??????? Meat and Grits

Here is the mystery meat in its raw state. Don't worry I will not make to guess what it is but I am going to wait to the end to tell you. At this point I hit it with some Zatarain's Creole. A fairly heavy shot

Here it is sauteing in olive oil. I did it in two batches so it would sear and get some good color and flavor

Here I am making a pan gravy from the drippings. Added flour into it and cooked until the raw taste came out

The nature of the meat meant that a braise would be best. These days I braise in the crock pot. In winter it is a different story. Since I do not cook from scratch everyday I keep the following product around. It is dehydrated onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Handy in a pinch especially if you are braising something. Inquire at Albertson's for it. They carry Rex products but have stopped carrying this. I get it from my secret source

Here it is in the crock pot all ready to go. I cooked on low for about 4 hours and it came out perfect

The final application. Mystery meat and gravy over grits.

Now the reveal. My cousin went in together on a hog. I got the heart and had the slaughterhouse cut it into strips. Because the meat has very little fat and is all muscle it can be inedible. However with a low and slow braise it comes just a bit chewy but tender. Because it is also blood rich (having to have lots of oxygen to pump) it also had a slight liver flavor (which I happen to love).
So I guess what I am trying to say here is don't let the name of something turn you off. Give it a try.