, look for beef heart that is vibrant red in color without discoloration. It should look fresh without an off smell.Frozen hearts are a good option too when fresh is not available.

Buying beef heart online can provide convenience and access to premium quality grass fed and pasture raised options.

How to Prepare and Cook Beef Heart

Beef heart may look intimidating, but it is actually quite easy to clean and cook! Here are some tips:

• Cleaning: Simply rinse under cold water and pat dry. Can soak in milk or vinegar water to help reduce any strong flavors if desired.

• Slicing: Cut against the grain into thin slices or small cubes for even cooking.

• Cooking: Roast, braise, sauté, or grill using low heat until fork tender. Interior should be pink like a roast.

• Flavor Pairings: Garlic, thyme, rosemary, mustard, red wine, onion, mushrooms, etc.

Some favorite cooking methods for beef heart include pan frying, braising, or grilling whole for hearty steaks. Slow cooking also produces deliciously tender beef heart for stews or chili.

Tasty Beef Heart Recipe Ideas

Here are just a few delicious recipe ideas to enjoy this nutritious cut:

• Pan Seared Beef Heart with Red Wine Sauce
• Slow Cooker Beef Heart Chili
• Grilled Beef Heart Skewers
• Thai Beef Heart Salad
• Beef Heart and Vegetable Soup
• Beef Heart Spaghetti Bolognese
• Middle Eastern Kibbeh (Bulgur stuffed with Beef Heart)

Beef heart is a wonderfully nutritious and affordable cut of meat that is loaded with protein, iron, B-vitamins, and minerals. It has a mild beefy flavor with a tender steak-like texture when cooked properly. Look for beef heart at specialty butchers or meat markets and add it into your cooking rotation for a hearty, delicious meal! It’s ideal for stews, skewers, pan frying and more. Beef heart is an underrated ingredient that deserves more attention in home kitchens.