Beef liver is one of the most nutrient dense superfoods on the planet, and one of the least-expensive beef products on the market. There are many great ways to cook it, but here’s how to cook beef liver without flour. It’s a one-pan meal that is quick, tasty, and sure to be a favorite, even for liver haters.
What is liver?
Beef liver is an organ meat, also known as offal meat. It comes from the largest internal organ, and it’s found in the bellies of all animals with backbones. The liver filters blood and removes toxins. A single beef liver weighs about 10 pounds, so it’s usually sold in lobes or sliced.
Jump to:
- What is liver?
- Types of liver
- Beef liver vs calf liver
- Is eating beef liver good for you?
- Beef liver nutrition info
- Are there drawbacks to eating liver?
- Where to buy beef liver?
- What cooking method is best for cooking liver?
- Why cook liver without flour?
- Why soak liver in milk before cooking?
- How to cook beef liver without flour
- Liver & Onions Recipe (without flour)
- Other ways to eat liver.
Types of liver
There are many different types of liver. In this recipe we’ll focus on beef liver, but there is also lamb liver, calf liver, ox liver, chicken livers, duck liver, and pork liver. Each of these have a slightly different taste, texture and nutrients, so you’ll want to find the one you like the best.
Beef liver vs calf liver
The term beef and calf’s liver are sometimes used interchangeably, but they’re two different cuts of beef. The difference between them is the age of the animal. Calf liver, also called veal liver, comes from animals under a year old. Beef liver is from animals a year or older. Calf’s liver usually has a milder flavor and more tender texture.
Is eating beef liver good for you?
Liver is one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet and has numerous health benefits. 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 values of protein and phosphorus.
Beef liver nutrition info
A 3-ounce serving of beef liver (4 ounces or 110 grams uncooked) contains
- Calories: 149
- Protein: 23 grams
- Fat: 4 grams
- Cholesterol: 310 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 4 grams
- Sugars: Less than 1 gram
Are there drawbacks to eating liver?
Although there are some significant health benefits to eating liver, but there are also some things to consider before adding it to your diet. Liver is high in dietary cholesterol. While many people can eat high-cholesterol foods without a problem, those trying to lower their cholesterol, who take cholesterol medications, or are on a medically restrictive diet should watch their intake.
Where to buy beef liver?
Beef liver can be purchased from a variety of places such as a local farm, butcher shops, grocery store, and/or local Farmer’s Markets.
When purchasing, the liver should be dark red or maroon in color. Prior to cooking liver, you’ll notice that good liver has a fresh smell (yes, we know this sounds strange!). It does not smell bad or rancid. If it smells rancid or bad, discard it.
What cooking method is best for cooking liver?
Cooking beef liver properly is the most important factor in how liver tastes.
Liver is a lean cut of beef so the best way to cook it is with quick cooking methods, like pan-searing.
Other popular options for liver are to make it into pate or liverwurst. Alternatively, you can also hide liver in ground beef with beef liver cubes (more on that below and here).
Why cook liver without flour?
There are many beef liver recipe out there, however many of them use flour to help hide the taste of the liver. Cooking liver without flour is preferred for whole30, AIP, gluten-free, keto, and other diets.
Why soak liver in milk before cooking?
Some people say that liver has a metallic taste, bitter taste or slightly gamey taste. To remove the bitter taste, place liver in a shallow dish and soak in approximately one cup of milk for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours prior to cooking. Be sure to use enough milk to cover the liver.
If you’re dairy-free, you can also soak liver in water with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
How to cook beef liver without flour
Detailed instructions and the recipe card is below. But, here’s an overview on how to cook beef liver without flour. This recipe moves very quickly, so be sure to have all ingredients prepared in advance.
- Prepare Liver: Depending on the cut of beef liver, the membrane may need to be removed if it’s still attached. You can do this easily by using a paring knife to cut through the membrane and peel off the membrane. Next, rinse liver in water and place liver in a shallow bowl. Pour just enough milk into the bowl to cover the liver. If you’re dairy-free, you can use water with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, instead of milk. Let liver soak in milk for at least 30-minutes and up to 2 hours. Remove from milk, rinse in cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Slice Liver and Onions: Thinly slice liver into 1/2-3/4″ thick slices, and slice yellow onion into rings.
- Cooking Liver and Onions: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion rings; cook and stir in butter until tender and soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. The onions will be soft, but not caramelized. Remove cooked, buttered onions from skillet and transfer to a plate. Add liver slices to skillet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add onions back to skillet with liver. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until onions are heated and liver is slightly pink in center, approximately 3 minutes. Remove liver and onions from skillet and transfer from a plate.
- Make Au Jus, if desired: Mix water, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Heat liquid in the same skillet and heat through. Pour over the liver and onions.
Liver & Onions Recipe (without flour)
Ingredients
- 1 lb sliced beef liver
- 1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
- 1 cup milk, or as needed
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Dash of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Depending on the cut of beef liver, the membrane may need to be removed if it's still attached. You can do this easily by using a paring knife to cut through the membrane and peel off the membrane.
- Gently rinse liver in water. Then, place liver in a shallow bowl and cover with milk. Let liver soak in milk for at least 30-minutes and up to 2 hours. This will remove the bitter flavor. Remove from milk, rinse in cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.*
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion rings; cook and stir in butter until tender and soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. The onions will be soft, but not caramelized. Remove cooked, buttered onions from skillet and transfer to a plate.
- Add liver slices to skillet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high heat, and cook liver until browned on one side, approximately 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until browned.
- Add onions back to skillet with liver. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until onions are heated and liver is slightly pink in center, approximately 3 minutes. Remove liver and onions from skillet and transfer from a plate.
- If desired, mix water, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Heat liquid sauce in the same skillet and heat through. Pour over the liver and onions
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Other ways to eat liver.
If this liver and onions recipe 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.
One More Thing!
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Nice to Meet You!
We're Matt & Jessica, fifth-generation cattle farmers & the owners of Clover Meadows Beef. Good food starts with knowing where it comes from. On our blog, you'll find easy beef recipes, cooking tips, stories of how we raise our cattle, and how to buy farm-fresh beef locally. Our goal is to make cooking beef easy so you feel confident cooking any cut of beef in your home kitchen.