Liver is one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet. However, as an organ meat, its taste and texture can sometimes be polarizing unless you cook it the best way. Here are two of the most popular ways to make beef liver and onions that are sure to turn liver haters into liver fans.
Are you a liver lover or a liver hater? There are strong opinions out there about the taste of liver. That’s why this blog post has TWO easy recipes on cooking liver. Both versions of the recipe are very easy to make. The first is an old fashioned, gluten free liver and onions recipe with a handful of pantry ingredients, and the second features liver that has been dredged in flour, which many people find more palatable.
Is Eating Beef Liver Good for You?
Liver is one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet and has numerous health benefits. When eating liver, remember that a little liver goes a long way.
Liver is an excellent source of essential nutrients such as Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus, Folate, Copper, Riboflavin, and Niacin.
Three ounces of beef liver is very low in saturated fat and provides more than the recommended daily adult intake of vitamin A, riboflavin and niacin and more than 50 percent of the recommended daily amounts of protein and phosphorus.
Something to keep in mind is that liver is a food that is low in saturated fat and high in cholesterol. Accordinat to nutrition sites, three ounces of beef liver contain 375 milligrams of cholesterol. This means you don’t want to have liver at every meal. It also means if you have cholesterol issues or are on a medically restrictive diet, you may want to check with your doctor before increasing personal consumption of liver or avoid it all together.
Why Soak Liver in Milk Before Cooking?
The secret to making good liver and onions is to soak it in milk before cooking. Don’t skip this step!
Some people say that liver has a metallic taste, bitter taste or slightly gamey taste. If you soak it in milk for 1-2 hours prior to cooking, it removes much of the bitter taste.
Where to Buy Beef Liver?
Beef liver can also be purchased at your local grocery store, from a local farm, butcher shops, and/or local Farmer’s Markets.
How to Make Beef Liver and Onions
Detailed instructions and recipe cards are below. But, here’s a quick overview of the steps for the gluten-free version. This recipe moves quickly, so you’ll want to have all ingredients prepared in advance.
Rinse liver in water. If needed, remove the thin membrane on the outside of the liver. Next, place liver in a bowl and pour milk to cover the liver. Let it soak for 1-2 hours so that the liver isn’t bitter. Then, remove from milk, rinse in cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Thinly slice liver into 1/2-3/4″ thick slices, and slice yellow onion into rings. When you have your ingredients ready, melt tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over high heat or medium-high heat, add the sliced onions and cook until that you have carmalized onions. Remove from skillet and transfer onions to a plate. Add grass-fed beef liver to skillet, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Cook liver over over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes, turn. Add onions back to skillet with liver. Cook until liver is slightly pink in center, approximately 3 minutes. Remove liver and onions from skillet.
Recipe #1: Old Fashioned, Gluten Free Beef Liver and Onions
This recipe is a classic. You simply add a little salt and pepper and pan fry the liver. This recipe is from the big red Better Homes & Gardens cookbook that many home cooks have.
Liver & Onions (Classic, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion cut into rings
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 lb sliced beef liver
- 2 tsp water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Dash of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Rinse liver in water. If needed, remove the thin membrane on the outside of the liver (Note: Clover Meadows Beef liver is cut and trimmed by our butcher, so the membrane should pull off easily by placing a finger under the membrane and pulling up, away from the liver)
- Place liver in a bowl and pour milk to cover the liver. Let it soak for 1-2 hours so that the liver isn’t bitter.
- Slice onion into rings. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large skillet
- Cook onions in butter until soft, and then remove onions from butter
- Add liver to skillet, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, turn.
- Add onions back to skillet with liver. Cook until liver is slightly pink in center, approximately 3 minutes.
- Remove liver and onions from skillet
- If desired, mix water, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Heat liquid sauce and pour over the liver and onions
Recipe #2: Liver and Onions Recipe (dredged with flour)
Another great way to make Liver and Onions is to dredge the liver in flour before frying. The flour gives the liver a flavorful crust and a more nutty flavor, which some people find more palatable.
Liver & Onions (with flour)
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb sliced beef liver
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup milk (or more if needed)
- 1 large onion, sliced into rings
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse liver in water. If needed, remove the thin membrane on the outside of the liver (Note: Clover Meadows Beef liver is cut and trimmed by our butcher, so the membrane should pull off easily by placing a finger under the membrane and pulling up, away from the liver)
- Place in a bowl and pour milk to cover the liver. Let it soak for 1-2 hours so that the liver isn’t bitter.
- Drain the milk from the liver, and cut it into slices about 1/4 inch think.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place liver in flour mixture and coat evenly on both sides.
- Cut an onion in to rings. Set aside.
- Melt 2 Tbps butter in a large skillet, and the 1 tsp white sugar and stir.
- Add the individual onion rings to skillet and sauté until they’re soft on medium-high heat. Remove the onions, and set aside on another plate.
- Place coated liver into skillet with butter. Cook on medium-high heat until golden brown. It will be about 2 minutes per side.
- Add the onions and cook about 3-4 minutes longer.
Does liver and onions taste good? Other ways to eat liver.
If liver and onions isn’t your thing, but you still want to eat liver for the nutritional benefits, we recommend hiding it!
Our favorite way to do this is with beef liver cubes. Simply cut liver into chucks and put it in a food processor. Turn it on and watch it become all chopped up and liquefied. Then, spoon the mixture into an ice tray. Cover and freeze. When you’re cooking something with ground meat, add a cube of liver.
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Sheridan Martin
Hi do u keep the liver in the pan at the end when you add the onions
Leslie
It also tastes good with gravy or a stroganoff type sauce.
Charlene Abel
Thank you for this info. It is nicely presented – I’m ready to cook!