Venison heart – fast and full of flavour

Venison heart has to be one of the most underrated cuts on the whole deer!

We’ve tried it cooked just like steak or backstrap and while that was good, it pales in comparison to this recipe.

The simplicity of it is unbeatable. You could use this recipe on a heart fresh out of the deer right there on the campfire or bring it home and fancy it up with some nice crockery. Either way, it’s going to fit right in and you’re likely to be left wishing you had 6 more.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole venison heart (you really want 1 per person unless you’re keen on fighting your way through dinner)
• 150g bacon
• 1 large onion
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• Mushroom (optional)

Note: those amounts are enough for 1 venison heart. Increase if you have more.

Method:

1. Trim the top part of the venison heart off (trim to where the actual heart muscle starts, getting rid of all of the valves and tubes at the top).
2. Slice heart longways into thin (1-2cm) pieces
3. Dice bacon and onions
4. Melt butter in frypan over medium heat
5. Add bacon and onions. Cook until onion is soft.
6. Add venison heart.
7. Cook for approx. 3-5 mins. The key is to not overcook the heart. It only needs a few minutes in the pan over medium heat. It is best served just like backstrap – medium/medium rare.
8. Enjoy.