Chicken Hearts With Red Onions & Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe
I had a huge surge of messages a few weeks ago, when I shared a picture of this chicken heart recipe. This spurred me on to share this nose to tail recipe.
I am very aware there’s only a few people like myself who enjoy a nose to tail approach with utilising organs. I know I will still struggle to convince people to try or include nose to tail or organ meats in their diet. All I can do is lead by example, and when people are ready then the content and recipes are here to help.
In this article we will cover the following:
Where to Buy Chicken Hearts?
Chicken hearts are not commonly found in supermarkets. In fact, I have never seen them there apart from in butchers and farmers markets. Here are some of my favourite resources to find farmers markets near you:
UK - London
London Farmers Markets: Click hereCity and Country Farmers Markets: Click here
US
National Farmers Market Directory: Click hereLocal Harvest: Click here
Chicken hearts typically come in in a batch of a dozen or more. They are most likely to be the first thing to be sold out at the farmers market. Preparing them is easy. There is an outer membrane which is easily pulled off. I like to give them a rinse and quick soak in cold water to clean out any clotted blood – which is not a bad thing, but I find it leaves a more pleasant taste. Once soaked, drain and pat dry with cloth or kitchen paper. They are now ready to cook and do not take any time at all. You could slow cook them in a stew or curry, but I tend to find the easiest way to cook them is on medium/high heat, to give them an attractive golden colour and keep them just cooked through.
Additionally, you will often find chicken hearts and other organs in asian grocery stores or supermarkets.
What is the deal with chicken hearts?
A nose to tail diet typically involves bone broth and liver. However, we should utilise the whole animal, the feet should get added to the bone broth. The giblets and neck added too. Even the heart, one of the most highly metabolically active tissues. A chicken’s heart is typically the size of a large thumbnail. They are a great bite size portion. To make chicken hearts into a recipe or meal, it would require at least a handful to make a significant dent with protein content and satiety.
As a hardworking muscle, it contains significant amounts of mitochondria. Inside the mitochondria there are sufficient stores of a compound called Coenzyme Q10 (or otherwise known as Coenzyme Q, CoQ, CoQ10, Ubiquinone, Ubiquinone-Q10, Ubidecarenone, or Vitamin Q10). It was actually first identified in 1940, and isolated from the mitochondria of the beef heart in 1957. It is ubiquitously found in cell membranes and especially in the mitochondria in both reduced (ubiquinol) and oxidizes (ubiquinone) forms.
Did you know?⅓ of your heart's weight is mitochondria.Guess what your mitochondria need to perform optimally = CoQ10. CoQ10 reduces oxidation and allows for electron transfer to make Energy (adenosine tri phosphate) and C02 + water as important by products.
The 10 in CoQ10 represents the amount of side chains (isoprene) it contains 10. It is most often found in metabolically active tissues such as the heart, kidney and the liver in all animals See image below. CoQ10 functions as an electron carrier molecule which bridges the gap in the electron transport chain, located in the inner mitochondrial membrane, and allows electrons to be based over in respiratory proteins to create the end stage of energy metabolism = ATP, adenosine triphosphate.
One of CoQ10’s function is facilitating as an electron transfer in both complex 1 (nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-coenzyme Q reductase) or complex 2 (succinate coenzyme Q reductase) to complex 3 (cytochrome C reductase). CoQ10 can be found in the actual structural unit of complex 1 and 3 to offer protection against reactive oxygen species from metabolism. CoQ10 is also pivotal obligatory factor in uncoupling protein mechanics by initiating membrane permeability / opening of the permeability transition pore (PTP) to dissipate heat instead of oxidative phosphorylation (ATP production) tightly controlled by reduced ubiquinone levels from CoQ10 utilisation in the mitochondrion.
Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in Aging and Disease Front. Physiol., 05 February 2018
Nutritional Benefits of Chicken Hearts = CoQ10
CoQ10 acts by being an antioxidant from its two hydroxyl groups attached, donating electrons aiding in lipid peroxidation protection, reducing free reactive oxygen species which can damage DNA, proteins and the respiratory protein and enzymes. Therefore, low amounts of CoQ10 due to increased use and inadequate synthesis via the mevalonate pathway, created from cholesterol, (hence why taking statins causes a CoQ10 deficiency and can create possible health issues and risks) causes a slow down in the electron tunneling action alongside the electron transport and reducing energetic capabilities. CoQ10, a fat soluble quinone, is a very similar structure to that of vitamin K. It is suggested that the whole body content of CoQ10, is around 500-1500 mg and decreases with age and pathological diseases. Coq10 has powerful effects in recycling / regenerating the antioxidant cycles of vitamin C, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate), and glutathione in the mitochondria.
The utilisation and synergistic effect of CoQ10 working with vitamin E, in protecting and neutralising reactive oxygen radicals such as a lipid peroxyl radical (LOO) and regenerate themselves accordingly or otherwise forming superoxide anion, which is less damaging than a lipid peroxyl radical, which damages proteins, enzymes, membranes, mitochondria and redox potential. CoQ10 is at “the center of a complex antioxidant system preventing the accumulation of oxidative damage and regulating the externally initiated ceramide signaling pathway” which plays a part in the cellular signalling and transduction pathway, which can induce cellular apoptosis depending on the cellular environment and anti or pro stress responses.
Which foods are The highest in CoQ10?
Comparing a natural food to a supplement is a losing battle. We need to remember we can endogenously make CoQ10 via the mevalonate pathway. However, under certain pathophysiological conditions such as nutrient deficiency, oxidative stress, physiological and psychological stress, and medications (such as statins), this can be hindered.
The biosynthesis of coQ10 requires nutrients such as tyrosine or phenylalanine for synthesis of the benzoquinone structure from 4-hydroxybenzoate, which the two amino acids are derived from. Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid in synthesising acetyl CoA, and the active form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5 phosphate in the conversion of tyrosine to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid.
The typical daily content of CoQ10 in the diet is around 4-6mg with 60% coming from poultry or meat. This Danish study tested the absorption in both food and supplement form and showed “coenzyme Q10 concentration increased significantly, and the maximum concentrations did not differ significantly for the two forms of administration”. Indicating that “coenzyme Q10 is present in food items and absorbed to a significant degree. Thus, dietary coenzyme Q10 may contribute to the plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration”.
There are seasonal and geographical differences with all foods. The majority of CoQ10 foods are found exclusively in animal based sources with oils making up the biggest impact. These oils include olive oil, sunflower and soy oil, but of course ingesting soy and sunflower oil is not a wise strategy to do. Additionally, 100ml of extra virgin olive oil is fairly uncommon, but 2 tbsp equals around 4mg which is not too bad.
You could estimate that when eating an ancestral nose to tail diet based of animal foods, it ensures you get an array and abundance of nutrients such as CoQ10. I typically would expect my intake of CoQ10 to be 20mg the majority of the day. Finally, we can not forget we make CoQ10 endogenously in more amounts than ingestion. This endogenous synthesis requires energy to facilitate and nutrients such as vitamin B5, B6, tyrosine all found more abundantly in animal sources.
I hope this has tempted you to get on the nose to tail train. I am a firm believer of eating fresh organs, as opposed to the supplement form. If you truly can not stomach eating organs, then the next best thing is to utilise freeze dried supplements.
My two favourite organ supplements:
Hunter and Gatherer: Link to store click here. This is a UK company, saving shipping and import charges from the US for UK and EU residents.
Ancestral supplements: This is a US company with the best selection of organ supplements.
Let’s get back to the actual recipe below.
Chicken heart, shallots, garlic, ghee and shiitake mushroom
How to Make Chicken hearts with red onions and shiItake mushrooms.
Serves 1
25 minutes to cook start to finish
Ingredients:
200 grams chicken hearts (prepared as mentioned above)
1 tbsp ghee
1 shallot finely sliced
150 grams of shiitake mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, crushed and finely diced or grated
1 tsp / splash of apple cider vinegar
Fresh sage leaves, torn, to serve
Method:
Preheat a pan on medium heat. Add ½ of the ghee, and add shallot and mushrooms. Cook down until softened and they take on a slight colour.
Add the garlic. Once softened, remove all items out of the pan to a warm dish.
Put the pan back on the heat and add the remaining ghee. Allow to melt and turn the heat up slightly.
Add the chicken hearts to the pan. Allow the hearts to take on a slight colour before moving or turning over. This should take around 2 minutes.
Move or turn the chicken hearts over and repeat for 1 minute on another side.
After this, give the pan a shake, turn the heat down, add the vegetables back to the pan to heat up and combine together.
Add a splash of apple cider vinegar.
Turn off the heat, tear the fresh sage leaves over the top and serve.
Optional replacements
Shallot = red or white onion
Ghee = butter, tallow, coconut oil or avocado oil
Shiitake mushrooms = With any other type of mushroom
Fresh sage leaves = Thyme works well or use dried herbs
References:
Echtay, K. et al. (2000) "Coenzyme Q is an obligatory cofactor for uncoupling protein function", Nature, 408(6812), pp.609-613. doi: 10.1038/35046114 (Accessed: 31 October 2020).
Hernández-Camacho, J. et al. (2018) "Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation in Aging and Disease", Frontiers in Physiology, 9 doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00044 (Accessed: 31 October 2020).
Linus Pauling Institute (2020) Coenzyme Q10, Linus Pauling Institute. Available at: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/coenzyme-Q10 (Accessed: 31 October 2020).
Maoka, T. (2019) "Carotenoids as natural functional pigments", Journal of Natural Medicines, 74(1), pp.1-16. doi: 10.1007/s11418-019-01364-x.
Martelli, A. et al. (2020) "Coenzyme Q10: Clinical Applications in Cardiovascular Diseases", Antioxidants, 9(4), p.341. doi: 10.3390/antiox9040341.
Navas, P. et al. (2007) "The importance of plasma membrane coenzyme Q in aging and stress responses", Mitochondrion, 7, pp.S34-S40. doi: 10.1016/j.mito.2007.02.010 (Accessed: 31 October 2020).
Pravst, I. et al. (2010) "Coenzyme Q10 Contents in Foods and Fortification Strategies", Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 50(4), pp.269-280. doi: 10.1080/10408390902773037 (Accessed: 31 October 2020).
Saini, R. (2011) "Coenzyme Q10: The essential nutrient", Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences, 3(3), p.466. doi: 10.4103/0975-7406.84471 (Accessed: 31 October 2020).
Shukla, S. and Dubey, K. (2018) "CoQ10 a super-vitamin: review on application and biosynthesis", 3 Biotech, 8(5) doi: 10.1007/s13205-018-1271-6 (Accessed: 31 October 2020).
Weber, C. et al. (1997) "Coenzyme Q10 in the diet-daily intake and relative bioavailability", Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 18, pp.251-254. doi: 10.1016/s0098-2997(97)00003-4 (Accessed: 31 October 2020).