Sautéed liver with onions and cream (or without cream) is one of my favorite childhood meals. We grew up eating different parts of an animal as they were always cheaper, or more accessible. When you don’t have a lot you learn to adapt to different types of meat/organs so we were raised 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. Liver is incredibly good for you and 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 how you like to prepare it in your family.
Sautéed Liver
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. Liver is incredibly good for you and actually considered a superfood.
Ingredients
- 500 grams liver, chicken, beef or veal see notes below
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- splash of white wine is optional (or broth)
- 1 big thinly sliced yellow onion
- ⅓ cup cooking cream (35%MF)
- 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, we like to cut it into equal sized pieces.
- First, you'll want to 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 – before rinsing and patting them dry.
- Add the liver in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and add a tablespoon of oil. Massage it or mix with a spoon.
- Add another two tablespoons of oil to a pan on the stove. Heat up 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 it for about 2 minutes on each side. 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 1-2 minutes or until they have softened. Add in the cream and stir for another minute. Take it off the heat and garnish with chives.
- 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.
Notes
Any type of liver will work. Chicken is milder and great for beginners.
Chicken liver — Chicken liver has the mildest taste of most livers, so it’s a good choice for organ meat “beginners.” It’s the type found in most pates and spreads served at restaurants or prepared at home. It has more fat, folate and iron than beef liver.
Beef/calf liver — Beef liver contains vitamin B12, vitamin B6, vitamin A, zinc and phosphorus compared to other types. Many people find that it doesn’t quite taste as appealing as chicken liver. You can find it at some farmers markets, but if possible it’s best to purchase calf liver since this reduces the chance that you’ll consume hormones and antibiotics given to cows.
You don’t have to use cream if you don’t want to. We like sautéing liver with onions and butter as well.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
