Choose Delicious Pork Hearts
One of the key factors to make tasty boiled pork hearts is to choose good-quality hearts. Avoid buying hearts that have thin and tough membranes. Squeeze the hearts and if you see yellow liquid coming out, they are not good. These hearts will become tough and bitter when boiled. Absolutely avoid purchasing hearts that have dark color and blood vessels.
It is recommended to select the front parts of the hearts because they are thicker and more crispy than the rear parts. Choose hearts that are round and firm, with small stems. Gently squeeze the hearts and if you see milky white liquid inside, they are good. Good-quality hearts are often sold out quickly, so it is better to go to the market early or inform the seller in advance.
Cleaning Pork Hearts
The cleaning process is very important. As pork hearts are part of the digestive system, they contain a lot of dirt. You need to thoroughly clean the hearts to remove these impurities and get rid of the strong odor.
However, be careful not to over-clean the hearts as it will make them tough.
Choose round and pink pork hearts. Go to the market early to buy good-quality hearts.
You can use a knife or scissors to trim the excess fat around the hearts. Put the hearts in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of salt, and gently squeeze to let the sticky liquid inside flow out. Rinse the hearts with clean water. You can pour water inside the hearts to wash away the remaining liquid or gently shake them and rinse again, but avoid shaking too hard. Continue putting the hearts in a bowl, squeeze a lemon, and add a little crushed ginger, then soak them for about 20 minutes. Gently squeeze the hearts to clean and make them fragrant. You can boil a pot of water, blanch the cleaned hearts for about 15 seconds, then gently press to let the liquid inside flow out. Rinse the hearts again with clean water.
Another way to clean pork hearts is to turn them inside out and remove some of the fat. Add flour and a little salt to the hearts, then gently press them. The flour will help absorb the sticky liquid inside the hearts. Rinse the hearts with clean water to remove the stickiness. After that, rinse the hearts with fresh lime juice to remove any remaining impurities and get rid of the strong odor.
Tips for Boiling Pork Hearts
To make the boiled pork hearts delicious, you should prepare some spices such as lemongrass and ginger. Crush these ingredients and put them in a pot of water. Boil the water and then add the hearts. Boil the hearts for about 1.5 to 2 minutes. Note that the amount of water must be enough to submerge the hearts. When putting the hearts in the pot, use a ladle to press them down into the water.
Boil the pork hearts for about 1.5 to 2 minutes, then transfer them to an ice water bath.
While waiting for the water to boil again, prepare a pot of boiling water to cool down, add some ice cubes, and squeeze some lime juice, including the lime peel, into the pot. When the boiling water has boiled for about 2 minutes, take out the hearts and immerse them in the ice water bath. Let them soak for about 1 minute to cool down. This step helps to retain the crunchiness of the hearts. The lime juice will make the hearts whiter and more fragrant.
Continue boiling another pot of water and put the hearts back in to cook. Boil them for about 1 minute. Take out the hearts and immerse them in another ice water bath.
Young hearts cook quickly, so the total cooking time only needs about 3 minutes. If you have a large quantity of hearts, you can increase the cooking time (repeat the boiling and soaking steps 1-2 more times), but don’t cook them for too long as they will become tough.
Boiled pork hearts can be served with dipping sauces like chili garlic sauce, shrimp paste, and various fresh vegetables.
Once the hearts are cooked, take them out, immerse them in an ice water bath to cool down, and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Arrange the hearts on a plate and serve.
