Lamb Heart Recipe (How to Cook Lambs Hearts for Stew) (2024)

What’s the best way to cook lambs hearts? It’s my delicious lamb hearts recipe for stew! This easy lamb heart recipe is the perfect fall comfort food. Learn where to buy lambs heart, how to cook lamb heart, nutrition benefits, and much more. You’ll love this tasty offal recipe that’s so simple and easy to modify for low carb, keto, and gluten free.

Want to save this post?

Enter your email below and we'll send it straight to your inbox.Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!

What does lamb heart taste like? I find lamb heart has a mild flavor, more like beef stew meat or steak than lamb. If you’ve been put off by the strong taste of organ meats like kidney and liver, I’d still give lamb heart a try.

Lamb heart actually works really well as a substitute for beef in beef stew. Plus, it’s cheap compared to beef (in some places) and helps reduce food waste. I was genuinely surprised at just how good this lamb heart stew turned out, and I think you will be too.

Hearts are hard-working organs and can get tough fast if not prepared properly. When cooking lamb hearts, you either want to cook them high and fast or low and slow.

An example of lambs hearts recipes using fast high heat is grilled lambs heart. You can slice the lamb heart thin and grill or pan fry it quickly like a steak. Grilled lamb heart is tasty in a sandwich, or use it to top a salad.

To cook lamb hearts with slow and low heat, try making braised lambs hearts. You can cook lamb hearts in gravy, braise them in a stew, or braise then make stuffed lamb hearts. Learn more tips on ways to cook lamb hearts in the FAQs below.

🔪 How to Cook Lamb Heart Recipe

In this recipe, we’re making a lambs heart stew with slowly cooked lamb on the stove. This is one of my favorite ways to cook lamb, as it brings out it’s delicious melt-in the-mouth flavor and texture.

Here are the step-by-step directions. Get the full lamb heart recipe instructions in the recipe card at the end:

1. Cut the lamb heart into 1-inch cubes (2.54 cm). Dice celery and onion into ¼-inch pieces (0.6 cm). Clean and slice the mushrooms.

2. Put a cast iron Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat. Add olive oil, celery, onions, mushrooms, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and ground black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the veggies.

3. Add minced garlic cloves to the pot and heat for one minute more.

4. Stir in the lamb hearts and add more salt and pepper if desired. Brown the meat for about 5 minutes to help seal in the juices.

5. Add butter and flour (the roux), allowing the butter to melt and the mixture to coat the ingredients.

6. Add low-sodium beef broth and a bay leaf. Turn the heat down to medium low and partially cover the pot. Allow the stew to simmer for 1½ hours. Check on it occasionally and turn the heat down more if it’s getting too dry. You can add more broth if needed as well.

7. Remove the lid. I found the lamb to be tender at this point, but you’re welcome to simmer even longer if desired.

8. Two minutes before it’s finished cooking, add diced frozen peas and carrots. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Lamb Heart Stew Ingredients

In summary, to make this lamb hearts recipe, here's your shopping list:

• Fresh lamb hearts (or frozen lamb hearts that have been thawed in the fridge- buy here)
• Olive oil (canola oil or another cooking oil may be used)
• Diced celery
• Diced onion
• Sliced mushrooms
• Dried thyme
• Dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• Minced garlic cloves
• Butter
• All-purpose flour
• Low-sodium beef broth
• Bay leaf
• Frozen diced peas and carrots mixture

Specific quantities of all ingredients are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post!

You can make this a gluten free and keto lamb heart recipe pretty easily. Just nix the peas and use a low carb and gluten free flour (e.g., almond flour) for thickening.

You can use homemade beef broth or one from the store. However, I recommend that the broth you use is low sodium or no added salt. Otherwise, you might want to skip adding additional salt to the recipe.

The kitchen equipment you need are a good knife and a cast iron Dutch oven. You don’t need a meat thermometer since the long cooking time pretty much guarantees the lamb reached a safe temp.

Mutton Heart vs Lamb Heart- What's the Difference?

Lamb heart is taken from a young sheep while mutton heart is from an older sheep. Lamb heart is more tender and it’s what I recommend in this recipe for the best results. You may want a longer cooking time if you substitute with mutton heart.

❓ How do you trim lamb hearts?

For this recipe, you can trim any excess creamy white fat you see outside the lambs heart. (That said, leaving the fat on the hearts helps keep the meat moist and preserves more fat soluble vitamins.) Then you can simply chop the hearts into bite-sized pieces for stew.

In short, you do not need to do any fancy trimming to cook with lambs hearts. Also, you do not need to rinse lamb's hearts before cooking with them.

💕 Where to buy lamb hearts?

Where are lambs hearts for sale? In the US, you may be able to find lamb hearts at farmer’s markets or purchase directly from local farmers. You can find grass finished and grass fed lamb hearts online at US Wellness Meats here.

Lamb hearts weigh approximately 6.5 ounces each (184g), so you will need two for this recipe. I could not find lamb hearts at the mainstream grocery stores or Whole Foods near me.

If you are in the UK or Australia, you may find lamb hearts at the British or Australian stores Waitrose, Tesco, Coles, or Woolworths. Lamb hearts appear to be a more common food outside of the United States.

⭐ Lamb Hearts Nutrition

What are the benefits of lamb hearts? Here are the nutrition facts for lamb hearts (per Cronometer for 4 ounces/113 grams):

• Calories: 138
• Carbs: 0 grams
• Fiber: 0 grams
• Fat: 6 grams
• Saturated fat: 3 grams
• Cholesterol: 153 mg
• Protein: 19 grams
• Thiamin: 28% DV
• Riboflavin: 66% DV
• Niacin: 35% DV
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 30% DV
• Vitamin B6: 22% DV
• Vitamin B12: 194% DV
• Folate: 1% DV
• Vitamin A: 0% DV
• Vitamin C: 9.5% DV
• Calcium: 1% DV
• Iron: 29% DV
• Magnesium: 5% DV
• Phosphorus: 20% DV
• Potassium: 10% DV
• Selenium: 52% DV
• Zinc: 14% DV

Lamb hearts are an excellent source of B complex vitamins, such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Grains also contain B vitamins, but are not as nutrient-dense as this organ meat (unless they’re heavily fortified).

Lamb hearts are also an excellent source of several essential minerals, including iron, phosphorus, and selenium. If you’re concerned about the saturated fat in lamb heart, you can trim visible fat from the hearts before cooking.

Is lamb healthier than beef?

Lamb and beef are both nourishing red meats that can be included in a healthy diet. Both meats are rich in B vitamins, protein, and highly bioavailable iron and zinc. I would not necessarily rank one as “healthier” than the other.

🤔 Can you eat lamb heart medium rare?

Lamb (including lamb heart) should be cooked to a minimum safe temp of 145F (63C) with a 3-minute rest time (USDA). Medium rare is 130-140F (54-60C), so you’re technically not supposed to eat lamb medium-rare. (That said, many cooks choose to break the rules and enjoy tender cuts of lamb and beef medium rare.)

I recommend that you do not eat lamb heart raw. You can check that lamb has reached a minimum safe internal temp using a meat thermometer when cooking it quickly over high heat.

💡 Can you boil lambs heart?

Yes, you can boil lamb hearts or use them in other ways you’d use stew meat. Lambs heart is delicious in soups and stews.

🌡️ Can you freeze lamb hearts?

Yes, lamb hearts freeze well. Keep raw or cooked lamb hearts in a vacuum-sealed freezer bag for long term freezer storage.

This lamb heart stew recipe can be kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. It also freezes well.

To reheat this lamb heart recipe, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. You can add more broth if the stew is too dry.

🥗 What to Serve with Lamb Hearts

I love this lamb heart stew with mashed potatoes on the side! Here are some other side dishes for lamb hearts:

• Cauliflower rice or white rice
• Cooked noodles
• Air fryer spaghetti squash
• Vegan spinach salad

📋 Lamb Heart Calories

How many calories in lamb hearts? Raw lamb hearts have 138 calories per 4 ounces (113 grams). This lamb heart recipe has 311 calories, 10 grams net carbs, and 31.9 grams protein per serving.

💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian

This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss). Are lambs' hearts good for you? Are lamb hearts fattening? Lamb hearts are a fairly low-calorie protein packed with essential nutrients. I’d consider them a good choice when your goal is weight loss.

Lamb hearts are good for dogs too, if you happen to be a dog owner and want to share with them. 😊

It’s not quite correct to call lamb hearts lean protein because of the cholesterol. However, it’s pretty easy to trim fat from lamb hearts if you want a leaner option that's lower fat.

I find lamb hearts quite filling and not easy to overeat. This is likely due to their high protein content. If you add veggies to your meal, you get more fiber and fluid volume from water. It's a winning combo for weight loss.

This stew is only about 300 calories per serving. This really isn’t enough for many people, especially growing children and active adults. Consider adding a grain on the side of your lamb stew.

You could add a small side of mashed potatoes, noodles, or bread and keep the meal under 500 calories. Higher energy eaters can double up on the grains to make the meal more satisfying. Make it lower carb with some non starchy veggies for a side dish instead of a grain.

This is one of those entrees that’s easy to modify for the needs of different family members. It’s based on one of my favorite stew recipes and oh-so-good. (IMHO it could pass for beef stew if you didn’t know there was lamb in it.)

FAQs

How to make lamb hearts in slow cooker?

You can make this a slow cooker lamb heart recipe, if you wish. Instead of simmering on the stovetop for 1½ hours, transfer the prepared ingredients to a crock pot. (Use the saute function of an Instant Pot to prepare ingredients if you’d like to avoid the stove altogether.) Cook on high for 4-6 hours, until the lamb is tender.

How to cook lamb heart in oven?

How long to cook lamb heart in oven? According to this River Cottage lamb heart recipe, you should bake lamb hearts in a low oven for about 2 hours. Before going in the oven, brown lamb hearts and briefly braise them on the stove. They will be so good!

How to cook lambs hearts in frying pan?

You can make a pan fried lamb heart recipe similar to how you’d make beef steak. Thinly slice the lamb hearts and season the lamb heart strips. Heat oil in a cast iron pan and add the lamb heart pieces in a single layer. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, being careful not to overcook the lamb.

Is lamb heart healthy?

What’s healthy always depends on what your personal diet needs and preferences are. In general, lamb heart is a nutrient-dense food that can be a healthy protein source in the diet. It is fairly low calorie, and rich in a wide assortment of essential vitamins and minerals.

Is lambs heart kosher?

Lamb and sheep are kosher animals if slaughtered by a shochet, deveined, and salted properly (source). That said, it can be difficult to prepare organ meats such as lamb heart to be kosher. As a result, you may have difficulty finding kosher lamb hearts to buy.

👩🏻‍🍳 Other Recipes for Organ Meats

Looking for other organ meat recipes? Try these:

• Chicken Hearts
• Cod Liver Pate
• Stuffed Bell Peppers (Air fryer or oven)
• Keto Beef Jerky

You may also enjoy this recipe for Lamb Chops in Air Fryer.

Jamie Oliver doesn’t currently have a lamb heart recipe on his site, but he does offer a variety of other lamb recipes. You can find the collection here.

📖 Recipe Card

Join our community! Subscribefor all of the latest and greatest recipes, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!