# sweetbreads

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweetbreads/263896>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [September 10, 2004, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweetbreads/263896 "2004-09-10T09:46:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![loismustdie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@loismustdie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loismustdie)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweetbreads/263896/1 "2004-09-10T09:46:39Z")

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[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_055a.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_055a.html)  
Actually, regarding the name sweetbreads, they are named such because the thymus gland really does taste like Sweet Bread… granted, mushy sweet bread, but still yummy if cooked right.

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**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweetbreads/263896/2 "2004-09-12T14:19:00Z")

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I’m tempted to taste test this myself, but I can’t find sweetbreads at the grocery store. 😕 Should I check with a butcher? Are they in the gland aisle?

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**Author:** ![loismustdie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@loismustdie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loismustdie)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweetbreads/263896/3 "2004-09-12T22:09:11Z")

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A butcher should be fine.  
Remember, sweetbreads (all offal, really) need to be well-cleaned before you cook them…  
Soak in very cold water or ice water for a few hours, then clean any membrane, fibers, discoloration, etc. from them.  
Try dredging them in seasoned flour and sautee at a good high temp so the outside gets nice and crispy and the inside stays tender - good with a dark stock (veal or duck) and red wine reduction.  
Never a big seller, but they sure are good.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweetbreads/263896/4 "2004-09-13T00:02:34Z")

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The first cite in print for “sweetbreads” is from 1565. The next one is

> [@](#):
>
> 1578 BANISTER Hist. Man VII. 90 A certaine Glandulous part, called Thimus, which in Calues…is most pleasaunt to be eaten. I suppose we call it the sweete bread.

This from the OED.