This Stuffed Beef Heart recipe is a comforting, old-fashioned dish popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Beef heart is a traditional ingredient my grandparents often enjoyed—an economical, flavorful choice that adds variety to your meals and cooks beautifully when prepared with care.
Beef Heart Recipe
Beef heart has a mild, beefy flavor and a dense, meaty texture. When stuffed and cooked slowly, it becomes tender and slices like a steak—think of it as a “steak with benefits.” This stuffed version highlights classic, familiar flavors while making the most of an often-overlooked cut.
Directions
How to make stuffed beef heart:
- Ask your butcher to trim away exterior fat, arteries, and veins, or remove them yourself at home. Thorough trimming ensures a clean, tender finished dish.
- Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C) for low-and-slow cooking.
- Rinse the heart well under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Fill the heart’s cavity with your prepared stuffing, pressing gently so the stuffing holds together without overpacking.
- Close the heart by skewering the edges and tying it securely with kitchen twine to keep the stuffing in place.
- Lightly coat the outside with a flour mixture—about 1/4 cup flour combined with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper works well.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of bacon fat (or another cooking fat) in a heavy Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with a lid. Brown the stuffed heart on all sides to develop color and flavor.
- Pour about 1 inch of boiling beef broth or hot water into the pot to create a moist cooking environment.
- Cover the pot with the lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for roughly 2 hours, or until the meat is tender when pierced with a knife.
- Remove the pot from the oven, take off the twine and skewers, and let the heart rest for a few minutes.
- Using a sharp carving knife, slice the stuffed heart into thin slices across the grain and serve warm with pan juices or a simple gravy.
Ingredients
- 1 beef heart (or 2 calf hearts)
- 4 cups bird stuffing or your favorite breadcrumb-based stuffing
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons bacon fat (or other cooking fat)
- Boiling beef broth or water (about 1 inch in the braising pot)
Taste & Texture
Curious about how beef heart tastes and feels? It resembles brisket or some steak cuts in both flavor and texture. Because it is a working muscle, it can be firmer than typical steaks, so slow, gentle cooking is the best approach to make it tender. Braising at low heat for a couple of hours yields a succulent, sliceable result. Alternatively, if you prefer quick-cooking methods, slice the heart thinly and grill or sear briefly over high heat for a more steak-like bite.
The stuffed heart offers the contrast of a savory filling and the heart’s hearty texture, which works well with classic comfort sides such as mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, or a simple green salad.
Variation: Pickled Beef Heart Appetizer
A classic vintage variation comes from Amy Vanderbilt’s Complete Book of Cooking (1961). This pickled appetizer was a wartime favorite that stayed in many recipe collections for its flavor and economy.
To prepare: trim and clean the heart, place it in a Dutch oven or deep baking dish, and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 bay leaf, and 3 whole cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 3½ hours, until tender. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup vinegar to the cooking liquid. Let the heart cool in the vinegar broth, then refrigerate for about 3 hours. Drain, chill, and slice thinly to serve with a piquant condiment or mustard-based sauce.
Tips for Success
Choose a fresh heart that is firm and evenly shaped. Trim thoroughly to remove connective tissue for a more pleasant eating experience. When stuffing, avoid overpacking so heat can penetrate and cook evenly. Browning before braising adds depth of flavor, and low-and-slow cooking brings out tenderness. Let the cooked heart rest briefly before slicing to retain juices.
Serving and Leftovers
Serve stuffed beef heart warm, thinly sliced, with its braising juices or a light gravy. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days and make excellent sandwiches, slices for salads, or reheated entrees. Reheat gently to avoid drying the meat.
Traditional and Roast Recipe Ideas
Other classic recipes you might enjoy trying alongside stuffed beef heart include:
- Maple Pecan Pie
- Sourdough Bread for Beginners
- Oven-Roasted Rump Roast
- Easy Berry Crisp
- Georgia Pecan Pie
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Prime Rib Roast
- Sirloin Tip Roast
- Boston Butt Pork Roast