Serve savory braised beef heart over slow-cooked cabbage and parsnip for the ultimate organ meat experience. Using a Dutch oven and simmering the meat in a mustard broth sauce is the best way to slow cook beef heart. This one-pot meal is naturally low-carb and keto-friendly.
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What is Braising?
Braising is an incredible way of transforming food from its raw form to a succulent, savory finish. You can braise vegetables as we do in this side dish for Easy Braised Cabbage recipe and all types of meat.
In the same style as slow cooking, braising uses a liquid medium for cooking the ingredients over low heat for several hours. Instead of a crockpot, you can use a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Depending on the recipe, you may cook either on the stovetop or in the oven.
My cast iron Dutch oven is the go-to choice of cookware for braising meat and making my family's favorite stew for freezer-friendly meal prep.
- Great for braising, stewing, baking, and frying
- Cooks meat to a succulent texture
- Oven-safe for one-pot meals
- Beautiful kitchen-to-table serving
If you’re cooking on a budget, you should also be braising because it’s an ideal prep method for tough (but cheap) cuts of meat. Once you know braising basics and you can adapt to beef, chicken, pork, duck, and other meats.
I find this technique ideal for meaty bones and large roasts. Braised Beef Shank is a family favorite you won’t want to miss.
Read on about more important cooking terms for preparing meat and broaden your culinary horizons.
How to Slow Cook Beef Heart by Braising
Braising is a great way to keep meat tender while slowly breaking down collagen and thick muscle fibers over a period of hours at low temperature. It’s quicker than using a slow cooker or crockpot but still gives a nice succulent finish.
The original inspiration came from a recipe on food.com, but I wanted a healthier low-carb option without a premade soup mix, vegetable oil, or breadcrumbs.
Get your ingredients and then prepare for making the best recipe for beef heart!
Ingredients
Butter – We use this for searing the meat. Choose a dairy-free option like olive oil if you prefer.
Beef heart – Use a whole grass-fed beef heart which will be about 3 pounds. I keep the fat on, but you can trim it off if you prefer.
Herbs and spices – Combine parsley, celery seed, paprika, and finish off with salt and pepper. Fresh or dried herbs will both work. I buy organic herbs and spices in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Vegetables – Yellow onion makes the recipe a little sweet, while red onion adds a sharper spicy accent. Green cabbage and parsnip add yummy vegetables to the mix while still keeping carbs low.
Bone broth – I use homemade beef bone broth since it matches the meat better than chicken broth. You can make your own or buy a shelf-stable broth in bulk and store it in your pantry until you need it. It never hurts to keep on hand.
Dijon mustard – Don’t skip this! Dijon mustard is the secret ingredient that makes an irresistible sauce.
Step-By-Step Directions
Rinse the heart under cold water. Then, trim off any connective tissue or gristle around the heart. Leave the fat on. Roll into a roast and tie in place with butcher’s twine.
Watch a video on exactly how to tie a butcher’s knot. Following along with this visual guide helped me so much!
Add butter (or dairy-free oil) to the Dutch oven and sear the beef heart over high heat on the stovetop.
Rub seasoning herbs, salt, and pepper over the meat. Don’t add the herbs before you sear because they can burn easily.
Toss onion, cabbage, and parsnip in the pot.
Pour in broth. Whisk mustard into the liquid.
Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 4 hours over a very low flame. Use tongs and flip the heart every hour.
I had to use the smallest burner on my stove at the lowest setting while keeping the lid slightly cracked. Avoid boiling for too hard and cooking at too high a temperature, both mistakes will result in overcooked meat.
Once you’re ready to serve, slice heart lengthwise from top to bottom and serve on a bed of cooked vegetables with additional mustard, if desired.
Spoon the sauce over cooked beef heart and vegetables. It’s so delicious, you won’t want to waste a drop!
Finally, if there’s anything leftover, store the recipe in an air-tight container for three to five days in the fridge. Alternatively, move it to the freezer and keep for up to three months.
Heart Recipe FAQ
I understand you might have some questions, particularly if cooking beef heart is new to you or you’ve never worked with organ meats before. Let me answer some common queries and clarify the process for you.
Beef heart has a very mild, slightly sweet flavor. Considering that beef heart is technically a muscle, not an organ like liver and kidney, it’s not surprising that heart is so similar to roast beef. If you don’t already know you’re eating heart, you might not notice a difference between it and other lean cuts of beef.
Vital organs contain concentrated amounts of CoQ10. According to WebMD, 100 grams of beef heart contains 11.3 milligrams of CoQ10 and is one of the highest dietary sources.
Check in with your local butcher and ask if they can source a heart for you. More often than not, they can special order cuts that are not usually displayed in their butcher’s case.
If not, search through the directories listed in How to Find Quality Foods for local suppliers near you or buy grass-fed beef heart online from US Wellness.
More Beef Heart Recipes
Since beef heart is such a great source of nutrition, it’s worth finding enjoyable ways of eating it. Heart contains notable amounts of namely protein, fat, CoQ10, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, choline, and selenium. (1, 2)
Take a look at these other offal recipes for more inspiration!
- Organ Meat Pie
- Beef Offal Stew
- Beef Heart Meatballs
- Beef Heart Tacos
- Ground Beef Heart Burgers
- Bunless Burger with Beef Heart
You can also learn how to make beef cheeks and explore more delicious, underappreciated cuts of beef.
Braised Beef Heart with Cabbage and Parsnip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil for dairy-free
- 1 whole beef heart about 3 pounds
- ½ tablespoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 small green cabbage shredded
- 1 pound parsnip peeled and cubed
- 3 cups bone broth
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Trim off any connective tissue or gristle around the heart. Leave the fat on. Roll into a roast and tie in place with butcher's twine.1 whole beef heart
- Add butter or oil to the Dutch oven and sear the beef heart over high heat on the stovetop.2 tablespoons butter
- Rub seasoning herbs, salt, and pepper over the meat. Add onion, cabbage, and parsnip to the pot. Add broth. Whisk mustard into the broth.½ tablespoon parsley, ½ teaspoon celery seed, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 medium onion, 1 small green cabbage, 1 pound parsnip, 3 cups bone broth
- Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 4 hours over a very low flame. Use tongs and flip the heart every hour.
- Slice lengthwise and serve on a bed of cooked vegetables with additional mustard, if desired. Spoon the sauce over everything.1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Notes
Nutrition & Macros
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Never thought of trying braised beef heart before, but gave this recipe a go and was pleasantly surprised! The flavors were deep and rich, and the meat tender. A unique dish that I’ll definitely make again.
Thanks for the great review, Shane.
Though I typically cook my beef in the oven, this braised slow cook version came out far juicer and with half the effort.