Many people cringe at the thought of eating beef brains, but they are part of many cooking traditions, including southern and Amish cooking. Beef brains are very delicate and perishable, so you must handle them carefully and cook them fresh. When cooked, beef brains have a creamy texture because they do not contain any fiber or sinew. Because of this, they blend well with other creamy or soft ingredients, such as tomatoes and eggs.

Soak the beef brains for one hour in a large bowl filled with cool water. Soaking helps clean the brains of blood. In addition, soaking makes the brains more firm, which makes them easier to handle for cooking.

Remove the brains from the large bowl with your hands and place them in a colander under running water. Rinse the brains under the water and remove any traces of cow skin or hair from the brains by picking the pieces off with your fingers. Discard the pieces of skin and hair.

Heat a stockpot filled with 4 qt. of water over high heat on your stove until the water is boiling. Add the brains. Boil the brains for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are tender, which is when you can easily pierce them with a fork.

Remove the brains from the water with a large slotted spoon and set them in a covered dish to cool. When the brains are cool enough to handle, slice the brains into 1/2-inch cubes with your chef's knife.

Add 1/8 lb. of butter to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat on your stove. When the butter has melted, sauté the brains with 4 eggs or 2 large tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch dices. Another option is to serve the fried brains on sandwiches.