How to Smoke Beef Sweet Bread

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Sweetbreads are a unique piece of meat from parts of the brain and pancreas of a cow or a lamb. Sweetbreads have a tender, creamy, and firm taste when prepared correctly. If you're an adventurous chef and want to make sweetbreads at home, you can tackle this project by blanching your sweetbreads first to give them a firm texture. Then, you can choose to bread and fry or grill your sweetbreads.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (470 mL) of water or milk for soaking
• 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water for boiling
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of salt
• 1 cup (240 mL) of distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups (470 mL) of ice for ice bath
• 1 pound (0.45 kg) of sweetbreads

• 1 pound (0.45 kg) of blanched sweetbreads
• Vegetable or canola oil for frying
• 1.5 cups (350 mL) of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 mL) of bread crumbs (optional)
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of paprika
• 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of garlic powder
• 1.5 teaspoons (7.4 mL) of onion powder
• 2 eggs
• Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Makes 4-6 servings

• 1 pound (0.45 kg) of blanched sweetbreads
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Makes 4-6 servings

1. 1

   Soak the sweetbreads in a bowl of cold water or milk for at least 8 hours. Place the raw sweetbreads in a bowl and pour 2 cups (470 mL) of milk or water over them. Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a paper towel and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.^[1]

   • Some chefs recommend soaking the sweetbreads for up to 24 hours to ensure that they're clean and firm.
   • Soaking your sweetbreads in milk or buttermilk can result in a slightly sweeter taste.

2. 2

   Place the sweetbreads in a large pot and add water. Use your hands to carefully remove the soaked sweetbreads from the water or milk, and transfer them into a large pot. Then, fill the pot with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water, leaving at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) of headspace in the pot.^[2]

   • You don't need to rinse or dry the sweetbreads before transferring them into the pot.

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3. 3

   Add vinegar and salt to the water. Carefully measure out 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of salt and 1 cup (240 mL) of distilled white vinegar, and pour them into the water with the sweetbreads. Use a wooden spoon to carefully stir the water before placing it onto a burner.^[3]

   • Be careful not to break the sweetbreads apart by stirring too vigorously. They can be very delicate!

4. 4

   Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the burner on medium-high heat and wait for the water to heat to a boil. Once it is boiling, lower the heat until the water is simmering, and let the sweetbreads sit in the simmering water for 10 minutes.^[4]

   • As you're waiting for the water to boil, you can prepare the ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water.

5. 5

   Remove the sweetbreads from the water and drop them into an ice bath. After the sweetbreads have simmered in the water, use a pair of tongs to carefully pull them from the water. Immediately transfer them into an ice bath and let them sit for 5 minutes to cool. Use the tongs to remove them from the ice bath and place them on a paper towel.^[5]

   • Since sweetbreads can be very delicate, be careful not to squeeze them with the tongs, which can cause them to break apart.

6. 6

   Pull the veins, gristle, and thick membrane away from the sweetbreads. Using your hands, tear away any visible veins or gristle from the pieces of sweetbread. Then, peel the thick membrane from the outside of the meat.^[6]

   • You can throw all of the removed pieces away because they aren't suitable for eating.

7. 7

   Pat the sweetbreads dry with a clean towel. Once you've cleaned the sweetbreads, place them in a line on a dry towel and pat them to remove any excess water. Try to avoid stacking or layering the sweetbreads, as this can cause them to lose their shape.^[7]

   • If you don't want to use a kitchen towel, you can use a paper towel to pat them dry.

8. 8

   Tear the blanched sweetbreads into 1.5 in (3.8 cm) pieces. Use your hands to tear the sweetbreads into smaller pieces for easier cooking. Try to make them all roughly the same size and shape to ensure that they cook evenly. Once they're the right size, you can cook them immediately or refrigerate them to cook within 24 hours.^[8]

   • You should avoid cutting the sweetbreads with a knife because that can cause them to lose some of their firmness and texture.

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1. 1

   Pour 1 in (2.5 cm) of oil into a skillet and heat to 350 °F (177 °C). Place a medium-sized skillet over a burner, and fill it with vegetable oil or canola oil until the oil is deep enough to fry the sweetbreads. Turn the heat on medium-high and check the temperature with a candy or oil thermometer after 5-7 minutes to ensure that it is hot enough to fry the meat.^[9]

   • Pick an oil with a high smoking point and mild taste, such as vegetable oil or canola oil.
   • You can begin preparing your sweetbreads while the oil is heating up to cut down on cooking time.
   • If you don't have a thermometer available, carefully place the end of a handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil is warm enough for frying, it will bubble around the handle.
   • Remember to check the temperature of the oil while you're cooking to ensure that it is hot enough.

2. 2

   Combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl. Pour 1.5 cups (350 mL) of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of paprika, 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of garlic powder, and 1.5 teaspoons (7.4 mL) of onion powder into a medium-sized bowl. Mix them together with a spoon or fork until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.^[10]

   • This will be the breading for your sweetbreads. If you want to make a crispier breading, you can add 1 cup (240 mL) of bread crumbs to the mixture.

3. 3

   Beat 2 eggs in a bowl until they are an even consistency. Crack 2 eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Then, use a whisk or a fork to lightly beat them until they're an even consistency, with the yolks and whites completely combined.^[11]

   • The egg wash should be a bright yellow color due to the yolks. You shouldn't be able to see any areas of clear egg whites.

4. 4

   Dip pieces of sweetbreads into the eggs and then into the flour mixture. To coat the sweetbreads, first dip them into the egg wash and hold up the piece of sweetbread to let the excess egg drip off of the meat. Then, carefully transfer them to the flour mixture, rolling or tossing them in the flour until they're completely coated.^[12]

   • Be sure to shake off the excess flour before setting the breaded pieces aside.

5. 5

   Lower 4-5 pieces of meat into the hot oil and fry them for 3-5 minutes. Once all of your sweetbreads are breaded and the oil is hot, start frying them. Carefully lower a few pieces of sweetbreads into the oil at a time, using a pair of tongs. Turn them in the oil a few times, and cook them until the pieces have a golden brown crust.^[13]

   • Avoid dropping the sweetbreads into the oil, as this can cause the hot oil to splash up and burn you.
   • Try not to overcrowd the oil with pieces of meat. This can cause them to cook unevenly.

6. 6

   Transfer the fried sweetbreads from the oil to a paper towel. When the pieces are fried, use a pair of tongs to carefully pull them out of the oil and place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Then, place the next few pieces in the oil and repeat this process until they're all cooked.^[14]

   • If your paper towels become saturated, replace them with additional towels to ensure that the pieces are draining.

7. 7

   Cool the sweetbreads for 5 minutes before serving with a dipping sauce. Let the pieces sit on a plate or cooling rack for 5 minutes before you put them on a plate to serve. Since sweetbreads have a very versatile taste, they pair well with many different types of sauces.^[15]

   • For a creamy sauce that complements sweetbreads, you can make an aioli.
   • If you want a sweet and spicy sauce, you can whip up an easy honey mustard.
   • If you have leftover sweetbreads, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 1 week.
   • When you're ready to reheat them, you can place them on a baking sheet and broil them in the oven on high for 1-3 minutes on each side.

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1. 1

   Preheat a charcoal grill to a medium-high heat. Before you begin to prepare your skewers, open the vents of the grill and stuff the chimney with newspaper. Then, add the charcoal to the chimney and remove the top grate to put the chimney into the grill. Light the newspaper on fire and let the charcoal heat for 25-30 minutes to reach a medium-high temperature.^[16]

   • If you're using a traditional gas grill, simply ignite the grill and select a medium-high heat level.

2. 2

   Toss the sweetbread pieces in a bowl of oil until they're coated. Place your pieces of blanched sweetbreads in a large mixing bowl, and pour 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of extra virgin olive oil over top of them. Use your hands to carefully mix the oil and sweetbreads until all of the pieces are coated with oil.^[17]

   • Try to be as careful as possible when you're mixing the oil and sweetbreads. They can easy break into smaller pieces.

3. 3

   Push 5 pieces of meat onto a skewer and season with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to each side of the kabob for added taste. Use as many skewers as needed until you run out of sweetbreads.^[18]

   • You can position the sweetbreads as close together or as far apart on the skewers as you'd like. Since they're spending a longer time on the grill, they will cook evenly even if they're touching on the skewer.
   • If you're using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for 5-10 minutes before adding the meat to the skewer. This will prevent the wood from burning on the fire.

4. 4

   Brush the grill rack with oil and place the kabobs over medium-high heat. Using a cooking brush, coat the rack of the grill with olive oil, and turn the heat on medium-high. Then, position the kabobs on the grill about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) apart.^[19]

   • If you don't have a cooking brush, you can use a towel dipped in oil to coat the rack of the grill. Before you touch the rack, make sure the grill is off and the rack is cool!

5. 5

   Cook them for 5-7 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Leave the kabobs over the heat for 5-7 minutes with the hood up or down. Use a pair of tongs to carefully turn the kabobs over when 2-3 minutes have passed.^[20]

   • Cooking with the hood down will infuse the kabobs with a more smoky flavor.

6. 6

   Remove the kabobs from the grill and let them cool for 5 minutes. When the outside of the sweetbreads are a golden-brown color, turn the heat off and use a pair of tongs to remove them from the grill. Set them on a plate to cool, and loosely cover them with a paper towel or aluminum foil.^[21]

   • If you're not sure if the sweetbreads are done, you can cut a piece open to ensure that it's a milky white color throughout.

7. 7

   Serve with a dipping sauce to complement the crispy, tender taste. To serve the sweetbreads, you can leave them on the kabob or remove them by pulling them off. They pair well with a variety of sauces, and have a unique creamy taste.^[22]

   • If you want to make your own dip, you can prepare a tangy barbecue sauce or a spicy buffalo sauce to go with your kabobs!
   • If you have extra sweetbreads, place the kabobs or pieces in an airtight container. When refrigerated, the leftovers will last for up to 1 week.

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• Since the process for making sweetbreads can take more than 1 day if you soak them overnight, you can prepare the sweetbreads the night before you plan to cook them.

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Things You'll Need

• Sweetbreads
• Large pot
• Water
• Distilled white vinegar
• Salt
• Wooden spoon
• Ice
• Paper towels or clean, dry kitchen towel

• Blanched sweetbreads
• Medium-sized skillet
• Vegetable or canola oil
• All-purpose flour
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Bread crumbs (optional)
• Eggs
• Salt and pepper
• Medium-sized bowls
• Tongs
• Paper towels
• Dipping sauces (optional)

• Blanched sweetbreads
• Olive oil
• Wooden or metal skewers
• Tongs
• Aluminum foil or paper towels
• Dipping sauces (optional)

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Sweetbreads

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