View Full Version : Would you eat heart?
It fascinates me what people will and won't eat. I watched a programme on C5 last night about new product launches in Tesco and they had some contestants go out with their own product and try it out on the public to see if they like it.
One was a meatball in gravy dish to go in the ready-meal section only it was a faggot rather than a meatball so made with liver and heart. It was interesting because the public were really enjoying the samples and using words like delicious, really tasty, fantastic etc but when the ingredients were revealed they said they would definitely not buy the product with heart in it and many looked very pale and queasy. It wasn't just the girls, in fact the men went greener and there wasn't one brave 'I'll eat anything' warrior. This was pure product as well, not abattoir scrapings like lips and eyeballs and ground up knuckle like you get in sausages.
This is the interesting bit. In my opinion liver and kidney are funny tasting parts of the animal and the texture is a bit odd, but heart is just another tasty bit of meat. A little tough if not cooked properly but it's hardly something to be sqeamish about since it's just a muscle. Why was it fine for there to be liver in there but not heart?
I have to admit I don't eat tripe, brain or testicles regularly but on the other hand I haven't had either before - they just don't appeal. I'm sure they are very tasty if prepared properly and I'm open to try them just in case.
What parts of the animal won't you eat and why?
I think it's engrained into us that the heart is *the* most important and significant organ in our bodies, and the core of our being, hence its name. We used to believe our emotions and soul came from our heart, which is obviously still around today. "I love you with all my heart" "He broke my heart" etc. So yeah, I suppose some people feel uncomfortable biting into it. Being a logical person, I wouldn't have a problem with eating a heart. I've eaten brain, liver, kidneys and if a heart was prepared properly and had a decent taste, I'd eat it.
I've had it before - I wouldn't choose it but I'd eat it. :)
I quite like liver and kidneys too. I think I've had braised lamb or sheep's brains before. I would probably try a testicle but I don't know if I'd enjoy it. I'm a firm believe it at least giving it a go.
I enjoy liver and kidneys, I would try things but unless I enjoyed them I wouldn't say I'd eat them.
I think it's engrained into us that the heart is *the* most important and significant organ in our bodies, and the core of our being, hence its name. We used to believe our emotions and soul came from our heart, which is obviously still around today. "I love you with all my heart" "He broke my heart" etc. So yeah, I suppose some people feel uncomfortable biting into it.
People don't seriously think like that do they?
No. Offal is gross :p
But tbh anything could be in sausages/meatballs/ready meals these days....
You should go to St Johns - its an offal restaurant - my MD likes trying new things and wanted me to book it for a Supplier meeting but I was like no way gross!!111
BB x
People don't seriously think like that do they?
We used to at least, we believed the heart controlled everything, life, spirit, love, anger etc, also the home of the soul. Not sure if people still believe exactly that, but I still think people think the heart is an organ that should be — not sure what the best word is — respected and is off-limits for consumption.
leowyatt
11-03-2008, 17:44
I've eaten it yet but would not choose to eat it again.
Justsomebloke
11-03-2008, 17:52
I prefer a pigs heart to lambs heart, Lambs are to small & not as juicy as pigs. I like a few pigs trotters as well during the summer all boiled up with fresh uncut bread & butter.
Liver & Kidneys are obviously fine by me & I'll go as far as hanging a Pheasant until maggots drop out of it before shaking it gutting it & eating it.
What i won't eat is Slimy stuff like Escargot/Oysters & Muscles, Nasty stuff that.
Here's a quote for you: 'I love faggots!'.
It never occurred to me that there might be heart in faggots but it doesn't bother me at all. Love a bit of steak and kidney, and my mum's sausage, liver and bacon casserole is awesome. Don't really see heart as being that different.
Dymetrie
11-03-2008, 17:59
Heart is a fantastic dish and I always enjoy it when I can get it.
Liver (with bacon, of course!) is also fantabulous.
I like a steak and kidney pie but am less keen on grilled kidneys.
Black pudding is another good one. Mmmmmmm... Blood.... *drools*
Not had tripe, brain or testicles but wouldn't be averse to trying them.
Haven't tried it but would try it - I will generally give most things a go (fnar?) but would definitely draw the line at things still alive.
But then saying that I've had and I enjoy faggots - like Belmit, it just never occurred to me what was actually in them
Here's a quote for you: 'I love faggots!'.
It never occurred to me that there might be heart in faggots but it doesn't bother me at all. Love a bit of steak and kidney, and my mum's sausage, liver and bacon casserole is awesome. Don't really see heart as being that different.
Wot 'ee sed, although I've never tried his mother's liver and bacon casserole :p
Heart is a fantastic dish and I always enjoy it when I can get it.
Liver (with bacon, of course!) is also fantabulous.
I like a steak and kidney pie but am less keen on grilled kidneys.
Black pudding is another good one. Mmmmmmm... Blood.... *drools*
Not had tripe, brain or testicles but wouldn't be averse to trying them.
Good man :cool:
Flibster
11-03-2008, 19:52
Mmmmmm... Offal. :D
Liver and bacon for tea tonight.
Out of context for the absolute lose!
Heart is lovely. I had no idea people were squeamish about heart until I saw that programme about the blokes faggots!
I enjoy most meats - kidney and liver on their own aren't really my thing as I find them a touch bitter for my taste but I'll still consume them.
Another meat that inexplicably makes people heave is tongue. Ox tongue is one of my absolute favourite cold meats and I can't believe more people haven't tried it.
Dymetrie
11-03-2008, 22:53
Another meat that inexplicably makes people heave is tongue. Ox tongue is one of my absolute favourite cold meats and I can't believe more people haven't tried it.
HOW DID I FORGET TONGUE!!!???
*NOMS*
HOW DID I FORGET TONGUE!!!???
*NOMS*
Fnar on so many levels :p
Not tried it myself - apparently it smells disgusting when cooking it
Nom nom nom nom nom! Hearts and things are yum!
And for the veggie side of things - I heart artichoke hearts too ;D
I have to admit... tongue... it has a strange texture and I always have this notion it's like I'm snogging a dead animal when I'm nomming it. :(
I will eat it though... purely because I'm a greedy moo and love my fud too much not to try things again and again to make sure I didn't like it originally (afterall our taste buds are always evolving!) ... but yeh... it wouldn't be my top choice from a menu!
Kell_ee001
12-03-2008, 09:13
Heart is a fantastic dish and I always enjoy it when I can get it.
Liver (with bacon, of course!) is also fantabulous.
I like a steak and kidney pie but am less keen on grilled kidneys.
Black pudding is another good one. Mmmmmmm... Blood.... *drools*
Not had tripe, brain or testicles but wouldn't be averse to trying them.
*nods* :D
I like faggots but not brains frozen faggots i like them fresh from butchers but like others have said already i didn't know heart was in them and don't actually know what is in them apart from liver.
I like kidney if its in small bits with steak but don't like the texture much and i imagine liver is about the same so wouldn't eat that.
I wouldn't eat heart unless it was in little bits as i imagine the texture is also like kidney and liver.
I will try stuff once if it looks nice and smells nice.
Will never ever eat rabbit though. they're too cute to eat.
Stan_Lite
13-03-2008, 09:36
Heart is quite tasty if cooked properly - it's quite tough if not. I'm happy eating most offal, although I'm not a big fan of lights - it's the texture more than the taste.
I'm usually game to try pretty much anything but wouldn't say I've eaten anything truly exotic or gross - yet :) (although there was the Pedigree Chum sandwich somebody gave me at a party once. When drunk, dog food and ketchup tastes a bit like corned beef :huh:).
lol Stan! ;D
I once had a chocolate covered cricket. :/ I like to be adventurous but I do draw the line at bugs I have to say.
When I was at Primary School, I used to goto my Grans for lunch so it was a lot of meat and two veg type meals. I guess from her generation, pretty much most parts of an animal were edible. Cow Heel, Liver, Heart,Tripe, Neck Chops, Belly Pork. What always amazes me is that she grew up on food like that yet she lived till she was 95 yet we get told to avoid food like that.
Occasionally, she did roasted heart. I found the flavour to be very rich. It was almost like liver but had the texture of brisket. It wasn't bad if cooked properly but it's not something I would be in a rush to eat again
I prefer heart casseroled to be honest, you can cook it until it's soft and lovely and it's really flavoursome. I'm not a fan of kidney by itself, in fact I don't like the taste by itself, but I love it in steak and kidney pie and if you add a small amount to a stew or casserole it really adds a lot to the flavour.
I'd try heart, no problems.
Last time I had faggots was probably for school dinner. I guess they were tolerable but not something I'd do deliberately. I've had liver and kidney too. Liver has to be cooked just right or it's awful, so there's no way I'm going to try and cook it. :D
I'm much better than I used to be - once upon a time I'd go into a hissy fit at the mere sight of cooked carrots (raw carrots were always ace).
Most meat-based products seem to be fair game though - even bunny wabbits. :)
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