Beef, New Zealand, imported, sweetbread, raw

Sweetbreads are the thymus or pancreas gland of an animal, and despite the name they are entirely savory. Before cooking, raw sweetbreads are typically soaked in cold water or milk for a few hours to draw out blood and firm the texture, then blanched briefly and peeled of their outer membrane. From there they are usually pan-seared or breaded and fried until the outside turns golden and crisp while the inside stays soft and custardy, a contrast that is prized in French-style cooking. Classic pairings include brown butter, capers, lemon, and fresh herbs, which cut through the richness of the meat, and a simple flour dredge before frying is often all the coating they need. Some cooks also skewer smaller pieces and grill them briefly for a smokier take on the same soft-crisp contrast.

Because sweetbreads are offal, they are more perishable than muscle cuts, so cook them within a day or two of purchase or freeze them promptly. Per 100 grams, raw beef sweetbread provides 303 calories, 11.5 grams of protein (about 23% of the Daily Value), and 28.6 grams of fat, with naturally low sodium at 64 milligrams per 100 grams. It works well as an occasional special-occasion protein rather than an everyday cut, served in small portions given its richness.