Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion Got a cooking question or something you want to discuss about food and cooking? This is the forum for you. Talk about anything related to food & cooking.


Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 08-15-2008, 01:08 PM
jsnyder34581 Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: I Just Like Food
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1
Default How do i cook a heart?

i just went boar hunting the other day and decided i would try the heart just to see what it was like, but i have no idea how to cook a heart, i dont want to change its flavor or put it into a stew. would i be able to just grill it? ive heard of people braising hearts, what is braising?
Reply With Quote


  #2  
Old 08-15-2008, 01:27 PM
Suzanne's Avatar
Suzanne Offline
ChefTalk Moderator
Culinary Experience: Professional Chef
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 3,742
Default

Slice it up and cook it like a stake?


















Sorry.
__________________
Co-Moderator, Cooking Questions
"Notorious stickler" -- The New York Times, January 4, 2004
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-15-2008, 03:37 PM
abefroman Offline
ChefTalk Supporter
Culinary Experience: Private Chef
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Daytona Beach, FL
Posts: 546
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jsnyder34581 View Post
i just went boar hunting the other day and decided i would try the heart just to see what it was like, but i have no idea how to cook a heart, i dont want to change its flavor or put it into a stew. would i be able to just grill it? ive heard of people braising hearts, what is braising?
Braising means cooking it for a long time in a shallow amount of liquid.

Personally I would just slice it up and sautee it in some oil.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-15-2008, 03:48 PM
Mezzaluna's Avatar
Mezzaluna Offline
ChefTalk Moderator
Culinary Experience: Cook At Home
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Wisconsin USA
Posts: 8,613
Smile

Braising is good for tough meats needing long, slow cooking to make them tender. Heart is one of those meats. (Having said that, my mom used to pan-fry sliced beef heart after tossing it in seasoned flour. It was yummy!) I don't know how boar heart would compare- probably it'd be a bit smaller than a beef heart.

For a braise, you'll need to trim off any fatty or gristly parts first. Cut the heart in half, then in slices about 1" thick. Then season the meat with salt and pepper. Toss the meat in some flour, and shake off the excess. Then add it to a heavy pot or dutch oven that has oil heating in it. Brown the meat quickly, then set it aside. Pour off any extra oil. Put some aromatic vegetables (chopped onion and/or leek, chopped carrot and celery, maybe some chopped parsley or other herbs) in the pan and saute them until the carrots start to get a bit brown and the onions/leek turn translucent. Put the meat back in the pot and add some flavorful liquids (broth or stock plus wine). Don't cover the meat in the liquid, or you'd just be boiling it. The liquid shouldn't cover it more than about 1/2 way. Cover the pot tightly simmer on a low heat about an hour. You could also put it in the oven at 350 degrees F for an hour or a bit longer.

This method also works for making braised beef or pork. Fiddle around with the herbs you use and try adding some more veggies: chunk of white or sweet potato, tomatoes, etc.
__________________
Moderator, Welcome Forum
***It is better to ask forgiveness than beg permission.***
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-15-2008, 04:34 PM
DocSmith Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Cook At Home
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 54
Default

One post....

Wants to know how to cook a heart.....

/emote checks the paper....
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-15-2008, 04:51 PM
RPMcMurphy Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Cook At Home
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Central, NJ
Posts: 883
Blog Entries: 8
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DocSmith View Post
One post....

Wants to know how to cook a heart.....

/emote checks the paper....
Well, with fava beans and a nice Chianti of course!!
__________________
http://randallpmcmurphy.blogspot.com - Cooking Blog
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-15-2008, 05:27 PM
jbd Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Other
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Central Ky
Posts: 327
Default

As Mezzaluna said heart is a very tough meat. I have had beef heart that was pan fried and it was four times tougher than leather. Braising would be the best way to go IMO.

Another option would be to slice it very thinly and grill it on skewers. You could try one such piece plain and do some others with seasoning i.e. a dry rub and yet some others with a wet marinade.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-16-2008, 12:58 PM
anrol Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Cook At Home
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3
Default roasting

You can cook beef heart just like you would a stuffed chicken so I imagine boar heart would be good too. Use whatever kind of stuffing you like. I make mine basically like poultry stuffing except I use more oregano and parsley instead of sage or savory. Roast it slowly in the oven with a little water and a diced onion in the pan.
The onion will add flavor to the drippings which make an excellent gravy.
One of my husbands favorite meals.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-16-2008, 11:48 PM
cheflayne Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Professional Chef
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Volcano, CA soon to be Caribbean
Posts: 297
Default

Back in the dark ages when I went to culinary school, I would frequently buy beef heart to fix for my meals because it was inexpensive and I was a poor student. I would trim it and slice into thin strips which I used in quick Asian influenced stir fries and never found it to be tough or leathery when prepared this way.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-18-2008, 12:36 AM
DC Sunshine's Avatar
DC Sunshine Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: I Just Like Food
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 819
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cheflayne View Post
Back in the dark ages when I went to culinary school, I would frequently buy beef heart to fix for my meals because it was inexpensive and I was a poor student. I would trim it and slice into thin strips which I used in quick Asian influenced stir fries and never found it to be tough or leathery when prepared this way.
I agree - its a bit like tripe or squid - either very quick fry in a stir fry or a long slow braise with vegetables and liquid.

If you are going to stir fry, try marinating it in a little soy sauce and a sprinkling of cornflour for 20 mins before cooking - it makes it more tender. You could also go to the lengths of bashing each piece with a meat hammer till its wafer thin. I've tried rump steak like this and it was very good. Just 30 seconds (or less) tossing it in a hot wok with a little vegetable oil did the trick.

Make sure you trim out all the arteries etc first

DC
__________________
Don't be too hard on yourself - others will do that for you

Last edited by DC Sunshine; 08-18-2008 at 12:40 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
boar, heart


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
The way to his parents' heart Gummy-Bear Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion 7 03-07-2008 11:29 PM
How to cook beef heart? mattlorig Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion 7 08-11-2007 11:19 PM
heart of palm cesarzap Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion 9 01-25-2001 11:28 PM
Not for the weak of heart Greg The Late Night Cafe (non-food/cooking discussion) 1 01-07-2001 06:13 AM