Sous Vide Veal Sweetbreads

We might as well get this out of the way: Sweetbreads are not really sweet, and they’re definitely not bread. They're actually organ meat from thymus gland and pancreas. They are also absolutely delicious and have a velvety texture when prepared correctly. Whether you’re a regular nose-to-tail eater or you’re just feeling adventurous, these sweetbreads will not disappoint. Keep in mind that sweetbreads do need to soak in an ice bath before being prepared in the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker — so don’t skip that important step!

Author

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin are the co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.

Prep Time: 04:15

Recipe Time: 01:00

Temperature : 140F / 60C

Ingredients

• 1 pound veal sweetbreads
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 ounces baby arugula

Directions

1. Soak the sweetbreads in ice water for at least four hours.
2. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 140ºF (60ºC).
3. Remove the sweetbreads from their ice bath. Pat very dry with paper towels and place in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Seal using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 1 hour.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the sweetbreads from the bag, pat dry, and wrap in paper towels.
2. Place the wrapped sweetbreads on a small rimmed baking sheet and top with another baking sheet. Weigh the top sheet pan down with a bowl of water or large canned good. Refrigerate for at least four hours.
3. After four hours, unwrap the sweetbreads, slice into 1-inch thick slices. Season with salt and pepper. Place flour on a rimmed plate or pie pan. Add sweetbreads to flour and toss to coat. Transfer sweetbreads to a plate, gently shaking to remove excess flour.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the sweetbread slices and sauté until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the sweetbreads to a plate and cover to keep warm.
5. In the same pan, add the butter and cook over medium heat until it begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice, capers, and parsley and remove from the heat. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
6. Plate the sweetbreads over the baby arugula and top with lemon-caper sauce. Serve.