If you've ever encountered sweetbreads at a restaurant, your first clue that the little-known food isn't what it sounds like was probably the fact that you didn't find it on the dessert menu. It was most likely under the appetizers or main course offerings. Not to be confused with pan dulce, the Mexican treat that translates to "sweet bread," the former is neither sweet, nor is it bread.
Sweetbreads are, in fact, the thymus glands or pancreas of young cows or lambs. They are part of the offal family, or the organs and tidbits of animals that have largely been discarded by American butchers. Most other countries have been utilizing such cuts, which also include things like hearts, livers, kidneys, and tongues, for thousands of years in an effort not to waste a single element from livestock.
And, fortunately, offal has become more popular among Westerners in recent years. What makes sweetbreads unique is that they can only be procured from young animals; the thymus glands help newly born mammals fend off illness and disease, and eventually disappear after about six months. Sweetbreads are largely prized by gourmands and chefs as they are fairly mild in flavor with a pleasant texture, and they pair well with a variety of sauces.
They are definitely worth trying if you happen to come across them while dining out, since they aren't very common. A mysterious moniker There's no question that the name "sweetbread" itself is misleading; so how did this food that looks like mystery mea.
