Organic Braised Lamb Heart Stuffed with Lemon & Parsley
As the heart is such a hard-working muscle, it makes an exceptionally lean cut. But it's woefully under-appreciated. If you think you're not a fan of offal, give this one a try – when stuffed, wrapped in bacon and slowly braised until tender, heart could easily be mistaken in taste and texture for a prime roasting joint or steak.
Organic Braised Lamb Heart Stuffed with Lemon & Parsley
As the heart is such a hard-working muscle, it makes an exceptionally lean cut. But it's woefully under-appreciated. If you think you're not a fan of offal, give this one a try – when stuffed, wrapped in bacon and slowly braised until tender, heart could easily be mistaken in taste and texture for a prime roasting joint or steak.
- Serves: 4
- Prepare: 15 Minutes
- Cook: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Difficulty: medium
WHO ARE THE ORGANIC BUTCHERY?
Starting life as an organic farm in the heart of the West Country, The Organic Butchery is proudly founded on a long history of organic principles. We source the best quality organic grass-fed and wild meats, sustainable fish and organic free-range poultry from trusted local suppliers and like-minded brands to guarantee the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to approach butchery with a whole-carcass perspective, to make the most of every animal that crosses our blocks, which means we offer you cuts that you will never see on the supermarket shelves.
WHAT IS ORGANIC LAMB?
All of our organic lamb comes from free-range animals born and reared in our lush, sustainable West Country pastures. Many lambs are grown quickly, fed on grain to ‘finish’ them at speed, we believe that it’s better for animals to grow at the rate nature intended and lead active lives.
Ingredients
- 2 organic lamb hearts
- 4 rashers streaky bacon
For The Stuffing
- 100g organic sausage meat
- 1 diced onion
- 30g white breadcrumbs
- juice of a lemon
- handful of parsley, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- olive oil for frying
- salt and pepper to season
For The Braising Liquid
- 300ml red wine
- a handful each of parsley, thyme and bay, finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely diced
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 100ml of balsamic vinegar
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 160°C fan
- Add a splash of olive oil to a hot frying pan then throw in the onion and cook until just soft before adding the garlic and cooking for a minute or so more. Once cooked, remove from the hob to cool
- Combine the sausage meat, parsley, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and lemon in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion and garlic and mix well
- Dry the lamb hearts with kitchen paper then stuff the sausage mixture into the cavities, packing it in firmly
- Wrap the streaky bacon around the hearts, ensuring they're fully covered. You can secure the parcels with butcher's string if you like. Set aside
- Heat an ovenproof dish on the hob, splashing in some oil and, when it's shimmering, add the onion, carrot and celery, cook gently until they're soft
- Take the frying pan you cooked the onion in and heat it with a drizzle of oil. Sear the hearts in the hot oil, browning each side in turn. When they're done, pop them on top of veg in the ovenproof dish and sprinkle over the thyme, parsley and bay
- Deglaze the frying pan with a splash of the red wine to catch all the oniony and lamby flavours. Tip the deglazed juices over the hearts then top up the casserole with the rest of the wine. Put a lid on the dish and place it in the oven to cook or 2 hours
- When the cooking time is almost up, heat a clean frying pan then add the balsamic vinegar, cook until it gently until it reduces to a syrup. Set aside
- After 2 hours of cooking, remove the hearts from the dish, wrap them in foil and let them rest while you finish up
- Sieve the cooking liquor into a saucepan, squeezing the veg to extract as much flavour as possible before discarding them. Stir the balsamic vinegar through the red wine. If there's a fatty layer on top of the liquid, skim it off with a spoon. Place the saucepan on the hob and bubble to reduce the liquid by half
- Slice the hearts thickly and serve with rich, creamy mash, seasonal vegetables and a good drizzle of the red-wine sauce
WHO ARE THE ORGANIC BUTCHERY?
Starting life as an organic farm in the heart of the West Country, The Organic Butchery is proudly founded on a long history of organic principles. We source the best quality organic grass-fed and wild meats, sustainable fish and organic free-range poultry from trusted local suppliers and like-minded brands to guarantee the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to approach butchery with a whole-carcass perspective, to make the most of every animal that crosses our blocks, which means we offer you cuts that you will never see on the supermarket shelves.
WHAT IS ORGANIC LAMB?
All of our organic lamb comes from free-range animals born and reared in our lush, sustainable West Country pastures. Many lambs are grown quickly, fed on grain to ‘finish’ them at speed, we believe that it’s better for animals to grow at the rate nature intended and lead active lives.
Frequently asked questions
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A portion of grass fed lamb has a slightly higher calorie content than grass fed beef, but has more health promoting omega 3 fatty acids. Lamb also has less marbling of fat than beef and when you trim the fat around the edges after cooking, lamb is a lean cut of meat.
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Organic lamb has to be certified by an approved organic body to a number of set organic standards. These include the space that an organic lamb animal has to graze, the way that it’s food is grown, without the use of pesticides and or unapproved fertilisers. The standards for organic lamb also cover use of medicines and other points that improve the welfare and conditions throughout the life of the animal and on through slaughter and butchery.
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When choosing lamb to purchase, it is worth carrying out some research. There are several studies that suggest organic meat is a healthier option, containing less saturated fat and higher in omega- 3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart. We believe organic lamb tastes better than commercially farmed alternatives, tasting ‘meaty’, rich, sweet and decadent. All of The Organic Butchery's lamb comes from our trusted local suppliers. They thrive on a diet of grass as well as clover and herbs. Growing slowly, the lambs build hearty immune systems and strong skeletons. All of this influences the way their meat tastes and cooks, we really believe that happy animals result in the best quality and best tasting meat.