Freezing heart

[Sickforit]

Heart is always one of the first things eaten around here, so I’ve never saved it…..does anyone have any experience freezing it like everything else? Is it just as good frozen? Thanks in advance

 

[Soj51hopeful]

The heart is the first meal for us. I don’t think I’ve ever frozen one either.

 

[ODB]

Yes it is fine frozen.

 

[Westernduck]

we never ate the heart growing up. I kept it from my last deer and have it in the freezer. I’ll have to try it and find out. How do y’all cook heart?

 

[ODB]

we never ate the heart growing up. I kept it from my last deer and have it in the freezer. I’ll have to try it and find out. How do y’all cook heart?

I “unroll” it and cut out all the webbing looking stuff in the ventricles so it’s basically a flat piece of meat. Flour and pan fry. But don’t cook too long. It’s very good. My daughter loves it.

 

[diamond10x]

It's a muscle, no different than pieces used for steaks, roasts, or grind. Freezes just fine, I would just suggest either cutting it down into smaller pieces or flattening it out unless sealing up in butcher paper. Those odd shapes don't seem to vacuum seal too well.

 

[Swamp Fox]

Pickled heart for snacks or major-production stuffed heart in the oven for me. Try the latter on your girlfriend .... : ) Ask me how I know it's good .... LOL

I'd rather eat venison heart fresh, but freezing is okay. I used to have a processor save me hearts from guys who dropped off un-dressed deer, so of course most of those had to go in the freezer.

Since I've never invested in a vacuum sealer (prolly dumb on my part) I freeze in water + Ziploc freezer bags. Takes air out of the equation. Don't cheap out on the bags. (House brand does not equal Ziploc.)

 

[Crghss]

Boil the heart, cube it. Soak with vinegar, salt, pepper and onions. Nothing better.

 

[Wrench]

I do fajitas or pickle it.

 

[MattB]

I have left so very many hearts in the field over the decades but decided to bring one home from a whitetail I killed a couple of year ago. It was an absolute game changer. I will still take the tender lions and backstraps first, but I think the heart was better than every other cut from an animal. Watched a YouTube video on how to fillet it out and make essentially 2 steaks from it and it was damned good.

 

[Agross]

I freeze mine until I have several , and then pickle em. Delicious

 

[49ereric]

Freeze heart just like fish in water…

 

[hiker270]

Never froze one, it gets pickled right away.

 

[Beendare]

I just ate some moose heart I vaccuum sealed and had in my freezer for 2 years now- excellent.

That vacuum sealing is a game changer.

 

[Frosty82]

For you guys that pickle, do you mind sharing the recipe?

 

[Agross]

I just googled pickled deer heart recipes. Found several that were similar and kinda combined them into one . I add more pickling spice than they call for and more red pepper flakes as well. It’s really easy and turns out great. Plenty of sliced onions, alternating them and the meat in layers in the jar. The onions become sweet and are excellent with the heart on crackers or by themselves.

 

[Oregon]

we never ate the heart growing up. I kept it from my last deer and have it in the freezer. I’ll have to try it and find out. How do y’all cook heart?

Just had it for brunch 1/2 hour ago. I just slice and fry in butter olive oil and onions. Rolled in flour.

 

[spenpet]

Never froze one… but enjoy them… my son shot his first deer this year and sliced the dang thing in half… the bottom part we found, the top was exploded… proud of his shot, but miss eating the heart! Haha!

 

[P Carter]

Beware the frozen heart….

(Couldn’t resist, I have a 9-year-old girl and spent waaaay too much time watching this movie…)

 

[AKBC]

If you have more heart than you can use fresh you can freeze or add it to the grind for burger.