Cooking frozen beef heart

The beef heart can hardly be called a product that regularly appears on our tables – it is usually cooked rarely, despite the fact that these dishes are simply delicious when properly prepared. In this collection, we’ve put together some of the best beef heart recipes – simple, straightforward, and delicious!

Beef heart – a by-product of the first category, that is, its nutritional value is almost equal to meat, and in some moments even exceeds it: in the heart, 1.5 times more iron and six times more B vitamins (B2, 3, 6,9 and 12) than in most beef. Many consider this a heavy by-product, but it is not: in the heart, it contains four times less fat than in meat, but the same amount of protein, a lot of vitamins and minerals, and with all this, it is also low in calories (100 g in the hearts of all 87 kg).

How to choose a beef heart

Let’s say right away: chilled beef heart contains many more nutrients than frozen beef heart for sale, which tends to be cheaper, so it’s better to choose the first option in stores (usually it is brought from local farms, and frozen – from abroad). In appearance, this by-product, as well as other meat products, should look fresh and smell fresh meat, should not have plaque and stains, and should not be excessively moistened. The color should be dark red, well, if there is a little blood in the cells of the heart – this indicates the freshness of the product, but usually before selling the fat that is covered by the seat in the thickest part, together with a rigid tube, is removed. In general, the structure of the core is very elastic, and it must immediately restore its shape after compression.

Cooking beef heart: general principles and recipes

Before cooking, the heart should be adequately rinsed under running cold water, cut in half lengthwise, remove all clots and blood vessels, and fat if you bought the product not ready. You’d better prepare by soaking it in cold water for 2-3 hours. But whether it boils or not depends on what dish will be ready. Boil the beef heart as follows: fill it with cold water and boil for 1.5 – 2 hours, then changing the water every half hour. Cooking from the heart can be a lot of dishes, including baked, fried, stewed whole, or sliced. Boiled hearts usually make various salads, snacks, pies, fillings for pies, and other food products. Among the beautiful dishes obtained from the heart, we can distinguish goulash, burgers, steaks, stews, and more.

How to cook frozen beef

Tips for freezing beef

The best one: Freeze it in reasonable amounts. About 1 pound of beef (450-500g) is the right amount for many recipes. Therefore, I often leave it in the original packaging. However, if I want to make some meatballs for soup soon, I may divide this package into two parts.

Raw beef will solidify into a lump, so once it’s frozen, you won’t be able to remove just a portion from the packaging; You will have to use them all at once. You should never freeze thawed food again. If you freeze a very large portion for one meal, you can cook it all and then freeze the cooked beef again. Freeze meat in good freezer bags or containers to avoid freezer burn. Add spices and form hamburger patties. Freeze them on a plate and transfer them to a freezer bag once they are firm. Having bulk frozen beef ready will save dinner another day.

Recipe steps

You will need a large saucepan with a lid.
Start cooking: Put the frozen minced meat mass into the saucepan. Add about ½ cup of water, cover the pot, and simmer the meat for 2-3 minutes.
Turn the block over.
Scrape the outside of the cooked briquettes (the meat that has already changed color and is now grayish brown).
If necessary, add a little water again.
Continue to cook the meat for 2-3 minutes, scrape it back in, flip and scrape the other side as well.
By now, you should be able to break the block into smaller pieces using a wooden spoon.
While the ground beef is cooking, cut all the vegetables into cubes.
Add them to the skillet, stir well, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook uncovered.
Add all the spices and stir well, trying to break up all the lumps with the wooden spoon.
Cook for another 7 to 10 minutes or until the meat is thoroughly cooked through, there should be no more red or frozen pieces, and the vegetables should be tender.
Adjust seasonings and serve.
By now, you should be able to break the block into smaller pieces using a wooden spoon.
While the meat is cooking, cut all the vegetables into cubes.
Add them to the skillet, stir well, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook uncovered.
Add all the spices and stir well, trying to break up all the lumps with the wooden spoon.
Cook for another 7 to 10 minutes or until just tender, there should be no more red or frozen pieces, and the vegetables should be tender.
Adjust seasonings and serve.