Bunless Beef Heart Burger Recipe Made in Just 20 Minutes
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If you’ve never had offal, this beef heart burger recipe is a great way to start. Beef heart is a not-so-typical cut of meat that’s often overlooked, but don’t let its unconventional nature stop you from trying it! Prepared correctly, it can be remarkably flavorful and tender.
Organ meats are affordable foods with many health benefits, giving any meal a serious protein-rich, nutrient dense punch. They’re not to be missed! Beef heart meat works great in this burger recipe and pairs well with all the classic hamburger toppings. The burger patties are nicely wrapped in crisp lettuce and topped with tangy raw milk yogurt dill sauce for a creamy mouthfeel that’s refreshing to the tastebuds. The result is a juicy, flavor-packed, and hearty (pun intended!) burger – and no one will know there’s beef heart unless you tell them!
It’s so exciting to make organ meat recipes you actually want to eat! Serve it as a quick yet filling lunch or a low-stress dinner any night of the week, or impress guests and make it the highlight of your summer cookout, gourmet BBQ, or weekend dinner parties.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
We’re huge fans of everything offal. The heart tastes more like a steak than anything unusual like beef liver or kidney, with a denser texture and a bit more chew, like a poultry gizzard. Unlike other organ meats, it lacks a strong gamey flavor.
But once you slice off the pockets of fat and trim away anything remotely chewy, you’re left with lean, flavorful meats. The heart is a versatile piece of offal you can easily incorporate into your diet. Beef heart stew and soups are the most common recipes I see for this piece of organ meat, but you can also cook it on the stove or fire it up on the grill — whichever works for you.
This beef heart burger is the perfect starter for the uninitiated. Here’s why:
- Simple ingredients
- Budget-friendly: Using beef heart in recipes is an affordable way to make offal a part of your regular meals. Plus points if you have a local butcher who can get you these cuts of meat!
- Short prep and cooking time: Prep and cook in 20 minutes or less.
- Amazing flavors: The savory, slightly gamey, yet uncompromising taste of the beef heart patty; the light, crisp crunch from the lettuce wrap; and the tangy, creamy contrast from the yogurt dill sauce come together to bring a unique, delightful blend of flavors and textures that the whole family will enjoy every last bite.
- Basic kitchen equipment: Uses common kitchen tools that make meal prep stress-free, including a knife, a skillet, and a spatula for flipping the burgers during cooking.
- Easy-to-follow directions: Follow a simple 6-step method to cook a batch of delicious lettuce-wrapped beef heart burgers.
Nose to tail eating is a respectful way to utilize the whole animal, provide your body with essential nutrients, and save a few dollars in your wallet. If you want to add variety to the types of meat you consume or need to budget more tightly, I can’t recommend ground beef heart enough!
How to Make Bunless Beef Heart Burger
If you’re on a keto diet, you already know that buns are a dealbreaker – which is when my bunless beef heart burger recipe comes into the picture. It’s so delicious, you’ll never miss the carbs!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions to make this savory beef heart burger recipe.
Ingredients You Need
Making beef heart burgers at home is super easy. All you need to do is make a short trip to your local butcher and gather a few basic ingredients that are most likely already in your fridge and pantry.
- Lettuce: Romaine, iceberg, and butter lettuce are best for this burger recipe as they have large, sturdy leaves that can hold the patties and toppings without tearing easily.
- Ground beef heart: For the best flavor and texture, grind the meat yourself or have it freshly ground at the butcher. If you don’t have a local source, US Wellness offers convenient online ordering and a wide variety of premium quality meats to choose from, including grass-fed, pasture-raised meats and organ meats.
For the tangy dill sauce:
- Salt
- Garlic
- Fresh dill
- Ground black pepper
- Medium lemon and orange zest
- Greek yogurt: Use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt for a thick consistency and tangier flavor, or make your own at home.
Optional toppings:
- Tomato
- Lacto-fermented pickle relish
- Onions: Grilled, sautéed, or quick caramelized onions always hit the spot.
- Smoked mozzarella cheese: Creamy and slightly elastic when melted; adds a rich, smoky flavor to your keto cheeseburger skillet. You can also use other varieties of creamy, melty cheese.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Beef heart is one of the easiest organ meats to incorporate into your diet. It may look a little funky at first but once it’s trimmed, sliced, and laid out on a plate, it’ll be as inconspicuous as any other well-known beef cut or game meat. It has a wonderfully nutritious and distinctly succulent flavor that you can enjoy raw, ground, seared, or grilled (and paired with grilled veggies!).
Now that you’ve prepared all the ingredients, let’s dive in on how to cook beef heart burgers.
- Prepare the lettuce wraps. Peel and rinse the large, outer leaves of a head of lettuce, then set aside.
- Make the patties. Divide the ground meat into 8 sections using your hands, shaping and pressing each into a 2-ounce burger patty. In a hot pan with oil, cook the patties over medium-high heat, flipping every 1 to 2 minutes until the first side is crispy. Cook the other side until done to your liking. Optionally, add cheese while the second side cooks, then cover with a lid until melted to perfection.
- Make the tangy dill sauce. As the burgers cook, finely chop 4 sprigs of dill and combine all the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Assemble the burger. Once the patties are cooked, arrange them on the bottom portion of the lettuce leaf, garnish with optional toppings, and pour the tangy sauce over. Wrap the filling with lettuce, tucking the side ends in first, then roll down the top to close. Wrap it up with a second lettuce leaf if desired.
If you prefer to keep the organs “hidden” in your foods, try more recipes that use a beef heart and ground beef combo, such as cabbage noodles with hidden liver, beef heart meatza pie, and lettuce-wrapped ground beef.
Variations
As with any burger, my beef heart burger recipe is versatile. It’s easy to adjust however you like, so feel free to experiment with various seasonings and ingredients. Here are some delicious add-ins and variations you might want to try for your bunless burgers:
- Add your favorite toppings like an over-easy egg, guacamole, avocado slices, or bacon bits.
- Top your burgers with classic condiments like ketchup, mustard, or mayo.
- Instead of yogurt sauce, drizzle your burger with tangy barbecue or Worcestershire sauce.
- Use other cheese varieties like crumbled feta, Swiss, Provolone, Gouda, or cheddar cheese.
- Amp up the flavor by adding a teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder. For a spicy kick, add sliced jalapeños or sriracha sauce, or sprinkle some cayenne pepper, paprika, or crushed red pepper flakes.
- For a more “bready” meal, stuff the meaty burgers in gluten-free flatbread or my 2-Ingredient burger buns (check out The Ultimate Guide to Low-Carb Baking for more low-carb, keto-friendly burger bun and bread recipes!).
Expert Tips
- Play with flavors.
- Beef heart pairs well with bold seasonings so don’t be afraid to experiment with different herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of your beef heart burgers.
- Trim excess fat and tissue.
- Beef heart tends to have tough membranes and excess fat that should be trimmed before grinding or slicing. Be sure to remove these parts to enjoy leaner, more tender burger patties.
- Mix with other cuts.
- Beef heart is pretty lean on its own, so consider mixing it with fattier beef cuts to add moisture and flavor. Counteract the leanness by combining it with regular ground beef. Ask the butcher to grind the heart for you, then take it home or mix it into regular ground beef. I aim for a roughly 2:1 ratio of ground beef to heart.
- Avoid overcooking.
- The heart is a muscle, so overcooking it will result in a dry, rubbery texture. For juicy, flavorful burgers, cook the beef heart to medium-rare or medium.
- Choose the best lettuce leaves.
- Wash and dry the lettuce thoroughly to prevent excess moisture. Remove the thickest part of the stem to make the wraps easier to fold and eat. For the best crisp texture, keep the lettuce chilled until just before serving.
How to Store This Recipe
Beef heart burgers are perfect for making in bulk and freezing for future meals. If you’re making ahead or have leftovers, place the patties in an airtight container, separating each patty with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
They can be refrigerated for up to 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap each patty in plastic wrap and place them in freezer-safe bags in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, thaw the frozen patties in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a skillet over medium heat until thoroughly warmed. Serve with fresh lettuce wraps, yogurt dill sauce, and toppings.
What to Serve with Beef Heart Burger
Beef heart burgers, even without the lettuce, are very filling. Just one is enough, even for those with a hearty appetite! While they can be enjoyed as a standalone meal, they also pair well with a variety of sides and drinks. Here are some of my favorites:
- Cauliflower rice
- Roasted or baked sweet potatoes
- Greek salad with tzatziki sauce
- Creamy coleslaw or homemade sauerkraut
- Grilled veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, and asparagus
- Dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
- Refreshing drinks like a keto mocktail, smoothie, lemonade, and coconut water
More Easy Burger Recipes to Try
- Keto Burger Recipes without a Bun
- Keto Burgers with Hidden Beef Heart
- Spinach Salmon Burgers
- Keto Cheeseburger Skillet
- Easy Cheeseburger Pie
If you make this bunless beef heart burger recipe, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Bunless Burgers with Beef Heart Patties
Ingredients
- 4 large lettuce leaves
- 1 pound ground beef heart
Tangy Dill Sauce
- ½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 medium lemon juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional Toppings
- smoked mozzarella cheese
- Lacto-Fermented Pickle Relish
- tomato sliced
- onions grilled, caramelized, or sautéed
Instructions
- Peel and rinse the large outer leaves from a head of lettuce (these are the largest). Set aside.
- Divide the meat into 8 sections, each patty will be 2 ounces. Press into burger shapes between your hands. Add to a small amount of cooking fat in a hot skillet over med-high heat. Wait for the oil to be super hot before adding the meat. Flip burgers after a minute or two, once the first side becomes crispy. Cook the second side until done to your liking.
- If you want to make cheeseburgers, add the piece of cheese while the second side cooks. Cover with a lid until it melts.
- While the burgers cook, mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Finely chop the dill, juice the lemon, mince garlic, and mix into the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- To assemble, arrange the patties on a piece of lettuce toward the bottom part that attaches to the stem. Top with pickle relish, tomato slices, and grilled or sautéed onions (all optional). Pour a few spoons of sauce over it all.
- Wrap up the contents with the lettuce, tuck the side ends in first, then roll down the top to close. Double up with a second piece of lettuce if needed.
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
Besides pate, this is one of the only ways I can get my family to enjoy organ meats. Big win!
It’s no nice to find suitable ways of hiding organ meats. All the better for the family too. Well done!