Allergen note
Beef heart is a muscle, so its allergy risk is as low as that of other beef, although a small group of children with cow's milk allergy react to undercooked beef as well. Unlike liver, heart is low in vitamin A, so it does not need to be limited the way liver is.
How to serve
From 6 months, heart is rich in iron, zinc and vitamin B12: mix ground or finely minced cooked heart into purees, soft meatballs or pasta sauce, or offer thin strips of slow-cooked heart to suck on. From about 9 months, offer small, tender pieces; toddlers enjoy burgers and meatballs made with half heart and half ground beef.
Preparation
Trim away the outer fat, the valves, the tough tubes and the silvery membrane, then slow-cook or braise the heart until very tender, or grind it and cook it until no pink remains (160°F/71°C). Heart has a strong flavor, so cook it with onion, carrot or tomato and add no salt.
Texture and choking risk
Heart is a dense, springy muscle that turns tough when cooked quickly, and rubbery pieces are hard for babies to break down. Serve it ground, finely minced or as thin, very tender strips, remove any stringy or rubbery bits, never offer it in cubes, and always supervise.
Starting ages are typical guidance for healthy, full-term babies who show signs of readiness. Your paediatrician may advise differently, especially where there is a family history of allergy.
Track first tastes and reactions
Log when your child first tries beef heart, note any reaction and see it in the allergen tracker.
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