Sweetbreads + brown sauce?

[MobyP]

I've been looking up a lot of classical sweetbread preparations recently, and I keep noticing - from Ducasse to Sone, and Keller to Robuchon, that all of them go with a brown veal stock + red wine (or variation) type sauce.

Am I the only one who thinks this seems counterintuitive? The sweeetbread is such a fantastically delicate and subtle meat, I keep thinking you'd want a white wine + chx stock or white veal stock based sauce. Possibly a sauterne.

Is it just me? Wouldn't a brown sauce dominate the delicate flavour?

What do people think?

Edited September 23, 2004 by MobyP (log)

[curlywurlyfi]

I've only had sweetbreads once and they came with a brown sauce with morels. which was actually amazing.

Have to say, Moby, when I first read this topic, I thought it was going to be about sweetbreads with HP Sauce - which really did make my tastebuds curl.

[fimbul]

I've had sweetbreads lightly floured and pan-fried, served with a lemon butter sauce (which makes sense, what with the frying and all). This seems to me a better way to go all than the traditional brown sauce, which, I agree, seems a bit much.

I can only assume the brown sauce is traditional because it stands up to the organy whiffiness (to use the technical term) of sweetbreads, which, though subtle, is certainly a large part of sweetbreads' presence.

It occurs to me, too, that sweetbreads might be paired with darker sauces for reasons of coloring: I can't recall -- do sweetbreads "bleed" much? what color are their juices? If they give off pinkish juices, cooks might avoid lighter colored sauces just 'cause they'd look ghastly on a plate.

[Busboy]

Sweetbreads are awfully rich, though, and although "richness" is not the same as "flavor" it does give them a little more muscle within the scrum and the ability to stand up to a stronger sauce.

[dano1]

Sweetbreads are "usually" blanched first-with some notable exceptions. Some also soak overnight first to remove any traces of blood. In my mind a brown sauce is the perfect for sweetbreads. The "organy" flavor stands up well to a dark sauce. Mushrooms and a splash of madeira are my favorite.

hth, danny

[Jinmyo]

Well, veal stock might be dark but a glace hasn't much flavour of its own. Chicken stock tastes much more of what it is, innit?

[FaustianBargain]

I've only had sweetbreads once and they came with a brown sauce with morels.  which was actually amazing.

Have to say, Moby, when I first read this topic, I thought it was going to be about sweetbreads with HP Sauce - which really did make my tastebuds curl.

what is a HP Sauce?

[Jinmyo]

what is a HP Sauce?

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"House of Parliament", duckie.

A bottled sauce which is quite chutneyish with tamarind. fish sauce, etc. Commonly called "brown sauce".

[therese]

Very little blood in sweetbreads, either pancreas or thymus, and the prep should take care of what's there.

I like the traditional brown sauce version of sweetbreads, but if I were going to go lighter would probably go with something lemony, as a contrast against the richness. I'd go light on chicken stock lest it taste too much of chicken.

[MobyP]

I've never come across that organy smell described above. Organs/glands do decompose faster than muscle so they should always be as fresh as possible.

[fimbul]

I've never come across that organy smell described above. Organs/glands do decompose faster than muscle so they should always be as fresh as possible.

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Hrm. I dunno that the organy note I detect is due to a lack of freshness. It might be that, as unused to organ meat as I am (I am a USAian after all ), I'm more sensitive to the slightest hint of innardsy taste. Hell, I know people who find hanger steak has an organy taste. I guess YMMV.

I'm wondering if busboy's not right about the richness of sweetbreads lending itself to brown sauces over white. That said, I think tangy, lemony sauces will do you just as well, classical pairings be damned.

If anyone needs me, I'll be off enjoying my foie gras with a dry red wine.

[pedro]

Thinking of it, I believe I've never had sweetbreads with brown sauce in Spain. Sauted with some onions, piquillo pepper, grilled, yes, but never with brown sauce.

[Jensen]

Have to say, Moby, when I first read this topic, I thought it was going to be about sweetbreads with HP Sauce - which really did make my tastebuds curl.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who had that thought...

[jess mebane]

Thinking of it, I believe I've never had sweetbreads with brown sauce in Spain. Sauted  with some onions, piquillo pepper, grilled, yes,

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yo tambien, and it was awesome.

[naguere]

If they are crispy fried coated in breadcrumbs i go for finely grated lemon rind,chopped parsly and finely mashed garlic with EVOO as a dressing.

[pedro]

If they are crispy fried coated in breadcrumbs i go for  finely grated lemon rind,chopped parsly and finely mashed garlic with EVOO as a dressing.

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Which sounds perfect to me. The only warning would be not to use too much lemon.