The Nasty Bits: Venison Heart Tartare Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the best way to eat deer heart? ›

The two most popular ways to enjoy it are by making pickled venison heart (a personal favorite treat of mine), or pan frying heart meat like a steak with butter, herbs, and seasonings, such as in this great recipe.

Wild game meat can be lean and fibrous, and deer heart is no exception. To clean the meat, let it soak in a large bowl of cold water to remove any excess blood.

It's peppery, like arugula, but has an aftertaste that oscillates between good and a little strong. I'd never thought a lot about deer heart, other than using the amount of it browsed as a gauge for where to hunt deer, and to try not to slip on it when it's raining.

Slice and then chop your venison and quickly toss it with oil to prevent oxidation and protect the beautiful deep-red color. Mix in salt, pepper and capers, or any other aromatics you like. Garnish the tartare with an egg yolk and some fresh lemon zest & serve with crackers or toast & enjoy!

For larger hearts – like lamb or beef – wash thoroughly to remove any blood. There is no need to soak the heart. Remove hard arteries or connective tissue with a knife. Lamb or goat hearts can be served whole.

The Cleaning

These are the aorta, pulmonary artery and the ventricles. You're going to trim these off right up to the top of the heart. Once the stems have been removed, we need to clean the blood from the ventricles and atrium. Under cold water, shove your fingers into each vent and push out any blood clots.

In rare case reports, deer have been implicated in the transmission of Toxoplasma to hunters after consumption of raw or undercooked venison [4, 5]. In this report, we present 1 confirmed case and 1 suspected case of acute toxoplasmosis after ingestion of the undercooked heart of a white-tailed deer.

Venison is high in essential amino acids and in addition, a rich source of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, iron, and zinc. Venison meat is a perfect choice of protein for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease and are searching for low cholesterol and saturated fat protein choices.

You want them to be medium rare. If you cook them too much they will be rubbery and not nearly as delicious.

The calcium in milk contains enzymes that will tenderize the meat, and the main protein in milk will neutralize the gamey flavor. It won't be so un-gamey that it tastes like beef, but it's likely enough for those who prefer to avoid the taste.

Is venison heart tough? ›

While the heart may not be the most tender muscle on the deer, it is still possible to cook it so that it is juicy and flavorful.

By ingesting the heart, it is thought that the hunter assimilates the animal's strength, courage, and vitality, forging a spiritual connection with the species and expressing gratitude for the sacrifice made. In some cultures, the ritual serves as a rite of passage or initiation into adulthood.

Beef tartare is made from raw ground beef, which can potentially contain harmful bacteria such as E. coli or Salmonella. In order to reduce the risk of foodborne illness, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that all beef be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

The egg yolk and raw beef in steak tartare are both great options for those who want to build lean muscles and introduce more protein into their diet.

Safety is also at stake since harmful bacteria can flourish when leftovers are subject to other contaminants or warm temperatures. Additionally, because it's not possible to safely extend shelf life with proper storage, the best policy is to avoid eating any leftover steak tartare.

Beef Heart is definitely alot milder than Beef Liver and is closest to a lean steak. You will also have to cook the organ meats in different ways.

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

Interesting fact: Native Americans believed by eating the heart of a deer that the hunter would gain the animal's strength, courage, and spirit.

Heart meat is very lean and tasty with a slight chewy texture. It is one of the more mild flavored of all the organ meats. Venison Heart has around 22grams of protein per 3 ounces of serving. It's also a great source of bioavailable forms of thiamine, folate, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, CoQ10 and several B vitamins.

Liver, in particular, is packed with iron, vitamin A, the B vitamins, choline, folic acid, purines and zinc. It is one of the most nutritionally valuable foods you can eat and that's why predatory animals eat the liver first. A heart is best eaten fresh. You can refrigerate it for up to a couple of days.

Is the heart of a deer good to eat? ›

Not only is heart delicious and straightforward to prepare, but it also contains folate, iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins essential for our own heart health. The easiest way to prepare the heart is to cut off the aorta, fat, and hard connective tissue from the top and then slice the heart in half.