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OFFAL · Specialty cut · Compare

Heart vs Liver

Two cuts people weigh at the counter — fat, cook method and price meters side by side, including lamb shoulder versus breast.

Side by side

HeartLiver
Tenderness 44 40
Fat 34 26
Umami 78 72
Price 40 34
Heart
David Monniaux · CC BY-SA 3.0

Heart

Beef heart · corazón · ハツ

A muscle that never rests, fine-grained and firm, with almost none of the off-notes that put people off other organs. Low in fat and frank in chew, it eats closer to a dense steak than to classic offal — which is why it is often the gateway cut for hesitant eaters.

High heat, briefUp to medium

Choose pieces trimmed of blood clots and white tendon, with a surface that is not slimy.

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Liver
FotoosVanRobin from Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0

Liver

Beef liver · hígado · レバー

Among the densest sources of iron and vitamin A in the food supply — and among the strongest-flavoured. Freshness decides everything: the best pieces need only salt and sesame oil raw. Because vitamin A stacks up quickly, this is a cut to eat occasionally rather than often.

70°CCooked through

Bright cherry colour with a slight sheen and spring. Avoid dark, dull or waterlogged pieces.

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Which one to buy

  • Better forHeart : Liver
  • GrillingHeart90 : 78
  • SkewersHeart82 : —
  • Stir-fryLiver66 : 74
  • Raw beef dishesLiver— : 60

Other comparisons

All cuts

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Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.