For the first recipe in my exploration of organ meats I decided to use beef heart. It seemed appropriate so close to Valentine’s Day.
The heart is a muscle, although it has a stronger flavor and denser texture than other muscle meats. It is very lean, which makes it higher in protein than some other cuts of beef. Heart contains high amounts of iron and CoQ10, which is great for heart health and longevity. It contains nearly twice as much collagen and elastin as other beef muscle meat. These are excellent for skin health and can help with wrinkles and sagging skin. Heart also contains folate, selenium, lycopene, phosphorus, zinc and several B vitamins.
I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe: it was delicious! I often make 50/50 Bacon Burgers containing a mixture of ground beef and ground bacon. These ground heart and ground bacon burgers were even better! They were incredibly tender. I’m not sure if that was because heart was used or because my grinder produced a coarser grind than the ground beef I generally use. Either way, we loved these, and I will definitely be making them again.
To get heart-shaped burgers, I formed heart shapes using the largest cookie cutter in a set similar to this one. Then I carefully flattened the hearts out using my hands.
I ❤️ bacon burgers
Ingredients
- 1 beef heart (about 1.25 pounds)
- 1 pound bacon (uncured and sugar free for AIP)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp bacon grease (or other fat of choice)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Trim any silver skin, gristle, or veins from the beef heart and cut it into 1 inch cubes. Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces.
- Grind the bacon and beef heart using a meat grinder or a food processor. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Add the oregano, basil, garlic powder, and onion powder to the ground meats. Using your hands, mix well and divide into six equal patties. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make heart shapes, if desired. Flatten the patties down so they are about half an inch thick and sprinkle the salt over both sides of the patties.
- Heat the bacon grease in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add three patties and cook without moving for 6-8 minutes or until well browned on the bottom and cooked nearly through around the edges.
- Flip the patties and cook for 3-4 minutes or until well browned and cooked to your desired doneness. Remove the cooked patties to a platter and cook the remaining patties the same way.
Nutrition
Additional Reading for more information:
Wellness Mama: Are Organ Meats Healthy?
Marks Daily Apple: Dear Mark: Does the Liver Accumulate Toxins?
SCD Lifestyle: 7 Health Benefits of Organ Meats
Men’s Journal: 7 Nutrient-Packed Animal Organs
Maria Emmerich and Craig Emmerich: Keto: The Complete Guide to Success on the Ketogenic Diet
Truth About Abs: Does this “Weird” Type of Meat Have More Vitamins than Veggies?