How to Cook Offal – Heart

Tips and Ideas on Preparing and Cooking Pig’s, Sheep’s and Ox Hearts

Sep 27, 2009 Elaine Findlay

Sheep's heart is a traditional part of the Scottish delicacy, haggis. But, there are other ways of cooking heart to make a cheap, tasty and nutritious meal. Here's how.

Pig, lamb and ox heart were used extensively years ago as a base for cheap and nutritious meals – particularly by the poorer sections of society. Lamb’s heart is traditionally minced with the liver and lungs of the animal and used as the basis of haggis. Heart is a good source of animal protein and vitamins – particularly the B group and can still be used today to make tasty and economical dinner dishes.

Preparing Heart for Cooking

Heart is classified like liver and kidney as offal. To prepare a heart for cooking, wash it thoroughly in cold water then cut of any flaps, lobes or gristle and any membranes dividing the chambers and cavities or on the outside. The heart should then be soaked for at least half an hour in water or milk to soften its flavour.

All types of heart benefit from slow cooking or roasting so should be stewed, braised or pot roasted. An ox heart will serve about four people, a calf’s heart will serve two people and lamb’s and pig’s hearts, being the smallest will only really serve one person. Two recipes are given below. If the first doesn’t appeal because it’s a bit too obvious what it is, the second can be passed off as beef stew.

Recipe for Sheep’s Heart with Tomatoes

Ingredients (serves 1):

  • 1 sheep’s heart
  • 2 oz breadcrumbs
  • 2 oz pulped tomatoes
  • ¼ pt beef or chicken stock
  • Cayenne pepper and salt

Method:

  1. Mixed together the breadcrumbs and tomatoes and season well
  2. Prepare the heart, make a slit in it and then stuff it with the bread mixture
  3. Tie the heart up with string
  4. Put it in a casserole dish and pour on the stock
  5. Cover and then bake in the oven at gas mark 3, 170 C, 325 F for about 2 ½ hours
  6. Serve with a couple of baked, whole tomatoes, mashed potato and cabbage

Braised Ox Heart Recipe

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 1 ox heart
  • 2 onions
  • ½ lb diced carrots and swede
  • ½ pint beef stock
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 8oz chopped tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Prepare the heart as given above and then chop in to 1 inch pieces
  2. Sauté the pieces of heart in the oil until they are just browned and put in a casserole dish
  3. Peel and chop the onions and sauté until just softened then add to the casserole dish
  4. Stir the flour into the juices left in the pan and cook for a moment before adding the stock and stirring gently until it’s thickened then season well
  5. Pour the thickened stock over the onions and heart
  6. Cover the casserole and cook for 2 ½ hours on gas mark 2, 150 C, 300 F
  7. Add the vegetables and chopped tomatoes, stir well and cook for a further hour on the same heat
  8. Serve with boiled potatoes and peas

The copyright of the article How to Cook Offal – Heart in Recipes is owned by Elaine Findlay. Permission to republish How to Cook Offal – Heart in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
How to Cook Ox or Bullock Heart, Elaine M. Findlay How to Cook Ox or Bullock Heart
   
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