Beef Liver Recipe

How to cook liver takes very little prep. You want calf liver to become fork tender and seasoning is important. Onions are a must if you ask most people too. Get your your skillet and let’s get started. (affiliate links present)

How is Liver Supposed to be Cooked?

Just like how to cook beef heart this is delicate so it doesn’t need long. You definitely want something in the pan like butter (best option) or olive oil to keep it nice and moist. Adding salt and a bit of sweetness like brown sugar with onions is usually the most popular method. Organ meat does have a strong flavor that isn’t always enjoyed.

If you saute it with a sweet and savory mixture of flavors you can kinda’ counterbalance the strong beefy flavor.

Yellow onions are your best bet, even minced garlic would be fabulous. As far as seasonings on the meat itself, salt and pepper is really all you need. Coating it with flour will create a nice crust, the best way I say.

Should Beef Liver be Soaked Before Cooking?

Um, yes, how to cook beef liver starts with this step. It will help tone down the strong liver taste as well. Some prefer buttermilk, a long time, raw milk, etc…. I have to use Lactaid for a lactose free version for my husband and that works just as well for this. For this batch we used the following ingredients;

Making a batch of caramelized onions while your meat is resting is ideal when cooking organ meat. I mean they’re a must y’all. Don’t start counting calories like at this point. 😉 You definitely want to add lots of flavor or it will be rather strong with organ flavors. How much you add and how thick the coating is is up to you of course.

How to Prepare

• Soak your pieces for at least 20 minutes but I will leave the bowl in the fridge for a good hour. This is going to subdue the strong flavor and tenderize it a bit as well so don’t skip this step.
• Pat dry with a few paper towels, if you want the ideal exterior texture of becoming a bit crispy this is extremely important, then you will want to cut into pieces, about portion sized for your family.
• Coat in flour on all sides that has been seasoned to add flavor and create a light coating that can get a bit crisp. If you do not coat liver in breadcrumbs or something the meat won’t be as tender

How Long to Pan Fry Liver

You only need about 6 minutes in a large skillet over medium high heat after you soak the liver slices. Coated thinly whether it is sliced beef or chicken liver and onions sauteed together with a few tablespoons of butter is ideal to add flavor and make this crispy beef liver recipe.

From Frozen

Forgot to defrost and you need instructions on cooking frozen meat? I have tips for you here in this link. Biggest difference is you wouldn’t be able to coat the outside in flour and a lid would be necessary to sort of steam it while it is thawing in the beginning.

How to Serve

Traditionally, I will serve organ meatover a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes. My family does want some sort of carbs with this protein packed dish and this is our favorite choice.

How do you store leftovers

You know how I hate wasting food so this is the next thought when you’re done right? After you are done eating liver, store it in a container smothered with the onions and sauce in that pan. If all you have is the meat then wrap tightly in foil. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat and make liver and pasta with it.

Soak in milk or buttermilk before cooking and add seasonings or a bit of breading to the outside before you pan fry it. Dipping in a flour mixture with seasonings like coriander and paprika with a pinch of salt and pepper will make the outside delicious and crispy.

We will show you here how to pan fry liver which is the best way to control how long it is cooked so it stays moist and doesn’t get dry. In the oven on a sheet pan is possible too, you can cover with foil at the beginning to keep it tender as well. Either way I would pair with sliced onions to add flavor.