Beef Heart Tartare! I’ve been meaning to make this for a long time… probably since last Valentine’s Day!
Speaking of which, I hope you have a wonderful day of L-O-V-E! Find it in yourself to do something silly and love-y dove-y for yourself and your people.
Here’s how it looks in our home: making heart-shaped cards for friends and each other. Actually wearing that pink felted heart-shaped necklace. Giving a giant ‘Love you to the Moon (and back)’ balloon with a smiling heart cuddling the moon to our favorite friend. Serving nutrient-dense organ meats to myself and my peeps, as usual. And… slowing down.
Yep, eating heart is one way of nourishing your heart. But another is listening to and following your heart.
Listening to your heart
And so here’s where the slowing down is absolutely required. Pause, as the antidote to all the doing. We all seem to wear busy like a badge of honor. So important, so busy!
12 oz Beef heart
But, where am I in all of that? And what version of me? Is this even the right thing for me to be doing right now?
The only way for me to know is to slow down, to listen for my heart to tell me. Take a minute to ask how I feel. The physical body is a good place to start. Am I hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, full, slumped, upright, tense, relaxed? Can I feel my heart beating? So often that gives clues to my emotional state. Am I nervous, excited, anxious, content, rushed, spacious?
I have a practice of physically writing down how I am feeling once a day, along with my appreciations and intention for the day. After a few years of this, I’m getting better at knowing myself and listening to what my heart says I need – at all times of day. This makes me a more consistent parent, a more honest partner, and brings forth my most genuine self.
How are you feeling today? If you pause long enough, what is your heart telling you?
Beef Heart Tartare
This recipe is adapted from an Alice Waters’ version of steak tartare, but the idea of using beef heart came from Jennifer McLagan. Brilliant – it works so well.
Trimmed beef heart
I set a larger piece of heart in the fridge to thaw in the morning and by afternoon found it workable but partially frozen. Using a cleaver, I cut off a 12 ounce portion. Having partially frozen meat makes it much easier to slice thinly and eventually mince. (Sharpening your knife first helps, too!) If you have a fresh piece of heart, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes before mincing. Use highest quality meat.
As always, raw food is contra-indicated for everyone that truly needs it – especially people with a weak immune system. Then again, the work of Weston A Price and Francis Pottenger Jr showed the importance of some raw animal foods in every diet, especially to fortify a compromised body.
Do what is best for you. Follow your heart.
Beef heart tartare
Notes
The entire portion of anchovies should be enough to substitute for salt. Mince these very finely to distribute throughout.
Ingredients
- 10-12oz beef heart, partially thawed
- 2 T capers, rinsed and diced
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 1/2 small roasted beet, diced
- 1 2 oz can of anchovies, diced
- 1/2 fermented pickle, diced
- 1 T chopped parsley
- 1 t Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, optional
- 4 egg yolks
- sourdough bread, sliced and toasted
- butter or extra virgin olive oil, optional
Instructions
- Trim the beef heart of any fat, silverskin or connective tissue. Return to refrigerator while preparing remaining ingredients.
- Slice sourdough bread and place slices on a baking sheet at 400F to toast. This will take about 10 minutes, flip each piece after about 5 minutes.
- For the capers, shallot, beet, anchovies, pickle, and parsley - dice each and place into its own ramekin.
- For the beef heart, slice into thin slices (long thin slices from top to bottom against the grain), then into narrow strips, then into a fine mince. Then pile it all up and chop through it all until it's a nice, small, even cut.
- Combine the beef with capers, shallot, beet, anchovies, pickles, parsley, mustard and egg yolks in a bowl. Add a bit more or less of each depending on your preferences, and taste for seasonings. Mix gently.
- Cut toast into triangles, add optional butter or olive oil. Spread heart mixture onto warm bread and serve.
We use grass-fed beef heart to make dog food and every time we prep it, my husband and I say to each other how good it looks. I’ve been toying with the idea of using it for beef tartare–though I prefer the Italian version with capers, parmesan, olive oil and lemon juice (this is also how the French eat horse tartare, which is just delicious), so perhaps your recipe will give me the courage to actually try it!
Thank you so much for sharing this, Rachelle – I’m inspired to try your version – parmesan, capers, lemon – it sounds so good! You are going to love heart tartar when you give it a try – maybe tonight!? 😉 Keep me posted xo