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Sweetbread is aculinary name for thethymus orpancreas, typically fromcalf orlamb. Sweetbreads have a rich, slightly gamey flavor and a tender, succulent texture. They are often served as an appetizer or a main course and can be accompanied by a variety of sauces and side dishes. Theetymology of the name is unclear.
Sweetbread is aculinary name for thethymus (also called throat, gullet, or neck sweetbread) orpancreas (also called stomach, belly or heart sweetbread), typically fromcalf (French:ris de veau) orlamb (ris d'agneau).[1][2] Sweetbreads have a rich, slightly gamey flavor and a tender, succulent texture.
The "heart" sweetbreads are more spherical, while the "throat" sweetbreads are more cylindrical.[3] As the thymus is replaced by fibrous tissue in older animals, only pancreatic sweetbreads come frombeef andpork.[4] Like other edible non-muscle from animal carcasses, sweetbreads may be categorized asoffal, "fancy meat", or "variety meat".[4]: 4,23 Various otherglands used as food may also sometimes be called "sweetbreads", including theparotid gland ("cheek" or "ear" sweetbread), thesublingual glands ("tongue" sweetbreads or "throat bread") as well asovary andtesticles.[5][6]
Sweetbreads are often served as an appetizer or a main course and can be accompanied by a variety of sauces and side dishes. They are a part of traditionalFrench cuisine. InHenri-Paul Pellaprat's classicModern French Culinary Art, which was published in English in 1966, he includes six different recipes for sweetbreads, including versions with cream sauce, with ham, presented in pastry cases, andà la Florentine.[7] In the 1961 classic,Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume 1,Julia Child and her co-authors also include six recipes for sweetbreads, with variations of cream and mushroom sauces, a versionà l’Italienne including ham and mushrooms, and agratin with Swiss cheese.[8]
In a cookbook published in 1949, American chefJames Beard included recipes for sweetbreadsen brochette, broiled sweetbreads, and three variations of sautéed sweetbreads.[9]
Sweetbreads are a component of theCreole cuisine of Louisiana, with recipes included in some of the earliest cookbooks published there. Many restaurants in New Orleans serve sweetbreads.[10][11]
Sweetbread is a common Iranian street food and is often served as a kebab.[12] One common preparation of sweetbreads involvessoaking in salt water, thenpoaching in milk, after which the outer membrane is removed. Once dried and chilled, they are oftenbreaded andfried.[13][14] They are also used for stuffing or inpâtés. They are grilled in manyLatin American cuisines, such as in theArgentineasado, floured and pan-fried in Greece (sheep's thymus is usually used), and served in bread inTurkish cuisine.
The wordsweetbread is first attested in the 16th century, but theetymology of the name is unclear.[1]Sweet is perhaps used since the thymus is sweet and rich-tasting, as opposed tosavory-tasting muscle flesh.[15]Bread may come fromMiddle Englishbrede, meaning "roast meat".[16]
