Smoked deer heart?

[coach]

Anyone ever done deer heart in the smoker? I did a Google search and came up with a few recipes. Wondering if any HBC members have any secrets they want to share. Mr Bradley has done such a great job with salmon, tenderloins and roasts that I figure I should try using his services with the heart from the whitetail buck my hunting partner harvested yesterday.

[Bear_Down]

Split it and remove the ventricals. Start it off with just heat at 150F. Till it is dry to the touch then crank the heat and throw the smoke to it. Once done slice it up into sandwich meat slices. Just use a quick brine.

[coach]

Thanks, BD. Any suggestions for the brine?

[Bear_Down]

I just use brown sugar. Course salt, soy sauce, and hot water. Lol dont ask for measurements I just throw till it looks and smells right. You can google a quick brine or simple brine.

[Mikey Rafiki]

I've used a brine with red wine, soya sauce, teriyaki and honey along with a few spices. Similar to a jerky brine I've used.

[coach]

Now you're talkin', Mikey. Those are all ingredients I like. Thanks.

[coach]

Ok.. Got it marinating - red wine, teriyaki, honey, a splash of balsamic vinegar, garlic, a dash of steak spice and some paprika. Hope it all works out..

[Black Lab]

Lots of brine recipes. I found the brine time the most important. Last few years I find a few hour's is right for me.

[MB_Boy]

Keep us posted coach!!

Love to hear how this turns out!

[Bear_Down]

Heart is a involuntary muscle if done wrong will be tough as nails. Allow to brine over night. Rinse in the morning and allow to rest for an hour before smoking. I have a pipi kaula recipe on here that will work well.

[coach]

Well, it seems we have a winner. This turned out awesome! I marinated the heart for about 14 hours then smoked it for a little over 2 hours at 220 degrees, alternating pucks between apple and maple. I would have used hickory -but ran out while doing ribs last week.

Just before smoking, I added a sprinkling of steak spice.

http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy154/coach108/20141122_122157_zpseb6a2c21.jpg

After a couple hours smoking:

http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy154/coach108/20141122_140307_zps12613988.jpg

Based on recipes I had read online, I thought I was going to have to smoke it much longer and actually had the Bradley set to go for 4 hours. Fortunately I kept my eye on things and pulled it out of the smoker when the internal temperature went over 150 degrees.

Heart on a plate:

http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy154/coach108/20141122_142710_zpsb8901724.jpg

The finished product - thinly sliced with fat removed. (Chilko and Tikka made short work of the trimmings!)

http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy154/coach108/20141122_143547_zps68889622.jpg

[coach]

Of note: I didn't rinse the heart after marinating. I have an issue with adding flavour only to rinse it off before cooking. No offense to Bear_Down - I did take the rest of your advice. I also decided to trim the fat after smoking rather than before (which I usually would do with roasts) because I wanted to ensure a solid outer layer on the meat to keep juices in. It seemed to work and was easy to trim off afterward.

Anyway, I'm happy with the results of this little experiment. May have to knock another deer over soon so I can do it again! :-D

[monasheemountainman]

what does it taste like just regular meat? never done it.

[coach]

what does it taste like just regular meat? never done it.

Very similar. Pretty mild with a slightly different texture.

[coach]

Also - I did soak the heart in a salt brine overnight before marinating..

[Mikey Rafiki]

Beautiful work there coach!
Good ingredients and and caring touch make damn good eats.

[coach]

Thanks, Mikey. You were spot on with the ingredients!

[Daybreak]

Product looks great. Although I'm not accustomed to liver, heart is a favourite. Has a really fine grain to the muscle and quite tender. I have only stuffed them with bacon, onion and a bit of garlic before baking with a couple of strips of bacon wrapped around it. Good stuff!

[Rob Chipman]

Looks good!

I just did a dear heart for the first time this year. Sliced it up, pounded it with the meat hammer, threw some spices on, fried it up.

Wasn't sure before I bit in, but after I wished the deer had come with two hearts. Now I've eaten deer and bear (bear tasted stronger, but still good). I'm a convert.

I like how you didn't slice it up and it still worked out great.

I've got to start making use of the smoker. Looks like you get some good results. Good pics, too.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Looks awesome, Coach!!
I must learn to master the smoker.
In the mean time, I will stick to the oven for doing hearts in our family.
I used to love eating deer heart with my Dad and now my daughter and I have followed the tradition of eating fresh deer heart after a kill.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/image53.jpg

[coach]

That looks awesome, SSS. Feel free to share your recipe!

[07blackwater]

Looks awesome, Coach!!
I must learn to master the smoker.
In the mean time, I will stick to the oven for doing hearts in our family.
I used to love eating deer heart with my Dad and now my daughter and I have followed the tradition of eating fresh deer heart after a kill.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/image53.jpg



I love your choice of rye!

I only eat organ meat in camp or my cholesterol goes through the roof.

My preferred way with heart is either really thin, breaded and fried in olive oil or stuffed with chantrelles and wild rice wrapped in tinfoil and baked over the fire.

[Bear_Down]

Well done Coach . Looks good.