Heart of Texas - Grass Fed Beef Heart Tacos That'll Change Your Mind

Most people see beef heart for the first time and think "no way." I get it. Cooking a beef organ feels intimidating, especially when you're used to ground beef or steak. But here's the thing about beef heart - it's not beef liver. It doesn't have that strong organ meat flavor. When you cook beef heart right, it tastes more like a really good beef tenderloin. And in tacos? It's genuinely fantastic.

Beef heart is one of the leanest, most protein-dense cuts of beef you can buy. It's also one of the most affordable. At Texas Grass Fed Farms, we want you to get the most value from every animal, and that means learning to cook the cuts most people skip over. Once you tried this recipe, you'll understand why Mexican street food vendors have been using beef heart for generations.

Why Grass Fed Beef Heart Deserves Your Attention

The nutrition in beef heart puts most other cuts to shame. A 4-ounce serving delivers about 25 grams of protein and is low in fat - only about 5 grams. It's packed with CoQ10, B vitamins, iron, zinc, and selenium - nutrients that grass fed cattle naturally concentrate when they graze on diverse Texas pastures.

The heart is a muscle that works constantly, which means it develops excellent texture and rich beef flavor. Unlike other organ meats, beef heart doesn't have filtering functions like beef liver or kidneys. It's just pure muscle tissue. That's why the taste of the heart stays clean and like beef rather than taking on that distinctive organ meat profile many people avoid.

When cattle graze on regeneratively managed Texas rangeland, they build nutrient-dense muscle tissue including the heart. The varied grasses, legumes, and forbs provide minerals that end up in the meat. You can actually taste the difference - grass fed beef heart has richer, more complex beef flavor than conventional beef heart.

The traditional Mexican preparation for beef heart tacos is called "tacos de corazón." Street vendors in Mexico City have been serving these for decades. They slice the heart thin, season it simply, grill it fast over high heat, and serve it in warm tortillas. That's exactly what we're doing here, with a Texas twist.

Preparing Grass Fed Beef Heart for Tacos

Your whole heart will arrive whole or in large pieces. Don't let the appearance throw you off. The key is proper trim work, which takes about 10 minutes once you know what you're doing.

First, thaw beef heart in the refrigerator for 24 hours if frozen. Rinse under cold water and pat it completely dry. You'll notice some excess fat, gristle, and tough membranes on the outside. Use a sharp knife to trim away any visible fat and the whitish connective tissue.

Cut the heart lengthwise to open it up. You'll see chambers, valves, and artery structures inside - remove all of that. What you want is just the thick muscle walls. Depending on the size of your heart, you'll end up with 3-4 large pieces of clean muscle.

Slice the beef heart against the grain into strips about 1/4 inch thick. This is crucial for good texture. If you slice with the grain, the meat will be chewy no matter how you cook it. Cutting against the grain keeps it tender. The pieces should look similar to fajita meat when you're done.

At this point, your beef heart looks like any other sliced steak. This is where most people realize there's nothing scary about first time cooking beef heart - it's just another cut of beef that needs proper preparation.

The Seasoning Blend That Makes This Recipe Work

We're using the same homemade taco seasoning from our Texas grass fed ground beef tacos recipe. This blend works perfectly with beef heart because it complements rather than covers up the meat's natural flavor.

Mix together:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons paprika (or smoked paprika for deeper flavor)

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)

This makes enough seasoning for about 2 pounds of beef heart. Store any leftover seasoning in an airtight container for your next batch of tacos, whether you're making them with ground beef or heart.

The beauty of making your own taco seasoning is knowing exactly what's in it. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no ingredients you can't pronounce. Just pure spices that let the grass fed beef flavor shine through.

Beef Heart Recipe - Cooking the Tacos

Here's where beef heart really proves itself. The cooking process is fast and straightforward, more similar to cooking steak than making a slow-cooked beef stew.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 to 2 lbs grass fed beef heart, trimmed and sliced thin

• 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning

• 2 tablespoons grass fed beef tallow (or avocado oil)

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1 white onion, diced

• Fresh cilantro, chopped

• Corn or flour tortillas

• Optional: diced tomatoes, avocado, hot sauce, crumbled queso fresco

Instructions:

1. Marinate the meat: Place sliced beef heart in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper first, then add the taco seasoning and lime juice. This marinade helps tenderize the meat slightly while the seasoning penetrates. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes while you prepare toppings.

2. Heat your skillet: Add beef tallow to a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. You want the pan hot - really hot. When the tallow shimmers and almost starts smoking, you're ready to sear.

3. Cook on high heat: Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the beef heart strips in a single layer. Don't move them for 2-3 minutes per side - you want a good sear on each side for about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes. The meat should be nicely browned outside but still medium-rare inside. This prevents you from overcook the meat. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining beef heart.

4. Let it rest: Let the cooked beef heart rest for 5 minutes. This lets the juices redistribute and ensures you don't overcook it from residual heat.

5. Warm your tortillas: If you want to fry your own taco shells, follow the technique in our ground beef taco recipe. For soft tacos, warm tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side.

6. Assemble tacos: Fill tortillas with beef heart, top with diced onion, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and any additional toppings you like. Keep it simple or load them up - both approaches work.

The total cooking time is under 10 minutes. That's faster than most ground beef preparations. The high heat and quick cook time keep the beef heart tender while developing those charred edges that make tacos taste right.

What Beef Heart Tacos Actually Taste Like

If you told someone these were sirloin tacos, they'd believe you. The texture is tender with a bit of chew - milder and more delicate than you'd expect. The rich beef flavor is deeply satisfying, maybe even more so than conventional cuts because the heart works so hard during the animal's life.

The seasoning creates a savory crust on the outside while the inside stays juicy at medium-rare. The lime juice adds brightness that cuts through the richness. Fresh onion and cilantro provide the classic taco flavor profile you expect.

What you don't taste is anything weird or off-putting. No liver flavor. No metallic notes. No funky aftertaste. Just good, clean beef flavor enhanced by the grass fed advantage - that subtle complexity you get from cattle raised on diverse Texas pastures.

Kids who won't eat liver often eat these tacos without hesitation. The familiar taco format makes trying organ meat less intimidating. Many families who tried beef heart for the first time end up requesting them again, telling us they love beef heart tacos.

Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

Can I use a slow cooker for beef heart? While you can make beef heart stew in a slow cooker, this taco recipe works best with the high heat method. If you want to braise beef heart for stew, cut it into small chunks and cook low and slow for 4-6 hours with cooking liquid until tender. That's a different beef heart stew recipe entirely.

Where can I find beef heart? Ask your local butcher, or order directly from Texas Grass Fed Farms. Most people find beef heart easier to source than they expect once they start looking.

Can this recipe work for deer heart? Absolutely. Deer heart cooks the same way. The flavor is similar but slightly gamier. Use the same marinade and cooking method.

What if I tried beef heart before and didn't like it? You probably had it overcooked or improperly prepared. This new recipe focuses on quick, high heat cooking that keeps the meat tender and prevents that tough, chewy texture people associate with poorly cooked heart.

Can I grill beef heart instead of using a skillet? Yes! Preheat your grill to high heat and cook 2-3 minutes per side. The charred flavor from the grill works beautifully with this recipe.

Making the Most of Your Beef Heart

A whole heart weighs 3-4 pounds and costs significantly less per pound than premium steaks. One heart makes enough tacos to feed 6-8 people, or you can freeze half for another meal.

To freeze beef heart, trim and slice it as directed, then freeze in portion sizes that make sense for your family. It keeps well for 3-4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cooking. Season after thawing rather than before freezing for best results.

Leftover cooked beef heart stores in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet to avoid overcook. The meat works great in quesadillas, breakfast burritos, rice bowls, or salads. Some people even pack cold beef heart tacos for lunch.

Beyond tacos, you can use this same preparation method for beef heart fajitas, stir-fries, or kabobs. You could even cut it into small chunks for a quick beef heart stew, though you'd add beef broth and vegetables for that application. Once you master the basic technique, you'll find yourself reaching for beef heart today and planning your next beef heart recipe.

Beef Heart Stew Recipe Variation

Want to try slow cooking beef heart instead? Here's a simple beef heart stew recipe variation:

Trim and cut the heart into small chunks. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sear in a cast iron skillet, then transfer to a pressure cooker or slow cooker. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, carrots, onions, and minced garlic. If using a pressure cooker, cook on high for 45 minutes. If using a slow cooker, set heat to low and cook for 6-8 hours. The slow-cooked beef becomes incredibly tender - almost like pot roast texture. This is one of those delicious recipes that proves beef heart works in multiple applications.

Why Regenerative Ranchers Love Selling Beef Heart

When customers buy beef heart and other organ meats, it helps ranchers sell more of each animal. This matters economically for small-scale regenerative operations like those we work with across Texas.

Most commercial beef operations struggle to sell organ meats domestically. They often end up selling these nutrient-dense cuts at a loss or for pet food prices. This creates economic waste even though the meat has tremendous value for carnivore diets and healthy recipes.

When you buy a whole heart and actually use it, you're supporting a more complete use of the animal. This aligns with the nose-to-tail eating philosophy that makes the most sense both economically and ethically.

Regeneratively raised cattle develop especially nutrient-dense organ meats because of what they eat. The diverse Texas grasses and forbs provide minerals and vitamins that concentrate in organs. You're not just getting protein - you're getting nutrients that grass fed cattle build specifically because of how they're raised.

Common Beef Heart Cooking Mistakes to Avoid

The biggest mistake is overcook. Beef heart is low in fat, which means it dries out quickly if you cook it too long. Aim for medium-rare to medium doneness - around 135-145°F internal temperature. The meat should still have some pink in the center.

Second most common mistake: cutting with the grain instead of against it. This makes even properly cooked beef heart tough and chewy. Always slice perpendicular to the muscle fibers.

Third mistake: underseasoning. Beef heart can handle bold flavors. Don't be shy with the taco seasoning. The spices complement rather than hide the meat's natural flavor.

Some people try to cook beef heart low and slow like a tough roast when making steak, not stew. This doesn't work well for quick-cooking applications. The heart is already tender if sliced thin and cooked fast. Save slow cooking for when you want to make beef heart stew.

Finally, don't trim too aggressively. A little bit of the silverskin or membrane won't hurt anything. You're looking to remove the obvious fat, gristle, and artery tissue - not perform surgery. Over-trimming wastes good meat.

Serving Suggestions and Pairing Your Beef Heart Tacos

These delicious and tender tacos pair well with simple sides that don't compete for attention. Mexican street corn (elote), black beans with cilantro and lime, or a simple cucumber and tomato salad all work well.

For beverages, Mexican beer (Modelo, Dos Equis, or Pacifico) cuts through the richness nicely. If you prefer wine, try a Spanish tempranillo or a lighter California zinfandel. The fruit-forward profile complements the spiced meat without overwhelming it.

Rice and beans make the meal more substantial. Use leftover beef heart to top the rice the next day. The seasoning works across different applications, which makes meal planning easier.

Starting Your Organ Meat Journey

If you've never cooked organ meats before, beef heart is absolutely the best place to start. It bridges the gap between conventional cuts and more intense organs like liver or kidney.

The process isn't complicated. Trim, slice, marinate beef briefly, cook hot and fast, serve in tacos. That's it. No special equipment needed. No advanced techniques. Just straightforward cooking that produces great results.

Once you've made these tacos a few times, you'll probably wonder why you waited so long to try beef heart. The combination of nutrition, flavor, and value makes it worth adding to your regular rotation. You might even love this recipe enough to explore other healthy recipes using beef organ meats.

Organ meats intimidate people until they actually cook them. Then they realize these are just different cuts of beef from the same grass fed cattle they already enjoy. The flavor profiles are different, sure, but not in a bad way. Just different - and delicious.

Where to Source Quality Grass Fed Beef Heart

At Texas Grass Fed Farms, we include beef heart in our whole and half beef orders. You can also purchase it separately if you want to try beef heart for the first before committing to a larger order.

The grass fed advantage matters particularly with organ meats. Since organs concentrate nutrients, they also concentrate whatever the animal was exposed to. Grass fed cattle raised on chemical-free Texas pastures provide the cleanest organ meats possible.

Our partner ranchers across Texas raise cattle using regenerative agriculture practices that build soil health while producing nutrient-dense beef. The cattle move regularly to fresh pasture, which keeps them healthy and ensures varied nutrition that ends up in the meat.

When you order beef heart today from Texas Grass Fed Farms, it arrives frozen and vacuum-sealed. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before trimming and cooking. One heart feeds multiple people or provides several meals for a small family.

Ready to Try Grass Fed Beef Heart Tacos?

These tacos prove that organ meats deserve space in your cooking rotation. The flavor rivals premium steaks, the nutrition exceeds almost every other cut, and the price makes regular grass fed beef eating more affordable.

Start with one beef heart. Follow this recipe. Serve them to your family without announcing what they're eating until after they tell you how good they taste. You might be surprised by the response when they love heart tacos as much as traditional ground beef versions.

Order your grass fed beef heart from Texas Grass Fed Farms today and discover why Mexican street vendors have been making these delicious recipes for generations. Sometimes the best eating comes from the cuts most people overlook.