Sautéed Liver
on Apr 10, 2023, Updated Jul 06, 2023
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Sautéed liver with onions and cream (or without cream) is one of my favorite childhood meals. I grew eating different parts of animals, such as liver and other organs, as they were always cheaper or more accessible. When your budget is limited, you learn to adapt to different types of meat/organs. In this way, my family raised me to enjoy and appreciate the whole animal. I know that a lot of people don’t like the thought of eating liver, but I am sharing this recipe for anyone that does enjoy it. Liver is incredibly good for you and is actually considered a superfood. If you want to know about some of the benefits of liver, please take a look at this article Is Liver Good for You?. If you like liver, please let me know in the comments how you like to prepare it in your family.
Table of Contents
Sautéed Liver
Ingredients
- 500 grams (about 1 pound) chicken, beef, or veal liver, see notes below
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- splash of white wine or chicken or beef broth (optional)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (35%MF)
- fresh chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- If you buy chicken liver you don't need to cut it as it's smaller to begin with. If you use beef/calf liver, cut it into equal, bite-sized pieces.
- First, pat the liver dry with paper towels. And if you want to reduce the gamey liver taste a bit, you can soak the livers in cold water for 15 minutes to 3 hours; then rinse and pat dry.
- Add the liver to a bowl, season with salt and pepper and add 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil. Massage or mix with a spoon.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to a pan. Heat the oil on medium-heat and once it shimmers, add the liver, making sure it's spaced apart so it doesn't steam. The liver should sizzle when you add it in.
- Cook for about 2 minutes on each side for beef liver and 3 minutes on each side for chicken liver. Liver cooks incredibly fast and it's better not to overcook it for best results as it will be way more tender and palatable.
- Add in the onions and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until they have softened. Add the wine or broth, if using, and let cook for 30 seconds. Add the cream and stir for another minute. Transfer the liver and onions to a plate and garnish with chives, if using.
- Note: You'll want to cook the chicken liver for about 3 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165F for chicken liver. If you're making beef/calf liver, don't overcook it. This tip will turn you from a hater to a lover. You want a bit of pink for beef/calf liver – no more, no less.
