At a glance
Trim away the fat, valves and connective tissue, cut the heart into 1 inch slabs and marinate them for 4 to 12 hours. Smoke at 225°F until they reach about 120°F, sear hard over high heat, then slice thinly. Most people serve it medium rare at 130°F to 135°F, while the USDA guidance for beef is 145°F.
Beef heart is one of the best value cuts in barbecue. It is not offal in the way people expect. It is a dense, lean muscle that tastes like a richer, beefier steak, and it is very affordable. Treated like a lean steak and cooked quickly to medium rare, it is tender and delicious.
Trimming beef heart
A whole heart needs some work. Cut off the hard fat cap, then open it up and remove the valves, the large vessels and the stringy white tissue inside. What is left is dense, deep red muscle. Do not worry about neat shapes. Cut what you have into even slabs so they cook at the same rate. Ask your butcher to trim it if you would rather skip this step.
Why a quick cook, not low and slow?
Unlike cheeks or tongue, heart has little connective tissue to break down. Long cooking just tightens and dries it. Treat it like a lean steak: a short smoke for flavor, a hard sear, and off the heat at medium rare. The reverse sear method is the same one we use for teres major.
Recipe
Smoked Beef Heart
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min plus 4 to 12 hours marinating
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Smoker 225°F (107°C)
- Pull at about 120°F (49°C) to sear
- Finish at 130°F to 135°F (54°C to 57°C), or 145°F (63°C) for USDA guidance
Ingredients
Heart
- 1 beef heart, about 3 to 4 lb (1.4 to 1.8 kg)
Marinade
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp kosher salt
To serve
- Chimichurri
- Flaky salt
Equipment
- Smoker or grill with two zones
- Thin, sharp knife
- Instant read thermometer
Method
- Trim the heart: cut away the hard fat on top, the valves, the large blood vessels and the tough white connective tissue inside. You will be left with several large pieces of dense red muscle.
- Cut the muscle into even slabs or steaks about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Mix the marinade, add the heart and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
- Heat the smoker to 225°F (107°C), or set up the grill with a cool zone.
- Lift the heart from the marinade and pat it dry. Smoke for 45 to 60 minutes, until it reaches about 120°F (49°C).
- Sear over very high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side until well browned.
- Take it off at 130°F to 135°F (54°C to 57°C) for medium rare, or 145°F (63°C) to follow USDA guidance, and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Slice thinly across the grain and serve with chimichurri and flaky salt.
Notes
- Heart is lean and turns rubbery when overcooked, so keep a thermometer handy.
- Many butchers will trim the heart for you if you ask.
Serving beef heart
- Sliced thin with chimichurri or salsa verde.
- Cut into cubes and skewered as Peruvian style anticuchos.
- In tacos with pickled onions.
Beef heart also makes excellent jerky because it is so lean. See our beef sticks guide and pork jerky for drying methods.
Frequently asked questions
What does beef heart taste like?
Like a lean, intensely beefy steak, with a firm texture. It does not have the strong flavor of liver or kidney.
Why is my beef heart tough?
It was probably overcooked or not trimmed well. Remove all the connective tissue and stop at medium rare to medium.
Can I smoke beef heart whole?
You can, but trimming and slicing it first gives you more even cooking and a better crust.