How long should the sweetbread soak in water before use?

3–4 hours in water with a little salt. Change the water every hour, or place the sweetbread under running water. This draws out the blood and makes it white.

How do I blanch veal sweetbread correctly?

Place the sweetbread in cold water so it is covered, bring it slowly to the boiling point, and let it poach gently for 10 minutes. Transfer it immediately to cold water, lift it out, pat it dry, and trim it. Blanching makes the surface firm.

What is the difference between the two parts of the sweetbread?

The sweetbread consists of the heart, which is round and very fine, and the throat, which is elongated and not as fine. The sweetbread sits between the throat and the shoulder on young, not fully grown animals.

How should the sweetbread be treated after blanching?

It is patted dry and trimmed, then placed in a thin cloth under light pressure before further preparation.

Veal sweetbread (ris de veau) – preliminary preparation

Basic instructions for veal sweetbread from Erken 1914: soaking for 3–4 hours in salted water, slow heating to the boiling point, 10 minutes of gentle poaching, cooling in cold water, trimming, and light pressing.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 217 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Erken's basic instructions for handling veal sweetbread (sweetbreads), which underlie all the sweetbread dishes in the book. Sweetbread was a highly regarded delicacy in bourgeois and finer kitchens around 1900.

How to make it

1
Soaking
Place the sweetbread in water with a little salt for 3–4 hours. Change the water every hour, or leave the sweetbread under running water.
2
Blanching
Place the sweetbread in cold water so it is covered. Heat slowly to the boiling point and let it poach gently for 10 minutes.
3
Cooling
Transfer the sweetbread immediately to cold water.
4
Trimming and pressing
Lift out the sweetbread, pat it dry, and trim it clean. Place it in a thin cloth under light pressure.
5
The two parts
Note that the sweetbread consists of two parts: the heart, which is round and very fine, and the throat, which is elongated and not as fine.

Changes from the original

The text is kept as a preliminary-preparation instruction; the steps are broken up and put into modern language. Amounts are not given in the original and are therefore stated without measures.

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Frequently asked questions

How long should the sweetbread soak in water before use?: 3–4 hours in water with a little salt. Change the water every hour, or place the sweetbread under running water. This draws out the blood and makes it white.
How do I blanch veal sweetbread correctly?: Place the sweetbread in cold water so it is covered, bring it slowly to the boiling point, and let it poach gently for 10 minutes. Transfer it immediately to cold water, lift it out, pat it dry, and trim it. Blanching makes the surface firm.
What is the difference between the two parts of the sweetbread?: The sweetbread consists of the heart, which is round and very fine, and the throat, which is elongated and not as fine. The sweetbread sits between the throat and the shoulder on young, not fully grown animals.
How should the sweetbread be treated after blanching?: It is patted dry and trimmed, then placed in a thin cloth under light pressure before further preparation.

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