Sweetbread
Sweetbread is a culinary name for the thymus or pancreas, typically from calf and lamb, and, less commonly, beef and pork. The "heart" sweetbreads are more spherical in shape, while the "throat" sweetbreads are more cylindrical in shape.
Full Answer
What are sweetbreads, and why you should try them?
Nutrition Facts
- Calories and Macronutrients
- Vitamins. Sweetbreads also offer a small amount of vitamins D and E ( 2 ).
- Minerals. What Are the Health Benefits of Sweetbreads? While not as nutrient-dense as chicken liver and other organ meats, sweetbreads offer a reasonably good nutrition profile.
What are sweetbreads and what are they made of?
What are sweetbreads and what do they taste like?
- Sweetbreads. People often describe the texture as "tender" and "creamy"; I would add "marginally juicy."
- sweetbread. Besides, do sweetbreads taste good? They are most commonly from veal or lamb, but beef and pork sweetbreads can also be found.
- Sweetbread
- sweetbread. Where are sweetbreads located?
- Sweetbreads
- sweetbread. Are sweetbreads bad for you? ...
What are sweetbreads, anyway?
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef sweetbreads
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup oil for frying
- salt and pepper to taste
Where do sweetbreads come from?
What Are the Health Benefits of Sweetbreads?
- Sweetbreads Are High In Vitamin C. Not many people realize this, but it is possible to get ascorbic acid (vitamin C) from organ meats as well as plant foods.
- Good Source of Protein. While sweetbreads don’t contain as much protein as regular meat options, they still offer more than twelve grams of protein per 100 grams.
- Rich In B Vitamins. ...
Is sweetbread a testicle?
Sweetbreads are subject to much confusion, and are often mistakenly believed to be the testicles of an animal. In fact, they're two separate glands - the thymus gland (from the throat) and the pancreas gland (from the heart or stomach) that are taken from calves or lambs.
What part of the cow is sweetbread?
Sweetbread is a culinary name for the thymus (also called throat, gullet, or neck sweetbread) or pancreas (also called stomach, belly or gut sweetbread), typically from calf (ris de veau) and lamb (ris d'agneau).
Why is sweetbread called that?
It is thought by historians that they are called “sweet” because they taste richer and sweeter compared to typical meat, and they are “bread” because the old English word for flesh is “bræd”. Sweetbreads are the thymus and pancreas glands of animals.
Do humans have sweetbread?
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.
Are sweetbreads good for you?
"They are rich in trace minerals, heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and essential fat-soluble vitamins like A, E and K." According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), sweetbreads, particularly the beef variety, have healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats.Aug 29, 2016
What does sweetbread taste like?
Sweetbreads, though mild in flavor, have an offal-reminiscent flavor somewhat akin to brain. People often describe the texture as "tender" and "creamy"; I would add "marginally juicy." Sweetbreads made from an animal's pancreas and thymus glands (called the "heart sweetbread" and "throat sweetbread," respectively).
What is sweet bread called?
Sweet bread, also referred to as pan dulce, buns or coffee bread, is a bread or cake that is typically sweet in flavor.
What is a sweet bread roll called?
Sweet roll, also called a breakfast roll (chiefly US) – can refer to a variety of sweet, yeast-leavened breakfast breads or dessert foods.
Can you still buy sweetbreads?
Where can you get sweetbread? You can make them in your own kitchen, although it does take some effort to find the meat, remove the membrane and ensuring a tender result. Or, you could go out and eat it. Sweetbreads are found at many restaurants, especially at places serving Argentine cuisine.
What is cooked brain called?
Calf's brains, or cervelle de veau, is a traditional delicacy in Europe and Morocco. It is the brain of a calf consumed as meat.
What organ is a sweet bread?
Sweetbread is the thymus gland and is only available from young animals. As animals mature, the gland degenerates into a mass of connective tissue and fat. The sweetbread is collected in two separate portions, although it is a single gland.
What Are Sweetbreads?
Sweetbreads are an organ meat from the thymus gland and pancreas. The easiest sweetbreads to find are from veal, ris de veau; or lamb, ris d’agneau, although beef and pork sweetbreads are also available.
How Do You Prepare Sweetbreads?
Soaking is the first step in the preparation of sweetbreads to remove some of the impurities. I soak them in just cold water, but others use milk or even buttermilk.
What Do Sweetbreads Taste Like?
To me, sweetbreads don’t have the musty flavors that other types of offal often have, probably because they are soaked and blanched first. The texture is extremely smooth, tender and moist, and the flavor is quite mild and creamy. The outside crisps up easily, and they play nicely with both rich and more acidic sauces.
What are sweetbreads?
Sweetbreads are cuts of meat from either the thymus gland, located in the throat, or the pancreas gland by the stomach, in lamb, veal, pig, or beef. They have a rich, creamy texture and are often served roasted or fried.
Sources of sweetbreads
As mentioned, sweetbreads come from four main sources, calves, lambs, pigs, and older cattle.
Nutritional benefits of sweetbreads
Offal (remember that organ meats = offal) is well known to be nutrient-dense, and sweetbreads are no different. While you need to be careful about the amount you have, sweetbreads do offer some nutritional benefits.
Nutritional downsides of sweetbreads
While sweetbreads contain their fair share of vitamins and healthy fats, they are extremely high fat and contain purines, so they shouldn’t be considered a staple food. Purines are bad because when your body breaks them down, they turn into uric acid, which can contribute to gout [ * ].
Fitting sweetbread into your diet
Adding sweetbread to your diet is easier than you may think. There are so many ways to cook sweetbreads, and almost all of them will turn out delicious! Your best bet is to buy grass-fed sweetbreads and then pick a recipe that includes the prep work needed to cook sweetbreads.
The bottom line
Sweetbreads are so rich and tasty when prepared correctly, and you can absolutely make them at home. They are a fantastic addition to your diet when eaten in moderate quantities, and they are the perfect gateway to the somewhat esoteric world of offal.
Nutrition Facts
Based on the USDA Food Composition Database, the nutrition profile of beef sweetbreads is as follows on a per-100-grams raw basis ( 1 ).
What Are the Health Benefits of Sweetbreads?
While not as nutrient-dense as chicken liver and other organ meats, sweetbreads offer a reasonably good nutrition profile.
How To Prepare and Cook Sweetbreads
Cooking sweetbreads is straightforward, but on the negative side, they need to undergo a preparation process before cooking.
Where To Buy
You should be able to buy sweetbreads from a local butcher or if not, ask them to order them in for you.
Final Thoughts
Sweetbreads are a unique kind of organ meat that a lot of people find more enjoyable than eating liver and kidney.
