Deer Heart and Liver

[R2elk]

You're doing it the way I do... I'll also make hash from the boiled heart.

I have a neighbor that gave me a beef heart so I pickled it. Once she got a taste of the pickled heart, she never gave me another heart. I also like heart stuffed and roasted.

 

[twisted-acres-farm]

I have a neighbor that gave me a beef heart so I pickled it. Once she got a taste of the pickled heart, she never gave me another heart. I also like heart stuffed and roasted.

the greedy bugger.

 

[R2elk]

I hope this is an appropriate place to post my question... Please let me know if not.

I got a deer this morning and am keeping the heart and liver. What is the best way to process them before freezing? Before I have always just washed, trimmed, dried and vacuum packed the same day. Deer liver has always had a very strong flavor to me so I usually make a pate w tons of onions, garlic, etc. The heart is also fairly strong tasting so I usually boil it, and then it tastes just the way I like it. (Slicing and sautéing the heart produced a flavor I did not like).

So, would it help to soak both the heart and liver in salt water to remove some of the strong flavor? And if so how long can I safely soak those organs before drying and freezing?

They are trimmed up and waiting in the fridge now, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks~

I prefer eating the liver fresh, smothered in onions and fried. Serve with fried potatoes and butter bread.

 

[rjohns39]

I have a neighbor that gave me a beef heart so I pickled it. Once she got a taste of the pickled heart, she never gave me another heart. I also like heart stuffed and roasted.

Share your pickled recipe please.

 

[R2elk]

Share your pickled recipe please.

Pickled Heart

1 heart (game or beef heart)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp pickling spice
1/4 onion
sugar
vinegar
water

Rinse the heart in fresh cool water, poking your finger into the
ventricles to help remove any blood clots. Soak overnight in a cool
place with enough water to cover plus a handful of salt. Rinse
again, and place whole heart in a pan of cool, salted water, over
medium heat and boil until done: this takes about a half hour (once
the water begins to boil) with a small antelope or deer heart, and
about 1½ hours with a large elk heart. Remove from heat and allow
to cool. After cooling, cut the heart into three or four pieces by
inserting the knife lengthwise into the chambers. Carefully trim
away all fat and surface blood vessels, cut and peel away the outer
layer (epicardium) and the inner layers of the chambers (“heart
strings” or tendons). Slice the trimmed pieces into strips
approximately ¼ inch thick. Put the heart slices into either a quart
or pint jar (depending on the size of the heart) with the pickling
spices and the quarter of onion. Boil in a saucepan a mixture of 1
part sugar, 2 parts vinegar and 2 parts water. Make enough to fill
the canning jar. Pour hot liquid over heart in canning jar to within
½" of the top of the jar. Seal jar with lid and set on counter upside
down to cool and seal.

Note: The pickled heart slices will be ready to be eaten in about
one week.

I suppose that this could also work for poultry hearts if a person processed enough poultry at the same time. I would pickle poultry hearts whole.

 

[Maeschak]

Pickled Heart

1 heart (game or beef heart)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp pickling spice
1/4 onion
sugar
vinegar
water

Rinse the heart in fresh cool water, poking your finger into the
ventricles to help remove any blood clots. Soak overnight in a cool
place with enough water to cover plus a handful of salt. Rinse
again, and place whole heart in a pan of cool, salted water, over
medium heat and boil until done: this takes about a half hour (once
the water begins to boil) with a small antelope or deer heart, and
about 1½ hours with a large elk heart. Remove from heat and allow
to cool. After cooling, cut the heart into three or four pieces by
inserting the knife lengthwise into the chambers. Carefully trim
away all fat and surface blood vessels, cut and peel away the outer
layer (epicardium) and the inner layers of the chambers (“heart
strings” or tendons). Slice the trimmed pieces into strips
approximately ¼ inch thick. Put the heart slices into either a quart
or pint jar (depending on the size of the heart) with the pickling
spices and the quarter of onion. Boil in a saucepan a mixture of 1
part sugar, 2 parts vinegar and 2 parts water. Make enough to fill
the canning jar. Pour hot liquid over heart in canning jar to within
½" of the top of the jar. Seal jar with lid and set on counter upside
down to cool and seal.

Note: The pickled heart slices will be ready to be eaten in about
one week.

I suppose that this could also work for poultry hearts if a person processed enough poultry at the same time. I would pickle poultry hearts whole.

Dang, I just finished the heart! (Boiled it). I have a beef heart, I'd love to try pickling that. Thanks for the recipe-

 

[Ursuline Chick]

hoping to do a little hunting between Christmas and New Years, hope to use your pickled recipe. Thank you As well as the pate recipe (I love pate)

 

[Maeschak]

Pickled Heart

1 heart (game or beef heart)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp pickling spice
1/4 onion
sugar
vinegar
water

Rinse the heart in fresh cool water, poking your finger into the
ventricles to help remove any blood clots. Soak overnight in a cool
place with enough water to cover plus a handful of salt. Rinse
again, and place whole heart in a pan of cool, salted water, over
medium heat and boil until done: this takes about a half hour (once
the water begins to boil) with a small antelope or deer heart, and
about 1½ hours with a large elk heart. Remove from heat and allow
to cool. After cooling, cut the heart into three or four pieces by
inserting the knife lengthwise into the chambers. Carefully trim
away all fat and surface blood vessels, cut and peel away the outer
layer (epicardium) and the inner layers of the chambers (“heart
strings” or tendons). Slice the trimmed pieces into strips
approximately ¼ inch thick. Put the heart slices into either a quart
or pint jar (depending on the size of the heart) with the pickling
spices and the quarter of onion. Boil in a saucepan a mixture of 1
part sugar, 2 parts vinegar and 2 parts water. Make enough to fill
the canning jar. Pour hot liquid over heart in canning jar to within
½" of the top of the jar. Seal jar with lid and set on counter upside
down to cool and seal.

Note: The pickled heart slices will be ready to be eaten in about
one week.

I suppose that this could also work for poultry hearts if a person processed enough poultry at the same time. I would pickle poultry hearts whole.

Quick question- does this need to be refrigerated during the week of waiting?

 

[R2elk]

Quick question- does this need to be refrigerated during the week of waiting?

When I did it, I only ever had one heart to work with at a time so I did refrigerate it. The recipe that I adapted mine from did not specify but did state that it will keep for one year.

 

[jvls1942]

I soak my liver in whole milk before dipping in seasoned flour and frying in butter, helps to pull out some of the blood and gameyness at least in my experience also makes it more tender.

my mother used to soak the liver in milk also.. so now , so do I.
if you are going to fry it, do not stretch it when you put it into the pan. instead, push it together as much as it will go.
it will be more tender ..

I cut open all hearts and clean the blood out of the cavities real good.

.....jiminwisc......