Hearts of Darkness: Ticker Cooking Special | S4E16 | MeatEater

While it’s considered a long-standing hunting tradition to eat the heart of your first kill, the heart is otherwise often underutilized in a wild game chef’s repertoire. Steve shares his favorite recipes using the hearts of various wild game.
#fueledbynature #MeatEater Presented by @onX Hunt
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[@devonblaine]

After eating these 5 hearts Steven Rinella became the most powerful human alive.

[@Il_Dottore_19]

And the fastest man on the planet

[@WELDER-UP]

Poor Chuck Norris

[@nemobrown7839]

He's over 9000!!!!!!

[@Christopher.Mathew]

@@nemobrown7839 lol nah fam he broke the scouter!

[@baddonkey6876]

😂🤣🤣Omg sometimes the dumbest things kill me😂🤣🤣😆 for some reason this comment and that damned urukia with normal voices video kills me

[@HarleyRiderMC]

"The gem of the gut pile." --- Now that is one description I doubt you'll ever see on a restaurant menu, LOL

[@robertoaiello9342]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jettyeddie_m9130]

😋

[@javyguzman9123]

I would eat at one with that description.

[@jonsalt3241]

Steve subconsciously over cooked that bc Moose to make sure it was done :)

[@-TheRealScubasteve-]

Best comment on this video!

[@vikinginger1889]

Hahaha never know if it is dead yet

[@nickreynolds8391]

Lol

[@RedNeck_Zeus]

As Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose."

[@achair7265]

What a Saint of a man.

[@ericirwin6553]

You just captured why we hunt and how we respect the animals we harvest. The heart is always prepared the same day at our casa. One of our favorites. Great show.

[@leebatt7964]

Steve, chew that moose heart well, you know that bulls spirit would just love you to choke on it. Moose are like that.

[@GenScinmore]

"Elk don't leave a friend behind." >Any elk I've seen when their friend gets shot: "RUN!"

[@MrLeemurman]

The difference is when a predator is attacking the elk and it's fighting and still alive, versus an elk that is shot and already dead.

[@hac198582]

THAT SHOT ON THAT BOAR WAS SICK 8:50

[@jedidiahbaker2398]

I love ketchup but you gotta respect Steve's dads point to his kids about wanting to have a reverence in how the deer were eaten. I never have leftover venison. I would feel horrible all week if I threw any out knowing I had to watch that animal die. More people would have more respect for life, others, etc simply by learning some of these lessons. We've all had deer we could not track down and that is something nobody should ever want to repeat. I like rinella's view on wildlife stewardship. People think hunters love to kill and love carnage not realizing ethical moral hunters keep the balance and there is NO comparison to the best beef ribeye from the finest steakhouse vs a deer you harvested, butchered, and cooked. Some of you know what I'm talking about.

[@outdoorloser4340]

Washington state blacktail deer taste far better than whitetails or mule deer. There! I said it!

[@Jason-iz6ob]

My former wife threw away a squirrel I had in the freezer once. I lost it. That animal gave its life for our sustenance. It’s not garbage. 15 years ago and that still bothers me.

[@Semba999]

@@Jason-iz6ob I have venison blackstrap in my freezer from last year. I wrapped it in a couple wraps of freezer paper is it still edible?

[@bullgravy6906]

@@Semba999I’m late, but it would probably STILL be fine to eat today if you haven’t already.

[@craigbarker9608]

I love the way you describe the meals you cook. You’re an intelligent dude. Keep up the killer videos

[@Ghost-fe1vp]

LOL

[@dogguy8603]

Check out his books

[@MetalBuddhaHead]

And my ass is sitting here eating a microwave sausage biscuit.... Smh...

[@gohtdichnutah7905]

i call those "hearts of darkness" too...

[@puyopop3085]

Being tied to where you live, wanderlust to also explore, tenacity and a fighting spirit. Close ties to friends and family. Taking a hit and standing strong.These animals impart some profound lessons. Steve did a great job with this presentation.

[@kurzhaarguy]

This is perfect. Like an old song, eating fried heart and onion takes me back to a different time and place. Like fresh blutwurst that I can no longer find.

[@aaronwalker1347]

I could not agree with you more. I have eaten the heat of almost everything I have ever killed. To me it's special. The heat is small compared to most of the animal, but probably one of the most important parts. Not to mention I just like the taste and texture. Great video thanks

[@TheBowhunterinNB]

My children ages 10,9&7 all fight over the heart. My 9 year old son helped me with the field dressing on a whitetail last fall . As soon as the heart came out he yelled “Debs”.

[@ronnieheath6840]

Can't agree more on the elks strength, I live in central Montana and have hunted my whole life. You dont realize how huge they really are until the are running 10 yards away full bore.

[@johnsamuels9096]

First 24 seconds was enough for me to like the video.

[@jonathanproctor690]

That puppy won the dog lottery! There's nothing most dogs like better than roaming around the bush

[@rsll510]

Venison heart was the first venison that I cooked. A PA whitetail, that was bow shot through the heart and they wanted help with gutting and butchering the deer. I saw the heart in the gut pile and asked if I could keep it and the hunter just looked at me like I was crazy. I had never hunted, but I had grown up with a Dad who was a meat inspector in a massive meatpacking plant in northern Canada.

[@XxKoRupTioN]

Uncle steve always teaching us the most

[@jaadmaan8156]

I cooked my girlfriend deer heart last night and she loved it! She didn’t know the burgers we ate the other day was venison either haha, she asked where I’d bought them she loved them so much!

[@StabbyJoe135]

Instructions unclear. Cooked my wife's heart. Sorry dear

[@henrybenson911]

@@StabbyJoe135 deer*

[@StabbyJoe135]

@@henrybenson911 that's the fucking joke genius

[@fantinuum1040]

Bambi Burgers

[@jordanbabcock9349]

There is a distinct difference. Apparently she doesn't like meat too much.

[@dantedias4064]

When I was a kid, there was this friend of my fathers, a Japanese fellow, who would barbecue heart. It is really not common here in Brazil, but it was absolutely delicious. It is one of my dear memories from childhood. Thanks for the video

[@hopinmytimemachine986]

Every time I eat food I turn on this show and just love watching it. Steve Rinella is an awesome dude and very educational, I never hunted but I really wanna get into it some day. Just so entertaining to watch, don’t stop making shows

[@nickreynolds8391]

Same!!!

[@loganb.768]

I'll admit that I haven't eaten many wild game hearts. But the best wild heart dish I've ever eaten was actually duck hearts. It was grilled with jalapeños and cheese and made into kind of a jalapeños popper and it makes my mouth water just thinking about it...

[@alfbittner6489]

Your attention to how to prepare each heart in separate dishes as well as giving an insight into each animals best attribute is why I would rather watch your Chanel. Education through hands on in the field and into the kitchen.

[@kurzhaarguy]

Love this story about your dad. I'm from northern Wisconsin. My first buck, 1975, I was so excited that I forgot the heart with the gutpile. Once I got out and hooked up with the rest of our bunch, the first question was, "where's the heart?" Oh crap! I drove back out and walked about a mile in to get it. Welp, some other hunter got there first and wasn't going to waste it. Maybe it was your dad, though I suspect he's about my age.

[@donaldfarr8162]

I love watching Steve cook. I’ve been cooking longer than he has been alive but I always learn from him. Makes me sad how many hearts that I have left in gut piles.

[@five0pd310]

Love these recipes. My favorite heart preparation is fajitas. I make it with venison and wild hog regularly. The heart texture makes it ideal, IMO.

[@Crackhouts]

You had me at "gem of the gut pile."

[@brianprikosovich5507]

Any time I see another fellow hunter enjoy the traditions of old made today with little twists makes my ticker happy

[@Day5Aquatics]

Need to get Gordon Ramsey to join you on a hunt. He's a hunter at least to some degree. I think he would be an awesome guest on your show.

[@nickreynolds8391]

Agree! I think Anthony Bourdain (RIP) would've been an incredible guest, too.

[@gulstromfamily1911]

Our family grew up eating Beef heart floured fried and baked...Now with my own family it is amazing in the instant pot!!

[@Topshot_37]

Heart is hands down one of my favorite meals from a deer. I always tell people how good it is and I have convinced a few to try it. My old man showed it to me and we always get a few every year fr friends and family. Although he would give me an ear full if I put ketchup on it.

[@nickreynolds8391]

I would LOVE to try it

[@ajoebo9095]

Wonderful listening to him tell the stories of his life and of his hunts.

[@nathanellis2246]

you can tell Steven really appreciates animals ,love the vids man

[@moralityIsHard]

This dude is always educating. Great content on hearts and perfect use of wanderlust😂.

[@vhauser416]

"I think ketchup on a heart looks beautiful" - I actually LOL'd at that. Love ya Steve.

[@isntitobvious9894]

I know hunters who taught me about hunting that won't eat the Hearts but their dads would, meanwhile when they ordered Farm deer once, I'd gotten them too but me hearts and they tasted good

[@fullyenvenomated757]

I grew up on white tail hearts and liver. We cooked that while it was still fresh...hardly ever frozen. Great eating right there. Thanks for taking the time to share. Awesome recipes. Saved this one to watch later🙏

[@codybarton3817]

Not gonna lie, rinella makes me very interested in trying stuff id always pass off in the past. So bravo Zulu to you man 🙏🙏

[@SankofaNYC]

*Steve eating rat, dolphin, unicorn, or human flesh* : "If you served this in a restaurant, with some peppers and onions, and didn't tell the person eating it that it was human, no one would know"

[@ericpitre4031]

Not sure about the himan flesh part. I guess what you dont know dont hurt yu🤙😏😏

[@zestead814]

If you're implying that he is imaginative, I'd have to say, you should probably move on.

[@SankofaNYC]

@@zestead814 ???? What 😂😂

[@GregariousAntithesis]

In this case sage, or Salvia, is an herb used as a spice and for its medicinal properties, and it's a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae, to botanists). But sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata, is in another family altogether, the sunflower family (Asteraceae).

[@aaronbowers3660]

😴

[@RenegadeBeef]

You should have released this on Valentines Day...

[@broomstickcowgirl]

If I wasn't happily married for the last 20 years and you weren't (hopefully happily) married, I'd be after you in a heartbeat Rinella!!

[@dillenwright7811]

I feel like I just had a therapy session with Steven. Love listening to this guy talk!

[@micko270]

I can’t believe that I have only just found “meat eater” in the last month!!!! Wtf we really are behind here in Australia. Steve mate I am an avid hunter and MEAT EATER!!!! I love your show and all it’s about now I have to spend every spare moment watching every episode so I don’t miss a thing or recipe.

[@emjd2009]

I've always known I came here for the philosophy and cooking (I'm not one of those huntey-shooty sort of dudes) but crikey, this hit home hard.

[@AJ-ey5bq]

Drinking game: 1shot for every time Steve says HEART

[@B.C.wheeling]

Drunk in the first 2 minutes

[@steveg7066]

My tradition and favorite meal is heart chili. I cut the heart into little cubes, mix it with a pound or so of ground deer, make chili on the stove, then transfer it to the slow cooker. Black beans and kidney beans. I eat it over a week after I get the deer, reheating in the slow cooker every day, and it gets better each day

[@Brainmalfuction]

by far the best hunting series on youtube

[@rogerbanuelos600]

Best show by far wish the seasons were longer already watched the whole new season!! We need more episodes.

[@mitchelldbarnes]

At elk camp we eat fresh heart, sliced into fingy sized chunks, lightly floured and pan fried. Served with spicy ketchup. The best!

[@KC-7mm]

Man I enjoy the cooking specials as much as the hunting shows

[@nickreynolds8391]

I do too.

[@Redbird1504]

HEB in South Texas sells beef heart pretty often. I take em and clean the silverskin off, slice and soak in salted water with cajun seasoning for an hr and then grill or pan fry.

[@erikstaie8969]

You bud have blown away my house hold friends and family with your cooking techniques... tastey delicate but meaningful dishes.. I'd love an elk hunt then cook . Respect mother nature and she will provide

[@edgardiaz4061]

Please!!!!!’ Never stop making these videos 👌

[@udflyer98]

I've never eaten heart; but I'm totally cooking one from my next deer after watching your show and reading your books.

[@evisin77]

The heart of a deer is by far my favorite part then backstrap

[@BigSho0ter]

the west side of the state calls it a ticker. The Metro Detroit area calls it the pumper lmao You really got me into this so much that im gonna go to the UP with a bow and a buddy every year. Spot n stalk. Thank you

[@james_standen]

I don’t hunt only because my mom won’t let me yet 😂😂 but dang I love this show and Ot would be awesome to go hunting with him

[@kee7678]

Never to late to learn. I'm taking a guy deer hunting next season that's never been.

[@dfoltz268]

I didnt start until i was 35. Never too late to learn!

[@NotKimiRaikkonen]

Steve talking about 'be careful you don't get trichinosis'... and then goes and gets it in the next episode.

[@mitchoconnell6944]

Deer heart is fantastic!

[@gekko1810]

beautifully written episode

[@jacobsonoutdoors3973]

Awesome video! I love these cooking specials. I’ve used so many recipes from you over the years!

[@ZJ_Rubicon]

I have started to save and consume hearts over the last 2 seasons thanks to Steve. Still working out my favorite way too cook them but I am glad that I have started.

[@trapbistro]

Definitely one of my favorite episodes. I'm gonna have to try all the different preparations

[@joshuadawson1617]

2 things I never thought of eating on a deer I’ve killed, the heart and the ribs. After watching Steve’s videos I gotta say from now on if I don’t make venison bbq ribs my daughter and wife might kill me lol and I just never thought I would love deer heart until I actually tried it. Thank you Steve for opening my eyes to better ways of harvesting and cooking my wild game

[@fullsquish]

The cooking specials are fantastic! Keep em coming!

[@nickreynolds8391]

Yeah the cooking vids are awesome

[@crashbearsteve8274]

Heart, Liver and Kidneys never made it to the Kitchen at home. My fish fry cast iron skillet was pulled out in the field was pulled out and a bush dinner was prepared. Now 66yrs old and my own heart problems has me living life vicariously thru this guy. Oh do I ever miss the hunt. Steve really like your programs THANK YOU.

[@colbygill533]

The guy I hunt with is in his 80s with a bypass surgery. Don't quit doing what you love.

[@brandonwelsh1502]

I just knocked down 3 bou up here in Alaska. Love eating the heart, so this video is perfect timing!

[@michaelbayerl1683]

The white plastic lids for Ball jars are absolutely the BOMB!

[@balustrade503]

"Their desire to go is very appealing to me," stares down patio furniture.

[@GabrielGarcia-uu2oz]

For the record all the respect that Steve has for all the animals that he kills is the best, have met bunch of hunters that only pick the best parts and leave the guts laying around so coyotes eat it. Keep up with the great awareness that you raise.

[@andrewp9648]

Hell of a shot on that running boar.

[@tylerg7814]

Great video... Thanks for sharing Steve. 👍

[@vybzz6693]

Steve is the best

[@vonmurd3r]

Steve Rinella's Bestiary: Lessons from the Wild could be his next book. In medieval times, there were these books called bestiaries, which described animals, some real, some mythical, and the lessons that could be learned from them. A modern version with lots of illustrations would be a fantastic coffee table book.

[@truss2005]

Doing my first deer hunt this thanksgiving. Absolutely hooked on the channel. Can wait for that camp fire filet and liver dinner

[@mariahbonner5320]

Man there literally is nothing that Steve does that I don't love and connect to. Thank you for that man.

[@LWatkins.]

One of my favorite MeatEater episodes. great work Steve and MeatEater crew - plz keep the videos coming 👍🏻🦌🍽

[@robertchapman8655]

This was a heartwarming video.

[@kristopherl8369]

One of my favorite episodes yet. Great shot on that pig

[@ronaldpetersen255]

Great video promoting nose to tail cookery that almost all of our ancestors practiced out of necessity. I usually break down the heart like any quarter of an animal and “seam” it and not core it like an apple...... But I will cook the stuffed heart this fall👍 After I seam the heart and remove the valves and heart strings I slice, cube or dice for the recipe I’m doing. Again, love this segment and hope to see one soon on tongue, my favorite cut!! And yes, at Moose camp here in AK I collect tongues from hunters near me and even cut out 3 that were still fresh from heads discarded at my grouse hunting gravel pit😳 My 3 Son’s fav dish is Moose lengua (tongue) tacos😎 Thanks Steve-Ron

[@406MountainMan]

"Gem of the gutpile"... I'd argue that it's the gem of the entire animal. It's THAT good! Thanks again, Steven!!!

[@woodsmn8047]

I totally agree ... I always go for the heart first and If anyone in my party don't want to take the heart and liver home I got my hand out first last and always ..same for the tongue and rocky mountain oysters... and from you I came to appreciate the head ..I hunt for the meat usually leave the horns

[@lisamejorado2028]

Steve looks under the weather in this video!

[@toddbevans4192]

I was just thinking this as well. This is also the first time I've seen the man without a hat on...

[@Barrysnyman1]

Love your crew, your incredibly thorough wording and all of "Meat Eater" Really Really Awesome show. Hunter myself from Stellenbosch South Africa.. Im so hooked and THANK YOU for the hard work and amazing production. You lot are really amazing.

[@randysparks1271]

I just got a feral goat off a friend's place, good timing y'all!

[@fomocoloco7172]

My favorite meal was pan fried liver with onions after we killed a pig. We would always save the heat liver and kidneys and she would make that stir fry. I thought it was cool that the fried heart brought back memories to Steve just like that dish did to me.

[@hemadmumtaz7320]

Already know this is gonna be good

[@danielward8649]

This makes me want to cook my first deer heart. And I'm pretty sure I'm going too .

[@griffithracingteam2412]

so I've always been taught cooking that when juices run clear it's pretty much well done, and most of the time proves to be but if I'm eating rare or medium rare there's still pink or red juice coming from the meat

[@samlaine3315]

I just got my hunters saftey and can not wait to go with my buddies your show really pushed me to to get it. Thank you!

[@gabebrocklebank7411]

Amazing video, thank you Steven.

[@hotepcracker8975]

Medium pan grilled for all the deer hearts. Best way, don't get fancy. Cook like a steak.

[@mikecollins8241]

I've been waiting for this video since fall, I saved my deer hearts (usually they become dog food) because I want to try cooking it. I've had some that were cooked by someone else, and they were so-so... these all look delicious :)

[@Slicknewt]

Keep up the cooking specials they're awesome so interesting and inspiring

[@ryanhackett7345]

Steve got the infinity stones of the woods

[@codysmith5333]

It's interesting how one food can be a connection to an experience...like Steve mentions. For me the "meal of deer season" was always lasagna. Mom would cook lasagna & no matter what time we came back in, it was easy to heat up & eat for a hearty meal. I have that connection 20+ years after starting to hunt.

[@verngfeller3906]

Heart is the best I fry it - pickled it - stewed it in a sauce- jerky also- can’t get enough love it thanks for the information I’m thinking all the time of different way to prepare all the best to you -Vern 🦌