Elk heart

[Steve G]

Administrator: I didn't see a sub forum for recipes. If there is a better place for this please feel free to move it.

I was inspired by a recent episode of MeatEeater to try preparing organ meats from the game I take, heart in particular.

I asked my buddy to harvest the heart from a nice bull elk his father had just taken in Arizona. I followed the attached youtube video (only 90 seconds long) and it was delicouse. I may not be trading back straps for heart in the future, but I'll never leave another heart in the feild. Next stop, elk liver. I hope somebody finds this useful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3AWOUqq11A

[pointysticks]

excellent. elk heart is awesome. i do a peruvian marinade and grill it..slice it thin and make tacos. amazing. my wife loves the stuff.

i have a deer heart frozen waiting for the same treatment.

what BLEW ME AWAY on that meat eater episode was how much leaner the wild hearts were compared to the domestic animal hearts..

[Lefty]

sliced thin 3/8 " fried in 1/2 olive oil1/2 butter, , dont over cook, Just add salt
we always cut 90degrees to what the video showed

My dad used lard and butter( he and 4 brothers died in their 50's) salt pepper and flour which made a thick gravy,..

[Gypsumreaper]

I never leave the heart, my dad never used the heart or liver he's just not big into liver. But one year me an a buddy shot 2 cows we decided we wanted the heart to try. Best part of the animal for something to eat that night at camp. After that it made me feel a little more in tune with the animal I just harvested. I've heard that as they said on meat eater how the Indians believed it gave you a more in tune sense from the animal. And so I now eat every heart I can, we usually batter them and cry them with onions some salt and pepper. Or just go with no batter some salt and pepper and cry them up. If I help another hunter with a kill or anything and they don't want the heart I take it.

[Steve G]

Glad to hear others are taking advantage of the heart. Next time I will be trying the liver. It does make me feel better the more I am able to use from the animal. I thought that it would be bearable but it was really terrific,

[Gypsumreaper]

I think the biggest thing people think about the heart is it being tough and unbearable to eat. And for a muscle that never relaxs I thought the same til I ate one. And for the fat content on a wild heart vs domestic, it is very surprising to many people the difference. I've cut up some beef at feed yards and home butchering and you think the fat on the heart Steve had was bad you should see some of the hearts in feed lots they get pretty bad but beef is all on high protein diets to get that marbling in the meat. Wild animals don't always have that luxury of being fed like beef do, I have heard from a few friends that they have seen some wildlife hearts that had quite a bit of fat on them just because they lived in the corn fields and that's all they did. Not a lot of running and climbing mountains. Liver is alright it just never appealed to me and I'd prefer to let it feed other animals than get half or even quarter eaten by my family them thrown to the dogs. But I may have to just take one as well and try cooking it different ways til I can find a way I like it. I to prefer to use as much of the animal as possible

[Huntrgathr]

I don't usually take it but last year during the muzzleloader hunt we took the heart from a buddies cow back to camp. After removing the membrane , we sliced some super thin, tossed it with a little salt and pepper and ate it raw. It was really good ! My 16yo son even tried it. Then we took the rest and made tacos with it. Good stuff. Didn't have time to grab the heart from my bull this year but will try to get at least one before the season's over. I think it's good medicine...

[jswbga]

we slice and fry some just about every time we catch one.

nothing makes me so happy as a mid-week elk heart meal. I hope to have some a week from now during 1st rifle.

[pointysticks]

Ell liver is much more mild than any beef liver. I can eat it, but I am watching my cholesterol levels. I bring it out for a friends family. They love it!!!!