Homemade Sausage Making

Just tried this recipe and it was amazing.
http://frombellytobacon.com/2014/07/09/ ... #more-6384
How so?

Well first, I've never eaten beef heart. So the learning began with this video on how to butcher a heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfxLptyB ... r_embedded

Had a smaller 'steak' last night and it was delicious.

Today, made the actual buger combo. Thanks to this forum - I understood the processes to ensure that the mix 'worked'; from keeping the marrow frozen to how much to grind the semi-frozen heart. Based on some other reading, I actually emulsified some of the heart then put everything together with the mixer to develop the paste.

Had three willing particpants and we all agreed that it was a really tasty burger with just the right amount of beefy juicy fatty goodness. Served it on homemade sourdough burger buns with tomato pie on the side (tomato pie recipe: http://achefslifeseries.com/recipes/15).

No pictures - too busy cookin'!!!

Lynn

Hi Lynn - that's funny because I just made beef heart for the first time. Always heard that there is a famous Peruvian street food of grilled skewered beef heart. I found lots of recipes on the internet so I chose a few and came up with this, which is basically the recipe that fit what I had on hand.

Anticuchos

Cut 1 heart into 1 - 1.5 inch chunks. Trim off any fat and silverskin.
Marinade all day or, better, overnight in:
3 dried hot chilies, diced, seeds and all (add fresh if you've got them, or substitute a teaspoon of pepper flakes)
4 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 tsp of olive oil to put your garlic and chilies in before adding liquid and powders
1 tsp cumin seed and half tsp peppercorns, ground roughly together
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt (rounded if coarse or kosher salt)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf

Take them out of the marinade and let them dry. Grill on skewers over a very hot fire just until they are getting charred on the edges - no more. If you cook heart too long it gets rubbery, so these should be charred but rare. If your fire is not enough, they'll cook in 5 or less minutes.

Delicious! Tastes like very lean, tender high quality steak. I'll bet your heart burgers were the bomb.

Cheers,
Jeff

Terrific post Lynn! Thank you for sharing. On a cattle ranch, we used everything on an animal and even canned the "moo"!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Hey Jeff!

I can't wait t to try Anticuchos - it's next on my list.

How long did you marinate the meat? Any changes you would make to the recipe next time?

Lynn

Anticuchos have been a favorite at "Night In Old San Antonio" (NIOSA, part of Fiesta Week, held in April every year) for ever since I can remember (which, some years, is limited by the margaritas)! It isn't always beef heart that is used for the meat, but that's okay. Usually anticuchos are made from whatever lower-quality beef cut is available.

Like you would with the real version of fajitas (made from "skirt steak," diaphragm muscle), marinate one to three days, not just for flavor but also for tenderizing. Otherwise, you'll get what the kids used to call "rubber meat." Do not use meat tenderizer, however- - the meat will degrade, and have a mushy mouth feel. Use thicker-diameter skewers, soaked on water, so they won't burn in two. The char is an essential part of the taste.

Enjoy! Viva Fiesta in your own back yard!

I just marinated overnight, but going longer as El Ducko suggests would only make them better. Even with just an overnight marinade they weren't the least bit tough. I took the trouble to cut off the silverskin and that probably made a difference. With a real sharp knife it's no big deal.

Anyone try these with pork hearts?

Cheers,
Jeff

I agree, Jeff, that careful cleaning probably makes a huge difference. AND that a sharp knive is essential.

The heart that I purchased was frozen - I let it thaw for two days in the 'fridge until the outside was slightly defrosted and removed all the outside silverskin, fat and veins.

Then, once the entire muscle was defrosted but still icy, cleaned the inside. Since the recipe also called for marrow, I am planning to use the trimmings and the bones to make stock which will ultimately end up in a stew.

Thanks Sir Duck, for the hints on marinade times and skewers.

(Blush) Don't forget the margaritas! (...or, in Peru, pisco sours.)

While attending college in the 70's we called chicken hearts "poor mans steak tips "(29 cents a pound).Sautéed in butter with a 20 cent box of mac and cheese was a great meal , I have always liked heart ,be it beef, venison or chicken !

cogboy wrote:While attending college in the 70's we called chicken hearts "poor mans steak tips "(29 cents a pound).Sautéed in butter with a 20 cent box of mac and cheese was a great meal , I have always liked heart ,be it beef, venison or chicken !

Hey, a guy with a lot of heart!