Don’t leave it behind!!!!!
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: Ucsdryder
04-Nov-18
Hard to believe, but it’s better than the loin I cooked for the guests “just in case”.
Hard to believe, but it’s better than the loin I cooked for the guests “just in case”.
Was lucky enough to get a cow elk yesterday. Took the heart out since I had help packing meat. Holy freaking moly!!!!!!!!
From: t-roy
04-Nov-18
On deer, that’s the first thing that gets eaten.
From: Paul@thefort
04-Nov-18
Yep and the liver also. Never have tried the tongue but the ribs are wonderful.
From: TheTone
04-Nov-18
Heart is great. I'm also a huge fan of ribs and shanks which are left or discarded a ton.
From: Ucsdryder
04-Nov-18
I had the butcher cut all the shank into osso bucco this year.
From: dirtclod Az.
04-Nov-18
Went Elk hunting solo and my Dad and Uncle said leave the ribs.Horse -hockey!An extra load is well worth the struggle.I Always eat the heart first.
From: Big-Al
04-Nov-18
Any one use gutless and still cut out the heart?
From: ElkNut1
04-Nov-18
Photo looks cool! No organs here!
ElkNut/Paul
From: Ucsdryder
04-Nov-18
Big al, I only do gutless. After taking the rib meat I cut the ribs at the cartlidge and pulled them back and reached in and pulled it out.
Elknut, my understand is the heart is a muscle, not an organ. Someone feel free to correct me.
From: Treeline
04-Nov-18
I do gutless and specifically pull out the heart.
Not a fan of any liver at all though so won’t keep it unless someone specifically asks for it.
Do like elk ribs and shanks a lot and will cut the whole rib cage out and haul it home if I’m not too far back, otherwise just trim it. Neck roasts are really good too!
From: Franklin
04-Nov-18
The Liver is like the air filter on your furnace.....no thanks. Heart yes....Liver no.
From: ElkNut1
04-Nov-18
Call it what you'd like, no Heart or Liver for me! Can't take the texture! More power to you for enjoying it!
ElkNut/Paul
From: IdyllwildArcher
04-Nov-18
I love heart. Batter and fry rare and serve with horseradish.
From: WV Mountaineer
04-Nov-18
Best cut of meat on any type venison.
From: Ucsdryder
04-Nov-18
All trimmed up, I don’t think many people would recognize it as heart.
All trimmed up, I don’t think many people would recognize it as heart.
From: Amoebus
05-Nov-18
I made liver for a buddy about 20 years ago and he was heaving almost immediately. I learned then to cook liver way past rare.
From: midwest
05-Nov-18
I love chicken gizzards and hearts. I think venison heart tastes very similar. I always bread it with flour and fry in butter or EVOO until well done. I'll try it rare next time like Ike said.
From: eddie c
05-Nov-18
"Muscle is considered tissue which is part of an organ (in this case your heart). Your heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood to your body." this was from Goggle.
From: TrapperKayak
05-Nov-18
Best part by far. My wife cringes though. She doesn't know what she is missing. Just leaves more for me. Try Elk liver rolled in flour and a bit of curry powder, fried, with sautéed onions...To die for, and it is loaded with irons and vitamins, Don't believe me, just look at your pee afterwards. Bright yellow, almost chartreuse, so many vitamins. You will feel GREAT after eating it.
From: WV Mountaineer
05-Nov-18
I’ll eat the liver. Just because. It’s not my favorite. But, I learned if I soak it in buttermilk, bread it in almond flour, and fry it in butter or olive oil. Sauté some onions in the same pan, it’s teally good.
Now heart. That is totally different. I LOVE it. I fry it unbreadef it greased, in butter or olive oil. Only complaint I have is there is never enough of it. Seriously.
From: APauls
05-Nov-18
Started on heart recently as well. What a pleasant surprise. It was awesome.
From: Dale06
05-Nov-18
No organ meats for me, from any animal.
From: buckhammer
05-Nov-18
The heart is the best piece of meat. First thing that gets eaten.
From: BadlandsRoger
05-Nov-18
I just got back from a Pheasant hunt in ND. Pheasant hearts are about the size of a big marble, but they are delicious. Taste just like a great cut of steak.
From: snuffer
05-Nov-18
i leave mine wih the carcass.
From: kakiat kid
05-Nov-18
Never had heart but I sure want to try...what is the first step in trimming it up? TIA
From: kakiat kid
05-Nov-18
Never had heart but I sure want to try...what is the first step in trimming it up? TIA
From: Shawn
05-Nov-18
Liver and heart just like most venison type meat should not be over cooked. Liver must never be cooked past medium rare or the texture is terrible. I love chicken gizzards, livers and hearts boiled with a chick bullion cube than eat it with several slices of read and butter. Love heart and liver when cooked right. Shawn
From: Ucsdryder
05-Nov-18
Then I pounded it with my open hand.
Then I pounded it with my open hand.
To prep I soaked overnight in the fridge in ice water. Next day I cut it in half long ways then took a fillet knife and cut into 1/2” strips. Then I trimmed everything that wasn’t pure red meat.
From: WV Mountaineer
05-Nov-18
I soak it in salt water in the fridge for a bit to draw all the blood out of the chambers. After I trim off the fat off where the ventricles are located. I slice it about 3/8" thick, salt and pepper, fry it rare, start eating and smack the heck out of anybody that gets to close to the plate I put them on to drain. :^)
I have two more weeks of bow season and 1 tag left. I was waiting on a nice buck. But, remembering how good the heart is will see me loose my arrow on any decent sized deer. It is my favorite meal.
From: Bowsiteguy
05-Nov-18
How to cook deer liver, from an old Italian guy who had a bar and restaurant in Weed, CA (Yep, Weed. They sell lots of T-shirts in that town): Slice the liver thin (about 1/4 inch). Put it in ice water to draw out the blood. Shake it in a plastic baggie with flour to slightly coat it. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Put a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet with a lid. Put the lid aside and start cooking the liver in the oil. Keep it spread out so it won't boil. Turn it over once, and just when the blood is being cooked off (not very long at all) throw in a 1/2 glass of red wine and immediately put the lid on and shake the skillet and lid back and forth vigorously on the stove for about five seconds. Take it off the heat. Done. It makes a delicious gravy and the liver stays tender. Like they say, only use a wine that you would be willing to drink. Probably not saying much for this crew.
From: Surfbow
06-Nov-18
Don't leave any of the good stuff behind :)
Don't leave any of the good stuff behind :)
From: fubar racin
06-Nov-18
Surf now we started doing that with our deer this year!
From: Ucsdryder
06-Nov-18
Surf I just can’t do it. When I was little growing up on a ranch I remember eating them fresh, but now all I can think of, when I see that, is a Japanese word that starts with B and involves lots of guys.
From: NoWiser
06-Nov-18
I'm a big fan of heart and liver. I usually stick to younger animals for the liver but never leave a heart behind. I always just slice them up that night and throw them in the frying pan with a bunch of onions.
My tradition whenever I shoot a turkey is the have scrambled eggs the next day with diced turkey heart, liver, and gizzard. Can't beat that.
From: M.Pauls
06-Nov-18
Alright Surf, do tell! Or anyone else for that matter! What’s the recipe for the nads? Very curious
From: Ucsdryder
06-Nov-18
Paul’s...I’ve had some success using a lot of wine.
From: WV Mountaineer
06-Nov-18
That sheep had a set!
From: Surfbow
07-Nov-18
Actually I've never had them, but sliced thin, breaded and fried with a squeeze of lemon seems to looks the best. I was always a kid when they were fixed at the ranch, I could help rope the calves, but no way I'd go near the nuts. However, we were on a sheep hunt for my buddy's dad last week and we kinda figured if you're going to do it, go big :) I pulled the heart out too for a more normal appetizer experience...
From: PECO
08-Nov-18
Heart yes, liver no. Well, we have saved the liver to cube up, fry, and can for the dog. If the wife gets her rifle cow elk, we will, or I will have a tongue taco!
From: Surfbow
08-Nov-18
We saved the tongue from my elk this year. My buddy braised and vacuum sealed it, then we had elk-tongue tacos on his moose hunt, it was killer!
From: WV Mountaineer
08-Nov-18
I assume you used olive oil. Did you garnish it in lime juice too?
From: Orion
09-Nov-18
Heart absolutely, one of my favorite cuts. Liver on the other hand, you have a better chance of getting me to stop hunting. I've tried it about every way imaginable, it's just not my speed. But I do have a buddy who loves it, so I always take it with me.
From: dirtclod Az.
09-Nov-18
Liver and heart Yeas.Never harvested Oysters,but always enjoy the Hogs in Heat BBQ at the local pub.Lots of fried Oysters!
From: Bohunr
10-Nov-18
This year we ate true rocky mountain oysters in elk camp. However, as we were hunting the Blue mountains of northeastern Oregon,they were renamed blue mountain oysters. ??
From: foxbo
13-Nov-18
I don't see how a heart can be tender just fried. I've never tried just frying it, so what do I know. Everyone I've ever cooked, I boil for three or four hours to get it tender enough to stick a fork in. Then I roll it in flour and fry.
From: Fuzzy
13-Nov-18
never taken an elk but I never leave deer or pig hearts behind if I can help it
From: WV Mountaineer
13-Nov-18
The area around the ventricals is chewy. In comparison, the rest is not. With that said, it’s best described by imagining the exterior lining as being firm. However, once you bite through it, and get into the interior, it still has rigidity. But, it is not tough and chews very easily.
