# Deer hearts and liver.



## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

For the last few years I’ve kept them both, I used to give them away or leave for the critters but I started to keep them and boy I was missing out from all the past deer hearts and livers I left. Just had some heart steaks for lunch fried up in butter med done and they were so tender . I wondered if anybody else keeps them haven’t seen a thread about it.


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## DLarrick (May 31, 2011)

I have also kept the hearts the past few years. I love them and think its one of the best cuts on the deer. Just kept the first liver off my deer last year and will continue doing that with future kills. like you I thought about how many I left behind in regret.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I've never had a taste for beef liver. so i don't think i would care for deer liver. I've just always removed the heart and liver when i field dress them. maybe I'm missing out here but i have no plans on eating them. but i think its great that you guys are using them and not letting them go to waste like i do.
sherman


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I keep the hearts, I love them on the smoker and I've considered trying a tongue. I've smoked a few beef tongues and they're delicious
I'm not a huge fan of the liver but I have eaten a few (probably the way I prepared it------ over cooked)
Good luck and Good Hunting !


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

I like the heart. Slice thin, rinse or soak in milk, lightly bread and pan fried. Liver isn't bad done the same way.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

sherman51 said:


> I've never had a taste for beef liver. so i don't think i would care for deer liver. I've just always removed the heart and liver when i field dress them. maybe I'm missing out here but i have no plans on eating them. but i think its great that you guys are using them and not letting them go to waste like i do.
> sherman


 I know what u mean about liver we grew up having it quite often for supper. You ate it or went Hungary no choice so I avoided liver for a long time, but floured and lightly fried it is good, but keep a heart next time soak it trim off fat then slice into steaks , cut out artery’s and valves . Pan fry seasoned medium done as good as the backstrap. Just not much to a heart after cleaning up.


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## UNCLEMIKE (Jul 23, 2014)

I do my liver this way..... fry a pound of bacon and set aside, sauté my onions in the bacon grease. Cut the liver into thin slices and drop in boiling water for 30 seconds. Then dredge in flour and into the bacon grease to fry. Top with the crumbled bacon and onions over mashed potatoes. The key is slice thin so they cook quick. Over cook a thick slice of liver and it gets tough.


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## luredaddy (May 25, 2004)

UNCLEMIKE said:


> I do my liver this way..... fry a pound of bacon and set aside, sauté my onions in the bacon grease. Cut the liver into thin slices and drop in boiling water for 30 seconds. Then dredge in flour and into the bacon grease to fry. Top with the crumbled bacon and onions over mashed potatoes. The key is slice thin so they cook quick. Over cook a thick slice of liver and it gets tough.


Soak your thin slices of deer liver in milk for at least an hour before cooking. John


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## miked913 (Feb 29, 2008)

One of my favorite ways to have the heart is diced real small, sauteed in butter with onions and celery, added to the stuffing for Thanksgiving or Christmas and baked til crispy on the edges, the whole family loves my stuffing and hasn't the foggiest idea they've been eating deer heart for years!


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## CFIden (Oct 9, 2014)

We slice the hearts and remove the arteries. then cut into bite sized pieces and boil until done. then we pickle them and eat them on crackers.


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

The heart is also good diced into small pieces, sautéed, and then slow cooked in chilli.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Muddy said:


> The heart is also good diced into small pieces, sautéed, and then slow cooked in chilli.


That is a good idea it is so tender it would work great.


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## sport smokey (Feb 4, 2008)

My dad has always just cleaned it and soaked it in water with some salt thenhe would boil it with onions. Then slice it and lightly salt it and eat it, simple and good.


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## Big Chief (Dec 16, 2005)

Agree that the heart is as good as backstrap, liver just not for me no matter how it's cooked!


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

As for me, growing up we were not an "organ meat" family! Once I started hunting I met a guy who made "deer heart chowder". It was phenomenal, but the heart is a muscle, much like any other meat you're likely to get off a deer. Just have to make sure you're not throwing any of that valve cartilage into the recipe! 

Another buddy of mine loves deer liver cooked the way his Mom did it, and he has the recipe. I've never had the opportunity to try it but the smell always reminds me of gutting an animal, so I'm not a fan!


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Have always kept the heart/livers and guys I hunt with save theirs for me also. 
Wife won't eat the heart if she knows what she's eating. But she always asks what the tender chunks of meat are in chili or home made 'beef' stew. 
Never been a liver eater but always cut the livers up and the pup get treats of it.


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## Tritonman (Jul 4, 2004)

We keep the livers and eat them while we are butchering our deer.


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

Grandma taught us how to make 'giblet' chicken soup. Save up (freeze) a pile of chicken wings, necks, hearts, livers & gizzards. Throw 'em in a huge pot with those cleaned-up-sliced deer hearts,,,
add a bunch of onions, some black pepper and 1-2 dozen Jalapenos!
Just enough water to cover everything.
Boil it down till its thick,,,, It will be the BEST chicken soup you ever tasted! And those deer heart slices will fall apart in your mouth.
Don't forget the buttered, hard crust Italian bread for dipping!

IF it doesn't come out HOT ENOUGH,,,, add Sriracha sauce to 'taste'.
(I always add Sriracha sauce to my soups!)

What Tritonman said,,,, while butchering, we would fry up the heart slices in teriyaki sauce & onions. Place the fried slices on a cracker with hot pepper cheese,,,,,,,, My wife use'ta call them something like 'ordor-bies'! (stink up the place)
We're not allow to do that any more,,,, in the house.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

You guys are courageous. No organs for me.


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## Timjim (May 15, 2011)

wonder if channel cat like deer liver


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

bobk said:


> You guys are courageous. No organs for me.


 Just one bite of Smoked Deer Heart would Quicky change your mind 
Good luck and Good Hunting !


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

I like to pre-slice my deer heart...


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Timjim said:


> wonder if channel cat like deer liver


 I know a guy who caught plenty of cats on groundhog and squirrel liver, I bet it would work fine.
Good luck !


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

chadwimc said:


> I like to pre-slice my deer heart...
> 
> View attachment 251193
> View attachment 251194


Show off! 
That's some excellent shootin chadwimc.


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

That was a buck and doe about two weeks apart. I'll just walk away leaving you with the impression I can do that every shot...


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)




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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

having it tonight… Sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and heart from the deer I shot two days ago ...


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Looks great 9!


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

chadwimc said:


> I like to pre-slice my deer heart...
> 
> View attachment 251193
> View attachment 251194


Mine are always blown up!


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