Sweetbreads Sauté Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • Whether the sweetbreads are from a thymus gland or pancreas, the preparation is the same.
  • The organs contain gelatin and albumen, so poaching isn't needed before cooking.

A friend, knowing of my fondness for sweetbreads and poetry, sent me an email the other day containing just these cryptic lines:

You drive me to confess in ink: Once I was fool enough to think That brains and sweetbreads were the same, Till I was caught and put to shame, First by a butcher, then a cook, Then by a scientific book. But 'twas by making sweetbreads do I passed with such a high I.Q.

Sweetbreads Sauté Recipe (1)

It was easy enough to determine that these lines were from a poem by Robert Frost entitled "Quandary." Less simple was figuring out what the poem means. Something about knowledge and the relation between good and evil? I'm pretty sure it's about that.

Just like, though I have already purchased, photographed, cooked, and eaten this organ, I'm mostly, but not entirely certain, that these are thymus gland sweetbreads.Sweetbreads, to clarify, are a culinary term that refers to two very different organs—the thymus glands and the pancreas,the latter which is often called the "stomach sweetbread," though of course, the stomach and the pancreas are different.

To conflate the matter, a whole sweetbread is comprised of two lobes connected by a tube. There is the rounder, more compact sweetbread, which is called the "heart" sweetbread because of its shape, not because it is in any way related to the heart as an organ. And there is the "throat sweetbread," which is longer and lumpier. It is generally agreed among butchers and cooks thatthe thymus glands have a finer texture and flavor than the pancreas,but the latter, being larger, offers the advantage of being able to be sliced into medallions.

Sweetbreads Sauté Recipe (2)

I'm about 95% sure these are the heart sweetbreads from the thymus glands of a calf. Evidence in support of this claim: A) The part was flatter than throat sweetbreads, and very much resembled a heart; B) Thymus sweetbreads tend only to come from young animals, humans included, because the organ shrinks post-adolescence.

Evidence to the contrary: When asked, the farmer who sold me these sweetbreads said that they were from a cow, not a calf.

So, there is a chance, I suppose, that these are in fact pancreas sweetbreads from a cow. But then I would have expected him to say something like, "By the way, madam, this is actually a pancreas."

Oh well, some depths are better left un-plumbed. I'd rather spend my time unpacking that very lovely poem by Frost than hemming and hawing over exactly what sweetbread I put into my stomach. Especially since all sweetbreads—throat sweetbreads, heart sweetbreads, and pancreas sweetbreads—are good to eat. Actually, no, I am quite curious and will be interrogating the farmer next week, I should think.

On another point, the venerable Mr. Frost is correct. Sweetbreads and brains are in no way related, though the mistake is understandable. Both are vein-y and white and lumpish. Both are creamy. In the kitchen, sweetbreads and brains are suited for the same kind of preparations: poaching, followed by deep-frying or pan-frying. Yet sweetbreads, containing gelatin and albumen, are much firmer in texture, so much so that I often forgo the poaching and cook them as-is. The texture is looser, which I enjoy.You can sauté or pan-fry the sweetbreads with whatever flavors you like.This time, I used mustard seeds and turmeric, sautéed with plenty of onions and chile peppers, for a vaguely Indian preparation that tasted nice with fragrant basmati rice on the side.

Finally, if anyone else knows of any poems containing references to offal, I would be most grateful for those stanzas.

February 2012

Recipe Details

Sweetbreads Sauté Recipe

Active30 mins

Total30 mins

Serves4 servings

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces sweetbreads

  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons butter

  • 2 to 3 dried red chile peppers, or to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

  • Kosher salt

  • Chopped parsley, to garnish

Directions

  1. Remove membranes and sinew from sweetbreads. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

  2. Place a skillet over high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter, swirling it around. Add sweetbreads and let the cubes brown on one side before turning. Sprinkle with about 3/4 teaspoon salt. Brown sweetbreads in this way, turning only once per side until cubes are browned on most surfaces, about 5 minutes total. Remove from skillet and set aside.

  3. Add more butter, onions, and salt to taste. Sauté until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Move onions to one side of your skillet and add chiles, mustard seeds, and red peppers. Mustard seeds will pop. Add sweetbreads back into the pan. Add turmeric, sprinkling it over contents of the pan, and stir everything around. Sauté for 1 more minute to let ingredients mix together. Serve hot, garnishing with cilantro or parsley.

Special Equipment

10-inch skillet or larger

Sweetbreads Sauté Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are sweetbreads and how should they be cooked? ›

Sweetbreads are highly prized by chefs for their mild flavor and tender, creamy texture. They are quite versatile and can be prepared many ways: sautéed, poached, grilled, fried, roasted or braised. Sweetbreads are often supporting stars in pâtés, terrines, sausages, cold appetizers, stews, and salads.

Why do you soak sweetbread in milk? ›

Soaking your sweetbreads removes any impurities and blood in the tissues. Use milk or buttermilk to mellow out the gamey taste that sweetbreads, like all organ meats, can have. Buttermilk gives your sweetbreads a slightly sweeter flavor that works well with "southern-fried" recipes.

What is a substitute for sweetbreads? ›

Only one person offered to taste this with me but we cleaned our plates and were ready for more. So there! Yes, THIS plate! If you can't get sweetbreads, you can substitute chicken, clams, crab, shrimp, any delicate meat.

Why are brains called sweetbreads? ›

“Sweet” is perhaps used since the thymus is sweet and rich-tasting, as opposed to savory-tasting muscle flesh. “Bread” may come from brede, “roasted meat” or from the Old English brǣd (“flesh” or “meat”).

What is the English name for sweetbreads? ›

Sweetbread (one word), then it is a culinary name for the thymus or pancreas of a calf, lamb, pig. They are not sweet or bread-like, but have a rich, creamy texture and a slightly gamey flavor. They are often soaked, poached, peeled, and then roasted, fried, grilled.

What organ meat is sweetbread? ›

Sweetbread is a culinary name for the thymus (also called throat, gullet, or neck sweetbread) or pancreas (also called stomach, belly or heart sweetbread), typically from calf (French: ris de veau) or lamb (ris d'agneau). Sweetbreads have a rich, slightly gamey flavor and a tender, succulent texture.

Can you overcook sweetbreads? ›

One of the best things about sweetbreads is they're pretty much impossible to overcook. Their texture will stay smooth and tender, unlike other more sensitive cuts of meat.

Are sweetbreads good for you? ›

Sweetbreads are rich in vitamin C, potassium, iron, and magnesium. On the downside, they are also rich in purines, so people susceptible to gout are advised not to consume them frequently or in great quantity.

How long will sweetbread last in the fridge? ›

At home, immediately place beef in a refrigerator set at 40 °F (4.4 °C); use within 3 to 5 days (1 or 2 days for ground beef and variety meats such as liver, kidneys, tripe, sweetbreads, or tongue) or freeze at 0 °F (-17.8 °C).

What is the Mexican name for sweetbreads? ›

Though in South Texas, as well as Northern Mexico, they're very popular. When driving around the Rio Grande Valley, you'll see mollejas, which is how you say sweetbreads in Spanish, at most taquerias.

What pairs with sweetbreads? ›

Wines to match with crispy sweetbreads, asparagus and almond purée. In France this delicate white meat is traditionally paired with a crisp white wine.

What are Texas sweetbreads? ›

of a true South Texas barbecue. These are the. thymus glands of the cow and when cooks to. perfection are absolutely delicious 🔥 #barbecue.

What are bull balls called in cooking? ›

Rocky Mountain oysters or mountain oysters, or meat balls, also known as prairie oysters in Canada (French: animelles), is a dish made of bull testicl*s. The organs are often deep-fried after being skinned, coated in flour, pepper and salt, and sometimes pounded flat. The dish is most often served as an appetizer.

What are fried brains called? ›

Sautéed Cerveaux (Fried Brains)

Do sweetbreads taste good? ›

Although not exactly sweet, they do have a subtle, pleasant and buttery flavor that reminds some people of scallops or perfectly cooked white meat, although sweetbreads have a softer texture than either.

What part of the cow is sweetbread? ›

Sweetbreads are harvested from calves, lambs, and young cattle and refer to two different organs and three different tissues located in these animals. The thymus consists of two parts, one located in the cervical region in the neck adjacent to the trachea called neck sweetbread and the other in the thorax region.

Why are intestines called sweetbreads? ›

If you are new to offal, or fear it a little, sweetbreads are a good place to start I reckon. But why are they called sweetbreads? Well, they are sweet because they taste richer and sweeter compared to typical meat, and they are bread because the old English word for flesh is bræd.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Corie Satterfield

Last Updated:

Views: 5734

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Corie Satterfield

Birthday: 1992-08-19

Address: 850 Benjamin Bridge, Dickinsonchester, CO 68572-0542

Phone: +26813599986666

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Table tennis, Soapmaking, Flower arranging, amateur radio, Rock climbing, scrapbook, Horseback riding

Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.