From The Cookbook: Braised Venison Heart

by
posted on May 30, 2013
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

For most people home is where the heart is, and for some the stomach is where the heart is. If you're looking to try venison heart for the first time, or have already given it a shot and are looking for a new recipe, then this one from the NRA Member's Wild Game Cookbook, Second Edition is something you should try.

Braised Venison Heart
The following recipe is taken directly from the NRA Members' Wild Game Cookbook, Second Edition. to buy your very own copy of the cookbook, visit the NRA Program Materials Center.

Ingredients
1 deer heart (1 pound), 1 antelope heart, or 1/2 elk heart
1/8 pound bacon
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 onion
4 peeled tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons white wine1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
dash of basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Wash, trim veins and fat from one venison heart. Dice into large cubes (1 x 2 inches). Dice bacon and sauté in butter. Add cubes of heart, brown slightly, then add one half cup water. Add peeled and diced tomatoes together with white wine. Braise slowly for an hour and a half, or until heart cubes are tender, then remove cover and simmer slowly 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and egg yolk, which have been mixed thoroughly together. Season with basil, salt and pepper, and serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

A marvelous way to do heart, which I purloined from the kitchen of a hunting colleague in Germany's Fichtel Mountains. His wife's mother claimed that this was the way they had always done the deer and elk hearts, and even used it for wild boar hearts.

Originally Submitted By:
Gary Lease
Santa Cruz, CA

Photo courtesy of Georgia Pellegrini, visit GeorgiaPellegrini.com to see her venison heart recipe.

Latest

Lede Divers
Lede Divers

A Deep Dive into Late-Season Divers

When he was 12 the author shot a limit of ring-necks when he was hunting for wigeon. It wasn’t the last time divers turned a slow day of duck hunting into a memorable one. The season might be over, but take a step back into the very end of the season with Scott Haugen, as he takes on some divers.

New for 2026: Knight & Hale Deer Call Lineup

Knight & Hale Game Calls, has launched its latest line of deer calls, a collection which includes the EZ-Grunter, EZ-Grunter Xtreme, Death Chamber and Ultimate Rattle Bag. Read on for a detailed description of each.

#SundayGunday: Taurus Raging Hunter 350 Legend

On this week's #SundayGunday, we're taking a look at a capable hunting revolver that’s chambered in a caliber you’re more likely to see in a rifle: the 350 Legend. That’s right, Taurus has released their large-frame Raging Hunter in the whitetail-thumping 350 Legend cartridge. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

Recipe: Deep-Rooted Venison Stew

Several friends and I often circle back to the same campfire debate about which wild game makes the best stew. Mule deer usually leads the pack, with moose close behind, but any well-handled game meat can stand out when you build the right layers of flavor. The real magic starts long before the broth simmers. It comes from the vegetables and mushrooms you choose.

61-Year-Old Elk-Hunting Dream Fulfilled in Michigan

Michigan elk hunters faced challenging weather and storm-ravaged terrain to harvest 153 elk in 2025. That didn’t deter Bruce Nelson of Hastings, Mich. He applied for an elk license every year Michigan has held a drawing.

New for 2026: Blaser R8 Professional 2.0

The Blaser R8 Professional 2.0 promises to be the modern evolution of the iconic straight-pull rifle. The rifle features a new, ergonomically optimized vertical pistol grip for increased comfort and improved control when firing, and its ambidextrous palm swell fits both right- and left-handed shooters.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.