Slow Cooked Deer Heart
Slow cooked deer hearts stuffed with a rich red wine, onion, and mushroom bread filling, wrapped in bacon, and braised until fork-tender. This old-school deer heart recipe turns a lean venison heart into a comforting, saucy main dish that works in the oven or slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 4 deer hearts (cleaned and left whole)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups red onion, small dice
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups red wine
- 8 cups day old bread, (Challah works great)
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4-6 cups stock (chicken or venison stock)
- 18 slices smoked bacon
Instructions
Make the Stuffing
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the thyme and red wine, then reduce the liquid by half. Add the cubed bread and stir until combined.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook the mixture, stirring gently and often, for about 8 minutes. The mixture should be moist but not soggy. If it looks a little too dry, add a little more wine to moisten. Let the stuffing cool to the touch.
Stuff and Wrap the Hearts
- Pre-heat your oven to 350 degree F. Stuff each heart tightly with the stuffing. Lay 3 strips of bacon across the top of the heart openings in a crisscross pattern, enclosing the stuffing inside. Tie some butchers twine around the bacon, securing them to the hearts.
Braise the Hearts
- Place the hearts in a baking vessel so that they are packed tightly enough to stand upright. Pour the stock around the hearts until they are 3/4 covered.
- Cover the baking vessel with aluminum foil and cook for 2 1/2 hours. Poke with a fork to check tenderness. If tough, cover and cook for another 30 minutes and check for tenderness again.
NOTES
- Don't have enough hearts? This recipe can be cut in half to prepare 2 hearts if needed.
- Slow cooker option. After stuffing, wrapping, and tying the hearts, place them in the slow cooker with enough stock to come about three-quarters of the way up the sides, then cook on high for 6 to 8 hours, or until fork-tender.
- Cool the stuffing first. The bread mixture should be moist but not soggy before it goes into the hearts. If it looks dry, add a splash of red wine or stock. If it looks too wet, add a little more bread.
- Pack the hearts tightly. Open the chambers enough to fill them well, then stuff each heart firmly so the filling stays in place during the braise.
- Wrap and tie securely. Use the bacon and butcher’s twine to close the top and hold the stuffing inside while the hearts cook.
- Cover only partway. Pour in enough stock to come about three-quarters of the way up the hearts. This keeps them braised and moist without boiling them.
- Cook until fork-tender. In the oven, start checking after 2 1/2 hours, and continue in 30-minute increments if needed. In the slow cooker, cook on high for 6 to 8 hours. They are ready when a fork slides in easily and the hearts slice without resistance.
- Reduce the braising liquid. Strain it, skim the fat, and simmer it down if you want a stronger sauce for serving.
- Store only briefly. This can be made 1 day ahead, and leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Calories: 4064kcal | Carbohydrates: 252g | Protein: 382g | Fat: 148g | Saturated Fat: 51g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g | Monounsaturated Fat: 51g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 2579mg | Sodium: 5188mg | Potassium: 6466mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1851IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 622mg | Iron: 94mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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