Dump raw beef heart chunks in the slow cooker with 3 simple ingredients and your husband will be asking for seconds all week long

This 4-ingredient slow cooker beef heart is the kind of thrifty, stick-to-your-ribs supper that kept a lot of Midwestern farm families going through long weeks of chores and ball games. Instead of fussing with pans and sauces, you simply dump raw beef heart chunks into the slow cooker with three simple pantry ingredients, snap on the lid, and let time do the work. Beef heart was a common cut in my parents’ generation, prized for its deep beefy flavor and low cost. Treated gently and cooked low and slow, it turns tender and savory, and you’ll find yourself with a pot full of rich, shredded meat that reheats beautifully for seconds all week long.

Serve this slow cooker beef heart spooned over mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles, with a simple side of green beans, peas, or corn. It’s also wonderful tucked into toasted buns with a slice of cheese for easy sandwiches, or piled into tortillas with a little shredded lettuce and onion. A crisp green salad or coleslaw helps balance the richness, and if you have homemade pickles or pickled beets, they make a very traditional Midwestern plate. Leftovers are lovely reheated in a skillet with a splash of broth and served with scrambled eggs and toast for a hearty breakfast.

Servings: 6

2 1/2 to 3 pounds raw beef heart, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks

Trim any visible valves, gristle, and excess fat from the beef heart, then cut it into 1- to 2-inch chunks. This doesn’t have to be perfect; just aim for fairly even pieces so they cook at the same rate.

Place the raw beef heart chunks in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker. This should look like a simple pile of chunky, raw meat pieces spread across the base of the crock.

In a small bowl, stir together the condensed cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, and water until mostly smooth. It’s fine if a few bits of the dry mix are still visible.

Pour the soup mixture evenly over the beef heart chunks in the slow cooker, making sure most of the meat is coated. Do not stir; just let the sauce settle down around the pieces.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef heart is very tender when pierced with a fork.

Once cooked, gently stir the meat and sauce together. You can leave the beef heart in chunks or use two forks to lightly shred it into the gravy, depending on how you’d like to serve it.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed with a little salt and black pepper. Serve hot, spooning the beef and gravy over your favorite side.

If you’d like a bit more body to the sauce, you can stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of sour cream at the very end of cooking for extra richness, or whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water during the last 30 minutes on HIGH to thicken the gravy. For a slightly sweeter, more old-fashioned flavor, add 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to the soup mixture before pouring it over the meat. You can also tuck in 1 to 2 cups of sliced mushrooms or carrots on top of the beef heart before cooking, as long as you keep the basic ratio of meat to sauce. If you don’t have cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery or cream of chicken will work in a pinch, though the flavor will be a bit different. For food safety, always keep raw beef heart refrigerated until you’re ready to cook, and wash your hands, cutting board, and knife thoroughly with hot, soapy water after handling it. Make sure the slow cooker stays covered and that the meat reaches at least 160°F in the center; cooking on LOW for the full 7 to 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 to 5) will easily achieve this. Cool leftovers promptly, store them in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking, and use within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot before serving again.