By Alice K. Thompson for Food Network Kitchen

Alice is a contributing writer and editor at Food Network

Soft, buttery, protein-rich sweetbreads often need an introduction. They’re beloved by many, chefs and nose-to-tail enthusiasts among them, but what they are and how to prepare them remains a common mystery. Here’s everything you need to know to understand them, plus the basics of cooking them at home if we’ve piqued your interest.

What Are Sweetbreads?

Sweetbreads are an organ meat with a soft texture and mild, creamy flavor found in several food animals, typically veal calves and lambs. Most sweetbreads are the thymus, a gland that sits in the lower throat of young animals, although occasionally they are taken from the pancreas, located in the abdomen.

The thymus gland is part of the animal’s endocrine and immune system, and while it’s large and active in young animals it shrinks as the animal matures, so sweetbreads come from young animals like calves, lambs and sometimes piglets and kids. The gland itself is made up of two soft, bumpy, irregularly shaped lobes. It looks a bit like a pinkish-ivory cloud coated in a thin white membrane. Veal sweetbreads are about the size of a large fist and weigh about a pound; sweetbreads from other animals are smaller. Pancreas sweetbreads can be found in mature animals and are larger, darker and not as tender as thymus sweetbreads.

While sweetbreads have always been a restaurant favorite, often associated with French cooking, preparing them at home is not as popular. Today you’re unlikely to see them at your local supermarket, and even your butcher may have to special-order them. But seeking them out can be rewarding, whether you’re interested in classic ingredients or nose-to-tail eating.

What Do Sweetbreads Taste Like?

While organ meats are typically strongly flavored or gamey, sweetbreads are mild and creamy and famous for their tender, moist texture. Although not exactly sweet, they do have a subtle, pleasant and buttery flavor that reminds some people of scallops or perfectly cooked white meat, although sweetbreads have a softer texture than either. Many cooking techniques for sweetbreads focus on giving the meat a browned, crisped exterior that adds a nice nutty component and is an excellent contrast to the creamy interior.

Why Are They Called Sweetbreads?

One of the first things to learn about the one-word sweetbreads is that they’re not related to two-word sweet breads like cinnamon-raisin bread or babka. How this organ meat that’s neither sweet nor breadlike got its name is debatable but goes back to old English. Scholars point out the various meanings of “sweet” that could be attributed to the word in the 15th and 16th centuries, perhaps meaning delicate or tender. Likewise “bread” may have come from either the word for roasted meat or morsel. The name in two other languages from countries where sweetbreads are popular are equally vague: In French they’re known as ris de veau (for veal) and ris d’agneau (for lamb), ris being the verb to laugh, while in Italian they’re called as animelle, which some suggest is related to the word for “little soul.”

How to Prepare and Pan-Sear Sweetbreads

Cooking sweetbreads at home is easy and the payoff will be a delicious and unusual dish, but it does require a few steps — including soaking — so leave a few hours for it. Sweetbreads are very lean, so searing them in a hot pan just until golden is a simple and delicious way to cook them. And remember that you’re unlikely to find sweetbreads in the meat case of your local supermarket. Try your local butcher, but call ahead as it may require special ordering, or seek them out online.

1. Soak: Place the sweetbreads in a bowl and cover them with water, milk or buttermilk; soak for 2 to 3 hours or up to 24 to remove blood or impurities. If soaking in water you can change the water a few times.

2. Blanch: To firm the sweetbreads before cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice and water. Add the sweetbreads to the boiling water, adjust the heat and simmer for 5 minutes for veal sweetbreads, about 3 minutes for lamb sweetbreads. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sweetbreads to the ice bath to cool.

3. Clean: Pat the sweetbreads dry and pick over them to remove fatty or sinewy bits. Removing the membrane depends on your recipe: Keep all or some of it intact if you’ll be slicing the sweetbreads, or remove it for cooking them as bite-sized morsels. If you’re slicing the sweetbreads you can do it now, or press them first for slightly neater slices: Place them between plates or small sheet pans and weight the top with a can or other weight and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

4. Pan-Sear: Heat a mixture of olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Season the sweetbreads with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Sear them in the hot pan until browned and just slightly firmed, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

You can make an easy pan sauce to serve them with (lemon and shallot or caper sauces are popular), or just top them with parsley and serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You can also browse the recipes below to see how three chefs handle sweetbreads.

Sweetbread Recipes

Want more inspiration? Check out Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s Lamb Sweetbreads in a Honey and Sherry Vinegar Glaze for a sweet-tangy preparation. See Robert Irvine’s Stuffed Sweetbreads for a fantastic way to fill veal sweetbread’s with a breadcrumb stuffing. Or try Nyesha Arrington’s Celery Root and Sweetbread Salad (pictured above) for a room-temperature dish bursting with the sunny flavors of the South of France.

Are Sweetbreads Nutritious?

Sweetbreads are lower in fat and higher in protein than muscle meats and a good source of vitamins A, K, and E and some minerals. They’re high in cholesterol, so be mindful if cholesterol levels are a concern.

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