Cody Casey
Deer heart is a muscle, similar to other cuts of meat, and can be cooked in a variety of ways. Before cooking, it is important to clean the heart by removing the valves, outer skin, and blood. Some recipes recommend soaking the heart in saltwater for a few hours or overnight to remove any blood. Once cleaned, the heart can be sliced, diced, or left whole and prepared in a crockpot, skillet, or on the grill.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preparation | Clean the heart by removing valves, fat, veins, connective tissue and outer tough skin. Cut into 1/4"-1/2" slices or 1-inch cubes. |
| Marinade | Italian dressing, salt, pepper, garlic, salt water, beef bouillon broth, chicken broth, milk, onion, garlic, flour, salt, pepper, paprika |
| Cooking method | Fry, grill, boil, bake, or cook in a crock pot |
| Crock pot ingredients | Water, wine, sliced onion, beef bouillon broth, chicken broth, milk, onion, garlic, flour, salt, pepper, paprika, mushrooms, butter, potatoes, carrots, black pepper, salt, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown gravy packet, oil |
| Crock pot cooking time | 6-11 hours |
| Serving suggestions | Mashed potatoes, biscuits, pasta, rice, salad, steamed broccoli, thyme-roasted sweet potatoes |
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What You'll Learn
Trimming and cleaning the deer heart
- Start by opening the heart and laying it flat. This will expose the inner chambers and valves.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully trim away all the valves and connective tissue. This includes the ''heart strings',', which are tough, silverskin-like tendons that connect the heart muscle to the valves.
- Next, remove any clotted blood, fat, and bits of tough outer tissue. Be thorough in this step, as these parts are not edible and will not taste good if left on the heart.
- Once you have trimmed away all the unwanted parts, give the heart a final rinse under cold water to ensure it is clean.
- You can now proceed to slice the heart into the desired thickness for your recipe. Some recipes call for thin slices, around 1/4" to 1/2" thick, while others suggest larger pieces of around 3-4 inches.
It is important to trim and clean the deer heart properly to ensure the best flavour and texture. This process may seem daunting at first, but with practice, it will become easier.
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Marinating the deer heart
Marinating a deer heart is an important step in preparing this cut of meat. Before you begin marinating, you should clean the heart by removing the valves, fat, connective tissue, and outer tough skin. You can then cut the heart in half and slice it into thin pieces, around 1/4" to 1/2" thick.
Once you have sliced the deer heart, you can begin the process of marinating. One option is to soak the meat in lightly salted water for a day or two, which helps to remove any remaining blood. After this, you can pat the meat dry and apply your chosen marinade. A simple marinade could consist of Italian dressing, salt, pepper, and garlic. Leave the meat to marinate for around an hour or two, before cooking.
Alternatively, you can try a dry marinade. One recipe suggests coating the deer heart in a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. This method will not only add flavour but will also help to create a crispy exterior when the meat is fried.
If you are planning to cook the deer heart in a crock pot, you may wish to brown the meat in a pan with some butter before transferring it to the slow cooker. This will add extra flavour and help to seal in the juices.
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Adding vegetables and seasonings
Deer heart is a muscle, and it is not like other organs. It can be tough if not prepared correctly. Before cooking, clean the heart by removing valves, connective tissue, and the outer tough skin. Soak the heart in saltwater for a day or two to remove any blood. Then, trim off the fat and cut the heart into bite-sized pieces.
Now, it's time to add some vegetables and seasonings! You can add sliced onions, potatoes, carrots, and celery salt. Some people also add mushrooms or peppers. For seasonings, you can use salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, Italian dressing, or balsamic vinegar. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even add wine, Worcestershire sauce, or brown sugar.
One popular recipe is to cover the deer heart slices with a can or two of Campbell's "Golden" mushroom soup and let it cook on low for a few hours. This results in a tender and tasty dish. Another option is to add beef bouillon broth, sliced onion, and seasonings like pepper.
If you're feeling adventurous, you can try an elk heart recipe in the crockpot with a rich, savory gravy. Fry bite-sized pieces of elk heart in oil until browned, then place them in the crockpot with sliced onion, wine, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and a brown gravy packet. Add water and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Serve this delicious meal over mashed potatoes or cooked pasta.
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Cooking the deer heart
First, you will need to clean the heart. Remove the valves and outer skin, trim off the fat and ventricles, and discard any clotted blood. You can then choose to soak the heart in salted water for a day or two to remove any remaining blood, or simply rinse it under the tap and pump it to get rid of any blood globs.
Next, you will need to decide how you want to cook the heart. Some popular methods include grilling, frying, boiling, or slow cooking in a crockpot.
If you choose to grill the heart, you can follow these steps:
- Split and trim the heart, then pound it lightly to flatten it.
- Sear the heart on a hot grill to medium-rare or medium.
- Slice the heart thinly and add it to onions and peppers in a skillet.
If you choose to fry the heart, you can follow these steps:
- Cut the heart into 1/4" to 1/2" slices.
- Brown the slices in a hot pan with butter.
- Place the slices in the crockpot and cover with a can or two of mushroom soup.
- Cook on low for a few hours until tender.
If you choose to boil the heart, you can follow these steps:
- Stuff the inside of the heart with onion and garlic.
- Cover with water and boil for about an hour.
- Let it cool, then slice and serve with hot mustard.
If you choose to slow cook the heart in a crockpot, you can follow these steps:
- Cut the heart into bite-sized pieces, about 1/2-1 inch in size.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat and add the heart pieces, frying until browned.
- Place the heart into the crockpot and add sliced onion, wine, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and brown gravy packet.
- Add water and stir well.
- Cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until tender.
You can also experiment with different seasonings and ingredients, such as beef bouillon broth, potatoes, carrots, or paprika, to find your perfect deer heart recipe.
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Serving suggestions
Deer heart can be cooked in a variety of ways and served with different sides. Here are some suggestions for serving deer heart prepared in a crock pot:
With Vegetables
You can serve deer heart with vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions. For example, one suggestion is to cook the deer heart in a crock pot with potatoes, carrots, black pepper, salt, a can of mushroom soup, and some Irish butter. Cook on low heat for an extended period, such as 6-11 hours, until the meat is tender and can be cut with a fork.
Over Mashed Potatoes or Pasta
Similar to elk heart, deer heart can be served over mashed potatoes or cooked pasta. To prepare the deer heart in the crock pot, you can follow a similar recipe as for elk heart. Clean and trim the heart, removing any blood, fats, and tough tissue. Cut the heart into bite-sized pieces. Heat oil over medium-high heat and add the heart pieces, frying them until browned. Transfer the browned heart pieces to the crock pot, along with sliced onions, wine, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and brown gravy. Add water and cook on low heat for 6-7 hours.
As Tacos or Appetizers
Deer heart can also be used as a filling for tacos. Butterfly the heart, removing the valves and connective tissue, and rinse off any blood. Slice the heart horizontally, then brown each slice in a skillet. Season the browned meat with salt and your favourite taco seasoning. You can also serve small portions of deer heart as appetizers. Prepare the meat similarly to the taco preparation, and serve on small toasts with olive oil and vinegar or provide toothpicks for dipping into a delicious sauce.
With Salads and Breads
If you want to serve deer roast prepared in a crock pot, you can marinate the meat beforehand to enhance the flavour and tenderise it. One suggestion is to marinate the meat in buttermilk for about 36 hours to lessen the wild taste. You can then serve the cooked deer roast with a salad and garlic bread.
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Frequently asked questions
First, clean the heart by removing the valves and outer skin. Then, trim off the fat and 'heart strings' (tendons and connective tissue). Next, cut the heart into bite-sized pieces.
You can add sliced onions, beef bouillon broth, wine, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown gravy, water, salt, and pepper. You can also add vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms.
Cook the deer heart on low heat for around 6-7 hours.
