We know how liver taste like. It’s really not that bad. Many people don’t venture beyond liver. If you are open to an adventure, beef heart is the next step. 

There are many ways to ease into it. Start with chicken heart and then move to beef heart. Or grind beef heart with your hamburger meat.

What is Beef Heart?

It’s simply a cow’s heart. It’s not fatty thus you need to add spices or butter to give it flavor. 

How Does Beef Heart Taste Like?

It’s a bit tough. People compare the texture to a well done steak. Others compare it to beef tongue.

Unlike liver, it doesn’t have a strong gamey taste. Its neutral flavor palette allows you to experiment.  

Beef Heart Cooking Methods

If you do grill or pan fry it. It needs to be quick. Cut it into steak like pieces and cook it for 30 - 45 seconds per side. Overdone heart is very chewy. Almost like leather. 

Or slow cook it. Similar to making stew meat. A crockpot is perfect for this.

Beef Heart Nutrition 

Because it’s not fatty, beef heart has few fat soluble vitamins A, K, D and E. 

Heart is loaded with the Vitamin B complex. These vitamins are great for energy, cell production and maintaining the immune system. 

Beef heart is loaded with CoQ10 that helps with energy production, heart health and reduces oxidative stress. 

Beef Heart has iron, which helps with blood health, energy production, immune support and cognitive function.

How Long Does Cooked And Raw Beef Heart Keep In The Refrigerator? 

Around 1-3 days. 

What To Look For When Selecting Beef Heart Meat

Meat source determines nutrition and quality. Fresh meat is better than frozen meat. And a 100% grassfed, organic, pasture raised cow is going to give you the most nutrient dense meat on the planet. 

I would pick a pasture raised cow over a 100% organic grain fed cow. 

Grilled Beef Heart on Skewers

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef heart 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Skewers (metal or soaked wooden skewers)

Instructions:

1. Rinse the beef heart under cold water and remove any excess fat or tough membranes. Cut the heart into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, ground cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to create a marinade.
3. Place the beef heart pieces into a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them. Make sure all the pieces are coated evenly. Cover the dish or seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
4. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
5. Remove the beef heart pieces from the marinade and thread them onto skewers, leaving a small gap between each piece to ensure even cooking.
6. Place the skewers on the preheated grill and cook for about 4-6 minutes per side, or until the heart is browned and cooked to your desired doneness. 

You can use the above recipe and pan fry the beef heart. Tastes as good!

If you need more flavor, garlic sauce solves all problems.

Crockpot Beef Heart

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef heart
• 1 cup of beef stock
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 onion
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

With Crockpot recipes you have the flexibility to experiment with spices and adding vegetables of your choice.

Instructions:

1. Cube the heart. I don’t trim all of the fat. I leave some on there.
2. Put into slow cooker
3. Add beef stock
4. Add the spices
5. Add onion
6. Slow cook between 4-6 hours on high