Pickled Deer Heart
An old-school pickled deer heart recipe made the proper way: quick-poached venison hearts packed in vinegar, lemon, and vegetables for bold, tangy flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 venison hearts, cleaned and diced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3/4 cup good red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, (preferably toasted)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, (preferably toasted)
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bell pepper, (any color except green, thinly sliced)
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, (for vegetables)
- 1/2 cup kosher salt, (for poaching water)
- 4 quarts water, (for poaching)
Instructions
- Salt the vegetables: In a bowl, combine the sliced bell pepper, onion, carrots, and jalapeño. Toss with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Rinse and strain well.
- Poach the heart: Bring 4 quarts of water mixed with 1/2 cup kosher salt to a slow simmer. Add the diced venison hearts and poach until just cooked through, 1-2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Combine: In a clean glass jar, layer the poached heart, prepared vegetables, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, coriander, fennel, and rosemary.
- Refrigerate: Cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate for 4 days before serving.
NOTES
- Salt the vegetables first. Toss the sliced peppers, onion, carrots, and jalapeño with kosher salt, then let them sit for 1 hour. Rinse and drain well so they stay crisper in the jar.
- Do not overcook the heart. Poach the diced deer heart in barely simmering salted water for only 1 to 2 minutes, just until cooked through. Any longer and it gets tough fast.
- Use a glass jar. Layer the poached heart, vegetables, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices in a clean glass jar so the acid is not in contact with reactive metal.
- Give it time in the fridge. Let it refrigerate for about 4 days before eating so the heart and vegetables have time to take on the brine.
- Keep it refrigerated. This is not a canned recipe. Store it in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator and use it within 1 to 2 weeks.
- Adjust the style if wanted. For a more old-school version, skip the lemon juice and olive oil and use vinegar, onion, and spices only.
Nutrition
Calories: 1296kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 162g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1125mg | Sodium: 16855mg | Potassium: 2844mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6067IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 40mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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