How to cook beef brains

Beef brains are considered a delicacy in many countries. In our country, this product, despite the fact that it is affordable, is not prepared in every home. Many housewives simply do not know how to cook beef brains, so that they are tasty, and what dishes can be made from this by-product. In fact, you can bake it, fry it, add it to salads, pies, soups. Delicate taste of this dish will not leave indifferent any gourmet.

Cooking Features

Beef brains are not a dietary product. They have a lot of cholesterol, which is why they are contraindicated in patients with gout, cholecystitis, atherosclerosis, hypertension. Despite the moderate calorie content (120-130 kcal per 100 g), they contain significant amounts of fat, and for this reason they should not be eaten by people suffering from obesity. However, the fact that cow’s brains are not recommended for diet does not indicate the absence of useful elements in them. They contain a lot of zinc, selenium, iodine and other macro-and microelements that are necessary for the human body. The product also contains a significant amount of vitamins of group B, responsible for metabolic processes. All this, coupled with the unique organoleptic qualities of beef brains makes them worthy to fill up the menu of any family.

The process of preparing the brain is not complicated and lengthy, but has its own specifics. Knowing her, even a novice cook will cope with the task.

When buying, pay attention to the state of the brain - it is desirable that they do not have many blood clots, so that their integrity is not compromised. Look also at the shelf life of the product. Keep in mind that frozen brains can be stored for up to 4 months, a fresh product can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. If you do not have time to cook your meal right on the day of purchase, boil your brains that day and set aside the rest for tomorrow.
Gourmets say that the most delicious dishes come from fresh brains, but frozen foods can also be used. So that they do not lose their properties, they need to be properly defrosted - let them thaw in the refrigerator. To immerse the product in warm water to speed up the process should not be heated in a microwave - especially.
Before preparing the brains, it is advisable to soak for 1-2 hours in cold water. Water needs to be changed periodically. Often vinegar or lemon juice is added to the water when soaking the brain or boiling it, this allows the product to retain a delicate color. The use of vinegar is less desirable than the use of lemon juice, as it can give the brain an unpleasant pungent smell.
If some cooks decide to skip the brain soaking step, it is imperative to clear them of the film. It will be easier to remove it if you pour boiling water over the product. To remove the film from the brain you need from the center to the edges so that they do not fall apart.
Preparation of the brain involves washing, cleaning of blood clots. This manipulation is carried out twice: before soaking and after it, but before cleaning the brain from the film.
Boil the whole brain, otherwise they will turn into a shapeless mass, but you can fry or extinguish them by cutting them into pieces. Most often, brains are cut in half, but sometimes the pieces are made slightly smaller.
You can fry, bake and stew both raw and previously boiled brains. Usually, the brains are boiled first, then the main course is prepared from them, although other options are possible.

Ready beef brains, no matter what recipe they are made, are tender and soft. If you boil them properly, you can eat, just chop and spread on bread - even many people like this simple snack.

Cooking time

To obtain the expected result, you need to know how much time the cow’s brain is being prepared in one way or another.

In a saucepan, beef brains are boiled for 25 minutes after boiling water, in a slow cooker - 30-40 minutes depending on the power of the unit.
Pre-boiled brains fry for 10 minutes. If the brains are not subjected to heat treatment, then before frying, they need to be cut into halves, and then cook for 15-20 minutes.
Stew and bake pre-cooked brains for as long as other products make up the food. Raw brains extinguish at least 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of their pieces, baked - 40-50 minutes.

The pressure cooker for cooking beef brains is usually not used, since it does not give significant time savings, and it is much easier to boil in a saucepan or multi-cooker.

Beef brains cooked in a pan

Caloric content of the dish: 1246 kcal, caloric value per 100 g: 125 kcal.

Composition:

beef brains - 1 kg;
water - 2 liters, not counting the consumption of soaking;
table vinegar (9 percent) - 20 ml;
salt, pepper, bay leaf - to taste.

Method of preparation:

Rinse the brains under a stream of cool water, removing blood clots.
Put in a bowl, cover with cold water, leave for 30-40 minutes. Change the water and soak for another hour.
Re-rinse, place in bowl. Pour with boiling water, immediately drain it.
Carefully, starting from the center, clear the brains of the film covering them.
Boil water in a saucepan. Add salt and spices, a spoonful of vinegar. Vinegar can not add, but then the brains when cooking will darken.
Dip the prepared brains into the boiling liquid. Wait until the water in the pot starts to boil again. Reduce heat and cook for 25 minutes.

Cool beef brains should be left in the broth, but if you cook some other food right now, you can immediately drain them in a colander. After the product has cooled to a comfortable temperature, it can be used as intended.

Boiled beef brains in a slow cooker

Caloric content: 903 kcal, 100 g calorie: 110 kcal.

Composition:

beef brains - 0, 7 kg;
water - 1, 5 l (not counting the consumption for soaking);
celery root - 100 g;
apple cider vinegar (6 percent) - 20 ml;
bay leaf - 1 pc .;
salt to taste.

Method of preparation:

Wash your brain, soak for 2 hours in cold water.
Clear the brains from their covering film. Put the multicooker in the bowl.
Clean the celery root, cut it into cubes, put it to the brain.
Add salt and bay leaf.
Fill with water.
Start the multicooker by selecting the “Quenching” program. Set the timer for 30-40 minutes depending on the power of your unit.

Put the brains on a plate, pour them with melted butter, sprinkle with crushed breadcrumbs and serve to the table.

Beef brains stewed in sour cream

Caloric content of the dish: 1750 kcal, caloric value per 100 g: 154 kcal.

Composition:

beef brains - 0, 6 kg;
onions - 150 g;
sour cream - 0, 2 l;
lemon - 0, 5 pcs .;
water - how much will leave;
flour - 50 g;
salt, spices - to taste;
butter - 60-80 g.

Method of preparation:

Wash your brains, removing blood clots, put in a bowl.
Soak in cold water, acidified with the juice of half a lemon (1 liter of water).
Re-rinse, peel off films.
In a saucepan, boil 2 liters of water, salt it, add spices (bay leaf, black pepper and allspice).
Dip brains into boiling water, boil them for 20-25 minutes.
Drop in a colander, let cool for a while. Cut into plates about 1 cm thick.
Dip in flour and fry in butter until golden brown.
Onion, freeing from the husk, fry until golden brown in another pan.
Put onions on the brains. Pour sour cream.
Simmer over low heat and covered for 10-15 minutes.

Serve brains stewed in sour cream with a garnish - potatoes cooked in any way are best suited.

Fried beef brains

Caloric content of the dish: 992 kcal, caloric value per 100 g: 142 kcal.

Composition:

beef brains - 0.5 kg;
lemon - 1 pc .;
refined vegetable oil - how much will go;
flour - 50 g;
salt, spices - to taste.

Method of preparation:

Presoaked brains are boiled to readiness in acidified and salted water.
Slice into small pieces, flour in flour.
Heat the oil in the pan, put the brains in it, fry them until golden brown, giving each side 4-5 minutes.

Fried brains can be served with potatoes, green peas, green beans or fresh vegetable salad.

Beef brains, fried in breadcrumbs

Calories: 881 kcal calories per 100 g: 198 kcal.

Composition:

beef brains - 0, 3 kg;
chicken egg - 1 pc .;
salt, spices - to taste;
breadcrumbs - 60-80 g;
refined vegetable oil - how much will go.

Method of preparation:

Brains soak in cold acidified water, peel off the film, cut into large slices.
Beat the egg with salt and spices.
Heat the oil.
Dip the brains into crackers, then into the egg, then into the crackers again. Put in the pan.
Fry the brains from two sides, turning them over periodically to prevent them from burning. In total, roasting should take 15 minutes or more.

Brains fried in breadcrumbs are among the most delicious dishes from this by-product.

Beef brains baked with vegetables

Caloric content of the dish: 2080 kcal, caloric value per 100 g: 91 kcal.

Composition:

beef brains - 1 kg;
potatoes - 0, 4 kg;
pumpkin pulp - 0, 2 kg;
garlic - 4 cloves;
green peas - 0, 2 kg;
onions - 0, 2 kg;
vegetable or chicken broth - 0, 25 l;
refined vegetable oil - how much will go;
salt, spices, fresh parsley - to taste.

Method of preparation:

Prepare the brains - soak 2 hours in cold water, which will not interfere with acidification with vinegar and lemon juice, and peel off the film. Cut in half.
Peel potatoes, cut into cubes about 1, 5 cm in size.
Cut the peeled pumpkin and peeled seeds into approximately the same pieces.
Remove the husks from the bulbs, cut them into small pieces.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan, fry the onion until it turns golden.
Spread the onions in ceramic pots.
Put the potatoes on the onion, season with salt and pepper. Put green peas on potatoes. Put a pumpkin on it, sprinkle it with spices and a small amount of salt.
Put the prepared brains on top, season them.
Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, finely chop the garlic, sprinkle them with brains.
Potted warm broth. Water can be used instead of broth, but it should also be warm.
Put the pots in the oven, turn it on. Wait until the temperature in the oven reaches 180 degrees. Bake it for 40 minutes.
Wash the parsley, shake it off the water, pat dry and chop finely. Sprinkle the chopped greens over the pot contents.
Having turned off the oven, do not rush to take the pots out of it, give the food to it for another 15-20 minutes, then it will become much tastier.

The brains baked with vegetables are a complete dish that does not require any additions. It can be served at the table in pots, as roast, or laid out on plates. Bake the brains with vegetables can be not only in pots, but also in the pot, heat-resistant form, multi-cooker. Green peas in this recipe can be replaced with canned corn, pumpkin - carrots. The taste of this dish will change, but it will not get worse, and it will remain just as bright and appetizing.

The product can be the basis of many delicious dishes, but it is considered a delicacy in itself, so that it can be prepared without any additions. Beef brains are fried, baked, stewed, but to get a gourmet snack, boil them enough, chop them up, add a little butter, and spread on bread. There are many recipes for making beef brains deliciously, and this task will not require significant effort.

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