I learnt my first lesson on matters of the heart early in life. It’s impossible to know exactly how old I was when I learnt how to cook heart meat but I clearly remember my uncle explaining each step patiently and carefully as if this was the most important lesson he would ever impart. Unlike the rest of the week, Saturday mornings at home were always unrushed if slow with a cherished routine. The day really started when my uncle called out the name of the kid that would take on the coveted responsibility of going to the shops to buy heart meat, a loaf of bread and his beloved City Press. Best thing? Whoever went got to keep the change.
The easiest way of getting to the heart is through following its grain. Beef heart is big. To cut it into smaller sections, work with each chamber. They will tell you to slice the pockets of fat off – don’t to do it. If you cook it right, the fat will get crisp on the outside and soft inside. The extra flavour and foil of soft fat to the chewy texture of heart flesh is a pleasure to behold. You need to trim the gristle within but do it with a light touch. Hearts are not for careless manhandling.
My uncle will always be the most-fun person I know. Larger than life to my young self, he also had a big name to live up to. Greatman, Grootman, the G-man! His character could accommodate many nicknames, none of them his government name. Each nickname served as a clue to where each addition to the ever-expanding circle might know him from. Music blasting the latest R&B or Jazz songs for the pleasure of the whole township, his friends would laugh loudly, doubling over and holding their bellies as if they had unwillingly lost battle to hold it in as he regaled them with the latest big man story out in my grandmother’s yard.
Season it only slightly, he said, you don’t want it to bleed itself dry. Hearts are delicate things, he said, never leave it on heat for long. I have never forgotten that the secret to a perfectly cooked piece is quickly searing the slices on a little amount of oil to get a decent crust on the outside and letting the interior stay medium-rare. Then allowing it to rest for a couple of minutes. Pan-fried beef heart rewards you when you treat it with care. We always ate it with bread. Better yet, we would use bread slices to mop any wayward juices including any left in the pan. It will always be a perfect meal. How I miss him!
Submitted for a series on food and heritage in South Africa – September 2020.
