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grilled deer heart recipe

Grilled Deer Heart (Peruvian Style)

Author: Larry White
This grilled deer heart recipe puts a bold twist on a South American classic. Marinated in a flavorful chili sauce, skewered, and seared over high heat. It's a fast and delicious way to cook deer heart that honors the whole animal.
5 from 3 votes

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Servings: 2 People
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Peruvian

Equipment

  • skewers for grilling

Ingredients 

  • 1 deer heart, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For The Marinade & Sauce

  • 1 cup Gochujang chili paste
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3/4 cups olive oil
  • 1/2 cup peanut oil

Garnishes for Serving

  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Clean the Deer Hearts:

  • With a very sharp knife, open the deer heart and trim away any visible connective tissue and deer fat that's located outside of the heart. Cut them into relatively large pieces that are around 2 inches long and wide.

Make the Anticuchera Sauce:

  • Add all of the ingredients, except the heart, to a large non-reactive bowl and mix well. This will make about 3 cups of sauce. Cover and let the mixture rest for 2 hours, allowing the flavors to blend. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for serving the meat. The remaining two cups will be used to marinate and baste the meat. Any Remaining sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for around one week.

Marinate the Heart:

  • Place the deer heart chunks in a medium-sized, non-reactive container and pour in just enough sauce to cover them. Marinate for 1 to 3 hours. You will be saving the rest of the sauce for basting the meat while cooking and serving.

Assemble the Skewers:

  • Place the heart chunks on the skewers. Try to assemble the skewers with meat pieces of equal proportion, so they cook evenly. This means grouping small chunks on one skewer and larger chunks together on another skewer. If you end up with some longer, thin pieces, you can roll them up like a pinwheel before placing them on the skewer.

Grill:

  • Preheat your grill or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat to high heat. Cook the heart meat skewers for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side while basting, until they are medium rare or until you achieve your desired doneness / internal temperature.

Serve:

  • Garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro, extra sauce, and a sprinkle of sea salt, if desired.

NOTES

  • Prep Tips: If you're unsure where to start, check out my guide on how to prepare deer heart for cooking.
    • Trim the heart well first. Open it up, remove the visible fat and connective tissue, and cut it into large even pieces so it cooks cleanly and stays tender.
    • Use a non-reactive bowl. Mix the sauce in a non-reactive bowl, let it sit for about 2 hours so the flavors come together, and set aside 1 cup for serving before the raw meat goes in.
    • Do not over-marinate it. Coat the heart with just enough sauce to cover and marinate for 1 to 3 hours. Longer is not needed for this cut.
    • Skewer by piece size. Group similar-sized pieces on the same skewer so they finish at the same time. Roll thinner long pieces if needed so they do not overcook before the thicker chunks are done.
    • Grill it hot and fast. Cook over medium-high to high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes per side while basting. Pull it at medium-rare or your preferred doneness, because overcooked heart turns firm and livery fast.
    • Serve with extra sauce. Finish with the reserved sauce, cilantro, chopped peanuts, and a little sea salt if you like. This also works well over rice or tucked into tacos.
     

Nutrition

Calories: 2501kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 170g | Fat: 181g | Saturated Fat: 34g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 34g | Monounsaturated Fat: 99g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1125mg | Sodium: 4425mg | Potassium: 3385mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 44mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.

Keywords: Grilled, Offal
Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!