The Heart

[vicrzr]

OK - so in an effort not to get the tenderloin thread even further off course with more heart posts, I figured I'd start a new thread of its own...

Do you guys always remove the heart - or was it just a 'right of passage' type act when you shot your first deer? Also - post you're favorite cooking method - so far I've seen fried in bacon grease and fried in butter with onions, etc.

Would seem to me that the heart might be a tougher meat since it is always working. Any details on the texture? When I do get my first deer - unless there is something visibly wrong with it - I think I will be taking the heart to try it and see what its like. Who knows - maybe I'll end up always taking it - but I'll never know until I try it at least once.

I know I won't go near the liver, though - I'm not a big fan of eating filters and I can't stand beef or duck liver [:'(]

[brucelanthier]

I take the heart, liver and kidneys. Half cook them to get the smell up, then feed them to the dogs (not all at once). They love that stuff.

[gplant]

The heart is good eating!!!! I fry it in butter and onions.
The liver NO WAY!!!! I cant eat a filter either. Plus it stinks when you cook it!!!! [:'(]

[USAF_hunter]

Slice the heart in little steaks. Fry them up, not tough at all. Real good in the morning at camp. Steak and eggs.

[NJ/PAbwhunter]

Heart is excellent floured and fried in butter. A little thing my kids refer to as hunter's delight.
I also enjoy the liver cooked the same way but fried with mucho onions.
DW

[kickin_buck]

I like to slice the heart into thin strips and then back it at 325 for about 20 mins. Not tough at all, in fact it is very tender. Good eats!

[rybohunter]

As a kid I remember taking the hearts from the deer we killed for my Mom. She was the only one who'd eat them. I don't remember liking it back then, but there are a lot of foods I eat now that I didn't. Maybe I have to try and give the heart another go.

[Schultzy]

I cut It Into small 1.5" to 2" pieces and throw It Into a bag of Fry Magic and get It coated nice and good. It then goes Into a pan of grease or butter and gets fried up. Frying the onions with It at the same time gives It a great flavor as well. Heart Is a muscle and It does have a different texture to It when eating It. Kind of a rubbery texture but at the same time It's still tender enough to eat. I collect everybody's deer and bear hearts on there blood trails If they don't want there's. Some years I'll have 10 hearts In the freezer, good stuff!!!!!

[GMMAT]

Don't eat the heart or any other organs. No regrets.

[MN/Kyle]

I've never tried the heart,

Besides on my first deer, and bear with a bow.

Took a bite out of it in the field. Buddy made me.

...Regrets[:'(]