Hard Fat on Beef Heart

[Isthmus]

Hey I have a quick question,

I get beef hearts some times. The heart has some really hard fat; that's what I guess the tough white stuff is. Is it good to eat? Is there anyone else here who gets beef heart and knows what I'm talking about, who can advise me?

Peace,
Isthmus

[TylerDurden]

I used to hate that hard, white fat. Now, I can tolerate the taste, but, to be honest, I far prefer the white fat on muscle-meats, such as raw leg of lamb, or the fat in raw marrow. I find the white fat on heart to be a bit too congealed.

[KD]

I'm kinda the same. I eat it, but not a huge fan. generally tongue and heart there will be some wasted fat and other tissue, maybe like 10-15% of weight?

[zeno]

There are two main kinds of fat: back fat and leaf fat. Back fat is the oily, melts-in-your-mouth fat that you find around the ribs or loins, and leaf fat is the fat that sits around the organs that is extremely dense and what I would call dry. Both are fine to consume and leaf fat is more dense, with a higher melting point and thus I would say packed with more energy or calories of fat.

[Isthmus]

Thanks for your replies guys. juzeza I get from what you're and the other guys are saying that you may not find it as palatable, but it may be quite nutritionally dense?

I plan to pick up a heart the weekend after next, I'll give it a try then. I'm still pretty newby with raw meats, but recently I've really been finding myself being able to eat them with more ease (relatively). I also feel like I'm starting to really want them for the first time: not simply eating them because I know rationally that I end up feeling better.

[zeno]

Yes; leaf fat is the fat which is used to make soaps and candles because of its density and higher burning point. Trim/suet (which is generally back fat) is generally used for rendering to make lard--according to my personal experience.

I suggest either aging organs or eating them from a freshly killed animal. I love the taste of a kidney that's been sitting in a refrigerator for a few days. Organs that have been recently thawed aren't as tasty.

Also, the taste of heart resembles muscle meat more than other organs such as liver, kidney, and so forth.

[AwfulRawful]

Could it be that this leaf fat, is in fact hydrogenated fat deposits within the cows muscles, and that's why it's so tough and chewy?

[zeno]

Rather than tough and chewy I would call it dry. Back fat seems to melt so easily in the mouth because of the lower melting point.

As for whether or not this is a sign that leaf fat is actually hydrogenated fat deposits, I have no idea but would like to learn more about the difference. Sometimes I can't stand leaf fat because of its texture and dry quality. I'm curious what makes it so unique to back fat...