Liver and Onions is a classic recipe featuring one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet, beef liver. In this quick recipe, thin slices of beef liver are seasoned and sauteed in a skillet, and topped onions. 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. The second liver and onion recipe has been dredged in flour, which many people find more palatable.
Why You’ll Love This Liver and Onions Recipe:
- Healthy: Beef liver is full of essential nutrients such as Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus, Folate, Copper, Riboflavin, and Niacin
- Easy prep and cooking: This is a one-skillet meal and it comes together incredibly fast.
Ingredients You Need and Why:
- Beef Liver: Either beef liver or calf liver will work for this recipe. 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.
- Onion: Slice it thinly and separate the slices into rings. I prefer to use a yellow onion, but a white onion works, too.
- Milk: Soaking the liver in a shallow dish of milk will help remove liver’s strong, bitter taste (sometimes called metallic taste). Alternately, you can soak soak your liver slices in lemon or lime juice, or even vinegar. The acid counterbalances the flavor of the liver.
- Butter:
- Lemon Juice
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Seasoning
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.
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.
Beef liver nutrition. 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
Calves liver (veal liver) nutrition. A 112-gram serving of calf liver (about 4 ounces uncooked) contains:
- Calories: 130
- Protein: 18 grams
- Fat: 3.5 grams
- Cholesterol: 284 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 6 grams
- Sugars: 4 grams
Is eating liver and onions 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.
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. 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.
Where to purchase good 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.
How to remove membrane from liver
Depending on where you purchase your 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.
Recipe #1: Beef Liver and Onions (with no flour)
This recipe is a classic. You simply add a little salt and pepper and pan fry the liver.
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
Recipe #2: Liver and Onions (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)
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 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
- salt and pepper to taste
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.*
- Thinly slice liver into 1/2-3/4″ thick slices, and slice yellow onion into rings.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place sliced liver in flour mixture and coat evenly on both sides.
- Melt 2 Tbps butter in a large skillet. 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 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.
Notes
Another way to eat beef liver: beef liver cubes
If a 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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Here are a few other links you may like:
Hi do u keep the liver in the pan at the end when you add the onions
It also tastes good with gravy or a stroganoff type sauce.
Thank you for this info. It is nicely presented – I’m ready to cook!