Grilled Beef Heart with Chipotle Chilies

This recipe is a good introduction to cooking beef heart. Beef heart has a steak-like quality and is very lean. It’s good for grilling or pan-frying cooked to medium-rare at the most for the best texture. Beef heart can also be braised like a stew or pot roast–low-temperature cooking in a liquid.
Yield 4 Servings Prep. Time 20 min Marinating Time 60 min Cooking Time 5 min Total Time 85 min

Ingredients

Here are the following ingredients:

  • 2 lb (1 kg) piece Beef Heart
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) finely minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo (with sauce)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) EACH fresh ground pepper, ground cumin and dried oregano
  • ¾ tsp (4 mL) salt
  • Large pinch ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) vegetable oil
  • Four 10-inch (25 cm) bamboo or metal skewers
  • To serve (as desired)
  • Salsa, guacamole, tortillas and lime wedges

Shopping List

Here are the following shopping items to buy:

Method

Follow these cooking methods/directions:

  1. Rinse heart under cold water. Trim off fat, membranes and any fibrous tissue from the heart. Cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.

  2. Combine the chipotles, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, cloves, vinegar and oil in a medium bowl. Add heart cubes and toss to coat; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to overnight. Meanwhile, soak bamboo skewers (if using) in water for at least 30 minutes.

  3. Remove meat from marinade; discard marinade. Thread the meat onto skewers, dividing equally. Lightly oil meat if it seems dry. Grill in a closed preheated barbecue over medium-high heat (400°F/200°C) for 6 to 8 minutes, turning twice or more, until a digital instant-read thermometer inserted in cubes reads 145°F (63°C) for medium-rare at the most. Serve immediately with salsa, guacamole, tortillas and lime wedges, as desired.