The name refers to two glands usually harvested from calves or lambs: the thymus, near the throat, and the pancreas, near the stomach. Both glands have a mild mineral flavor, luxuriously soft texture, and distinct subtle sweetness, which food historians suggest is the origin of their more romantic name.

How did sweetbread get its name?

It is thought by historians that they are called “sweet” because they taste richer and sweeter compared to typical meat, and they are “bread” because the old English word for flesh is “bræd”. Sweetbreads are the thymus and pancreas glands of animals.

Is sweetbread a testicle?

Sweetbreads are subject to much confusion, and are often mistakenly believed to be the testicles of an animal. In fact, they're two separate glands - the thymus gland (from the throat) and the pancreas gland (from the heart or stomach) that are taken from calves or lambs.