According to the Larousse Gastronomique, sweetbread is "the culinary term for the thymus gland (in the throat) and the pancreas (near the stomach) in calves, lambs and pigs." Larousse further states that thymus sweetbreads are "elongated and irregular in shape" while pancreas sweetbreads are "larger and rounded."
But sweetbreads are neither sweet nor are they bread. The word "sweetbread" was first used in the 16th century, but the reason behind the name is unknown. Sweet is perhaps used since the thymus is sweeter and richer tasting than muscle flesh. Bread may come from brede “roasted meat,” or is used because bread was another name for morsel.
That's Offal
Sweetbreads fit into the category of offal, along with other organs, meaning “off-fall” or off-cuts from the carcass of an animal. Sometimes known as variety meats, the heads, tails, and organs of animals have long held a place in European kitchens. In the days before the supermarket (admittedly most of human history) when people butchered their own animals, nothing was wasted from the carcass. Thus many recipes for the nasty bits were created to make the most of these odd, often highly nutritional and tasty cuts.
Sweetbreads, aka thymus glands, help young animals fend off disease, and after about six months, they are no longer needed and disappear. So sweetbreads are only found in calves, lambs, and kids, with the sweetbreads from milk-fed veal calves being most commonly eaten.
Offal has always had a cult following in professional kitchens, though less so with home cooks until recent years. Sweetbreads are highly prized by chefs for their mild flavor and tender, creamy texture. They are quite versatile and can be prepared many ways: sautéed, poached, grilled, fried, roasted or braised. Sweetbreads are often supporting stars in pâtés, terrines, sausages, cold appetizers, stews, and salads.
How to Cook Sweetbreads
However they are cooked, sweetbreads must be soaked in cold water for a minimum of three hours, or even up to 24 hours, to remove any blood. Change the water a few times during the soak. Then blanch the sweetbreads—this makes their texture firmer--bring them to a boil in a pot of water and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Place in ice water to cool quickly and then drain. When they are cool enough to handle, take each sweetbread and pick it over, taking off the fatty, gristly, sinewy bits and veins. The trick is to do this without cutting or removing the membrane, though the membrane is removed in some recipes, so the sweetbreads can still be used if the membrane is accidentally broken.
Traditionally, French and Italian chefs serve sweetbreads in rich, creamy sauces, such as veloute sauce or brown sauce, like Madeira, or truffle sauce. Sweetbreads can be served breaded and fried or grilled after a night-long soak in buttermilk, sautéed, poached or broiled. In the modern renaissance of offal, sweetbreads are increasingly being seen on the menus of the nose-to-tail set.
FAQs
Sweetbreads are highly prized by chefs for their mild flavor and tender, creamy texture. They are quite versatile and can be prepared many ways: sautéed, poached, grilled, fried, roasted or braised. Sweetbreads are often supporting stars in pâtés, terrines, sausages, cold appetizers, stews, and salads.
How are sweetbreads prepared for cooking? ›
I soak them in just cold water, but others use milk or even buttermilk. Blanch. After the soaking, sweetbreads are blanched in boiling water and then shocked in ice water to firm up the flesh, though they shouldn't be all the way cooked through. Trim.
What organ meat is sweetbread? ›
Sweetbread is a culinary name for the thymus (also called throat, gullet, or neck sweetbread) or pancreas (also called stomach, belly or heart sweetbread), typically from calf (French: ris de veau) or lamb (ris d'agneau). Sweetbreads have a rich, slightly gamey flavor and a tender, succulent texture.
Why do you soak sweetbread in milk? ›
Soaking your sweetbreads removes any impurities and blood in the tissues. Use milk or buttermilk to mellow out the gamey taste that sweetbreads, like all organ meats, can have. Buttermilk gives your sweetbreads a slightly sweeter flavor that works well with "southern-fried" recipes.
What does sweetbread taste like? ›
Although not exactly sweet, they do have a subtle, pleasant and buttery flavor that reminds some people of scallops or perfectly cooked white meat, although sweetbreads have a softer texture than either.
Are sweetbreads good for you? ›
Sweetbreads are delicious and provide beneficial nutrients like Vitamin B-6 and potassium. Just treat sweetbreads like any other fatty cut of meat, and as long as you buy organic, grass-fed options and eat them in moderation, they can be a great addition to your diet.
What is the English name for sweetbreads? ›
The thymus glands are referred to as neck sweetbreads or throat sweetbreads. Because of their shape, sweetbreads from the pancreas gland are also called heart sweetbread. The younger the animal, the more delicate the flavor and texture, and the lighter color of the sweetbreads.
What country eats sweetbreads? ›
Sweetbreads are particularly popular in France and Germany. They are favoured items in the cuisines of the Middle East, Greece, and Argentina, usually roasted, grilled, or panfried.
How long does sweetbread last? ›
Sweet bread that is homemade typically has a shorter life and should be consumed within 2 days, unless it's refrigerated. Refrigerated sweet bread, either store-bought or homemade, extends the shelf life to about a week. If frozen, sweet bread can last up to 3 months.
Why do they call them sweetbreads? ›
The word "sweetbread" was first used in the 16th century, but the reason behind the name is unknown. Sweet is perhaps used since the thymus is sweeter and richer tasting than muscle flesh. Bread may come from brede “roasted meat,” or is used because bread was another name for morsel.
Sweetbreads are harvested from calves, lambs, and young cattle and refer to two different organs and three different tissues located in these animals. The thymus consists of two parts, one located in the cervical region in the neck adjacent to the trachea called neck sweetbread and the other in the thorax region.
What part of the chicken is sweetbread? ›
Sometimes, sweetbreads can refer to the thymus (part of the throat) and others to the pancreas, parotid gland or sublingual glands.
What do you soak sweetbreads in? ›
Soak sweetbreads in a shallow dish covered with milk. Set aside in a cool place or refrigerate for at least 4 hours to whiten. Discard milk, place sweetbreads in a saucepan, squeeze lemons over and drop in lemon shells as well. Add 1 tablespoon of salt, a pinch of pepper and cover with water.
Are sweetbreads balls? ›
Sweetbreads are subject to much confusion, and are often mistakenly believed to be the testicl*s of an animal. In fact, they're two separate glands - the thymus gland (from the throat) and the pancreas gland (from the heart or stomach) that are taken from calves or lambs.
How long do sweetbreads last? ›
When does sweetbreads expire? Sweetbreads are highly perishable and should ideally be used on the day they are purchased. If stored properly in the refrigerator, they can last for 1-2 days.
