Chief Executive Officer
Blaine steers the high-level vision, bridges connections within and outside Seven Sons, and ensures our team keeps soaring. He's the guiding force, generously sharing his expertise and passion to ensure the team's success.
Have you noticed that ALL beef and cattle commonly receive undue and unwarranted criticism? Maybe you've noticed it yourself while scrolling Facebook or Instagram, watching the mainstream media, or in passing conversations around town. Now, there certainly are truths to claims about the negative environmental impact of cattle and beef being mass-produced fatter and faster at overcrowded industrial, CAFO feedlots. But that is NOT true of all cattle.
If you’ve followed us for long, you know that we’ve been working through some significant challenges that have threatened our ability to continue offering chicken to our customers. That said, we’re not giving up; instead, we plan to double down our efforts with significant investments and new collaborations for 2024 and beyond. This blog post is longer than usual, but because trust and transparency are a high priority to us, I invite you to read along to stay informed. Before diving into the updates, let me first explain the gravity of the challenges that small-scale pastured poultry farmers are up against.
Beef heart is an often overlooked organ meat that’s as rich in health benefits as flavor. It’s packed with protein, immunity-boosting iron, and many other nutrients. It’s also great value for money. Preparing meals with new ingredients can be a bit daunting, but the good news is that cooking beef heart is super simple and very delicious. While it might require extra prep time, it’s well worth it! Our beef is 100% grass-fed with no GMOs, hormones, or antibiotics. So you’re getting high-quality meat that’s healthier, ethically-sourced, and tastes better. The best part is that these recipes help ensure we use as much of the animal as possible, minimizing waste. Keep reading to discover three simple ways to prepare beef heart. Prep time: 30-45 minutes Cook time: 10-15 minutes Servings: 4 What You’ll Need To make these simple beef heart recipes, you’ll need a few ingredients, including our grass-fed and finished beef. It’s more nutritious, richer in flavor, and higher in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than regular conventionally raised cuts. 1 lb. grass-fed beef heart 3 TBSP oil (Avacado or Extra Virgin Olive) 3 cloves minced garlic 1 large onion Salt and pepper to taste Lemon juice Additional spices like paprika, cumin, or chili powder Instructions For each of the recipes below, you’ll first need to prepare your beef heart and marinate it for maximum tenderness. Then, depending on your time and utensils, you can experiment with one or all of these delicious recipes. How to Prepare Beef Heart The first thing you need to do is to clean and dice it. Here are the steps: Step 1: Rinse the beef heart under cold water. Step 2: Trim away any fat, connective tissue, and valves from the heart. Step 3: Cut the heart into several strips about 1/2 inch thick. Next, you’ll want to marinate your beef heart strips for at least an hour to enhance the meat's flavor. Place the hearts in a bowl or resealable plastic bag and add the juice of half a lemon, minced garlic, a generous few TBSP of olive oil, and salt and pepper. This will give you a simple but tasty marinade–but you can try other combinations too. For an Asian-style meal, you could marinate the strips in sesame oil, soy, honey, and lemon. Or, for a more European dish, you could concoct a marinade of balsamic vinegar, French mustard, garlic, onion, and salt. Now that your meat is tender, try one of the following recipes. Beef Heart Recipe for the Slow Cooker Slow-cooked beef heart is the way to go if you want maximum flavor and minimal effort. This tender, juicy dish is melt-in-the-mouth delicious and easy to make. Simply toss your marinated beef heart strips into the slow cooker and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. Then, add beef broth or stock and chopped onions, then leave for 4-6 hours, cooking on high. Beef Heart Recipe for the Grill Short on time? Then grilling is the way to go. It also makes an appetizing and unique cookout entrée. After marinating, place your beef heart strips on a hot grill. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes until the meat has a crisp, brown crust on the edges. Serve medium-rare for a velvety, tender meal. Beef Heart Recipe for the Instant Pot Another great and quick way to cook beef heart is in the Instant Pot. Place the marinated meat strips in the Instant Pot along with a chopped onion and a cup of water. Cook on high pressure for 70 minutes. You’ll have a silky, juicy meal brimming with flavor. Side Dishes to Pair with Beef Heart Beef heart is a versatile meat that complements a variety of cuisines. Here are a few of our favorite side dishes to pair it with for every meal of the day. Breakfast If you like savory breakfasts, try serving beef heart with some of the below combinations: Avocado, sunny-side-up eggs, crispy kale, and baked beans In a breakfast burrito with salsa, cheese and eggs With cream cheese, tomato, and onion in a bagel Lunch Whether you’ve got friends and family over or just want to make a healthy, tasty lunch for one, here are some great lunchtime sides to pair with beef heart: A zesty quinoa salad and sweet potato fries Cabbage slaw, grilled vegetables, and corn on the cob Tenderstem broccoli and steamed brown rice Dinner For a hearty, delectable dinner, we love pairing beef heart with some of the below side dishes: Udon noodles and wok-fried vegetables in a honey soy dressing Buttery mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and beef gravy With flatbreads, tzatziki, a fresh green salad and homemade hummus Expert Tips & Tricks Beef heart is most delicious and tender when served medium-rare, so be mindful of overcooking it—especially on the grill! Once cooked, let the beef heart rest for a few minutes to lock in its natural juices. While beef heart can be intimidating to cook at first, it’s a truly versatile meat. So don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavor combinations. Recipe FAQs What does beef heart taste like? Beef heart has a meaty, tender flavor similar to minute steak. Can you grill beef heart? Absolutely! To grill beef heart, cut it into thin strips and then sear on high heat for four minutes, turning the strips after 2 minutes to cook evenly. What is the best way to cook beef heart for my dog? Boiling is a great way to cook beef heart for dogs. Cut it into small chunks and simmer in water for 30 minutes. Does beef heart need to be tenderized? For melt-in-the-mouth flavor, marinate beef heart in a mixture of oil, an acid (like vinegar, lemon juice, or wine), and seasoning for at least an hour before cooking. Can you grind beef heart into hamburger? Yes! You can use ground beef heart for hamburgers or meatballs. Just beware of overcooking, as beef heart is best-served medium to medium-rare. Ready to Cook? We hope you’re ready to expand your culinary repertoire with beef heart. Order our grass-fed beef heart today. As always, we’d love to know what you think! Let us know if you tried our recipes and how it turned out! Curious for more? Try our Beef Heart Stew recipe or change the cut and explore these Beef Shank recipes!
Wondering which cut of steak to serve at your next meal? Not all cuts are right for every occasion. Read our handy guide on the Top 10 Best Cuts of Steak!
Saturated fat will clog your arteries, at least that is what we have been lead to believe. But new studies are showing that consuming saturated fats from grass-fed cows is actually good for your health. Butter is a great source of saturated fats, so here are 3 ways grass-fed butter is superior to grain-fed butter.
Do you like your pork tender and lean, or meaty and flavorful? Read more to find out all the differences between these delicious types of rib.
On this weekend leading up to the 4th of July I spent time reflecting about what freedom and independence mean for me as a regenerative farmer. First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for the privilege my family has to produce wholesome food for you right here on U.S. soil. We recognize our freedoms would not be here today without the immense sacrifices from our service men and women, past and present. We are incredibly grateful and vow to continue to act courageously to honor their sacrifices.
Due to recent news articles about using new mRNA vaccines for cattle, our team and family have received numerous emails and phone calls about this topic. I invite you to read the blog post below, where I've posted my research and answers to commonly asked questions.
In today's episode, Blake and Blaine Hitzfield provide some REAL talk about the food system, the opportunity for farmers and consumers to impact the food system, and begin to unpack the question "Can We Feed the World with Regenerative Farming?"
Welcome to the Seven Sons Farm Life Show. In this episode we sit down with Blaine and Blake Hitzfield for an on-farm update including pictures and video of how we put on our BIGGEST Farm Fest to date
We recorded this episode for other farmers but as an act of transparency, but invite our customers to go behind the scenes and listen in to the conversation, too. In this article, we want to share what our 5 core values are and provide a backstory on why we give time and attention to having company core values in the first place.
In late August we were fortunate to host Army Captain Gil De Leon for a week-long visit to our farm. Capt. De Leon is a 17-year Army Veteran, husband, father to 6 kids....and an aspiring regenerative farmer. In this post we share how he's transitioning from wearing combat gear to a cowboy hat and boots...
