You might have never eaten lamb’s heart. You might already be an afficionado, or you might recoil at the thought of eating offal. Whichever camp you sit in, let’s learn about how to cook lamb heart on its own!
How To Cook Lamb Heart On Its Own
1. Simple Lamb’s Hearts
This is a simple, easy and tasty way of cooking lambs hearts well and truly on their own – there are very few other ingredients, so you will taste the unadulterated yummyness of the meat itself.
What you’ll need:
- Lamb heart
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Non stick cooking oil spray
- Vinegar
- Scissors or sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Large bowl
- Pastry brush
- Broiling pan
What you’ll do:
Remove as much fat as you can, using the knife or scissors. Rinse the heart well and place it into a bowl with water and some salt.
Lightly coat the broiler pan with the non stick oil spray, then set it on the hob to heat up.
Remove the lamb from the water, pat it dry using kitchen towel, then place it into the heated pan.
Using the pastry brush, brush the lamb with a mixture of olive oil and vinegar in a 50/50 mix. Season well with salt and pepper.
Broil the heart (for a heart that weighs 4 ounces raw, you’ll want to go for about 3 minutes). Turn the heart over, baste with the oil and vinegar mix again, then broil on the other side for the same amount of time.
Insert the meat thermometer – you are looking for an internal temperature of 145 degrees F/62.7C. Once it has reached this temperature, remove it from the pan and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with steamed or roasted vegetables, and some creamy mashed potatoes.
2. Paleo Lamb Hearts
For those following the caveman diet, this is a great recipe. It is simple and easy to prepare, and there is very little hassle in cooking it.
What you’ll need:
- 1 lamb heart
- Salt and pepper
- 1 small onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- Handful each of mushrooms and tomatoes
- 1 slice of bacon
- 1tsp dried sage
- 2tbsp water
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Baking dish
- Aluminium foil
- Slotted spoon
What you’ll do:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/Gas Mark 4.
Season the heart well with salt and pepper, then place it into the baking dish.
Roughly chop the onion, quarter the garlic, and cut the mushrooms and tomatoes in half, then scatter the veggies around the heart. Sprinkle over the dried sage, then add the water.
Cover the dish with foil, then place it in the oven and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, then remove the foil and cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes.
Remove the heart from the dish using the slotted spoon, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with the vegetables from the dish as a side.
3. Stuffed Lamb’s Hearts With Bacon
This is a slightly more involved recipe – but the extra effort will be so worth it!
What you’ll need:
- 2 lamb’s hearts
- 1 onion
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 100g sausage meat
- 130g chopped parsley
- 25g breadcrumbs
- 6 rashers smoked bacon
- Olive oil
- 60g butter
- Salt and pepper
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Frying pan
- Spatula
- Small bowl
- Spoon
- Butcher’s string
- Baking tray
- Small saucepan
- Aluminium foil
- Pastry brush
- Meat thermometer
What you’ll do:
Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic, then place in a pan with a splash of olive oil. Cook, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, until the onions are transparent.
Once cool, add the onions to a small bowl with the sausage meat, breadcrumbs and herbs. Stir well until the ingredients are completely mixed. Season well with salt and pepper.
Using a spoon, stuff this mixture into the opening in the heart, dividing it equally between the two.
Wrap 3 rashers of bacon around each heart, covering as much of it as possible. (Cover the hole that the stuffing went into, as this will stop the stuffing coming out during cooking.)
Tie a length of butcher’s string around each heart to keep the bacon secure.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then, using a pastry brush, brush the butter over each heart.
Place the hearts into a lined baking dish, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven, brush the hearts with any leftover butter and replace in the oven for a further 20 minutes.
Check the temperature of the meat using a meat thermometer – you are looking for a temperature of 160F/71C.
Serve the hearts with your favourite vegetables – they go especially well with carrots, beans and mashed potato.
Final Words
Lamb’s hearts are an ingredient that we have somewhat forgotten about, but one that we would do well to remember. They are tasty, versatile, and packed with health benefits. Have a read of our tips and get enjoying a delicious dish, made straight from the heart!
