What am I, chopped liver?
Our society has deemed liver one of the most disgusting foods out there. And compared to muscle meats, it has a very different texture (soft) and flavor (mineral-y).
Unfortunately for us, liver is the most nutrient-dense food on the planet.
Some might say it’s an acquired taste, but I’d argue that it’s all in how you cook it. Pureed liver in a ground beef recipe as “hidden liver” is pretty fail-proof. It’s hardly detectable because the texture doesn’t matter and the flavor gets covered by other stronger flavors.
But when you eat it plain? Preparation and seasoning is of the upmost importance. And since I started eating liver just over a year ago, I’ve done some experimenting with the classic liver and onions. Some recipes were pretty much inedible and gag-inducing. A few were pretty tolerable, but required lots of ingredients or just seemed fussy.
This one, however, is simple, cheap, and absolutely delicious. It’s how we will always eat our liver & onions. It’s so good, I was even able to eat it while I was in the first trimester and otherwise pretty queasy! Seriously. It’s just that good.
What makes this liver and onions so good?
The secret is allspice and apple cider vinegar. Apparently, allspice is the key to removing the mineral flavor from liver (I learned this from Janine Farzin’s delicious recipe for Chocolate Chili Beef Liver Pate) – this has revolutionized my cooking! The apple cider vinegar (or any acidic liquid) cuts the richness of the liver, brightening it up a bit.
Fresh parsley also will help to brighten it up as well! I also add a touch of chili powder for just a hint of heat to balance it all out.
Why I started eating liver
Growing up, I never ate liver. It sounded so gross, but honestly, I never really thought about it.
Then, when I was a few months postpartum with my son and still struggling to feel like myself, I started looking into nutrition.
I read Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols, RDN. It (unsurprisingly) focuses more on pregnancy than postpartum, but just learning about what my body needed to nourish my son was quite eye-opening. I very quickly realized my exhaustion was likely caused by some nutrient deficiencies – I certainly had not followed Nichols’ recommendations in my pregnancy or in the months leading up to it. Frankly, my diet had been lacking in a lot of key areas for years and I didn’t even know it!
One of Nichols’ biggest recommendations is liver. I tried to ignore it, but after seeing liver recommended other places for other conditions, I finally caved and decided to try it as hidden liver. I was shocked – it wasn’t bad at all! In fact, when we had ground beef recipes without hidden liver, they tasted like they were missing something.
After a while, my husband and I both noticed that we had a lot more energy and felt better overall. We also were feeling a bit braver, and decided to try non-hidden liver. Admittedly, it was not our favorite. However, with some experimenting and trial-and-error, we finally found a way to eat it that gets cheers rather than groans when it’s put on the meal plan!
Where can I buy liver?
I find that the best prices come from local farmers or butchers, though you may be able to find it at the grocery store or online in a pinch. However, I really recommend calling around because it will be better quality and probably a much better price from local sources
I spent a week calling different places before I found my source from a tip at the farmer’s market and I’m so glad I took the time! The price and quality is absolutely worth the time it took to find him and the hour-long drive it takes to get there.
What are the health benefits of eating liver?
I go into more detail about this in my post here, but suffice it to say that in 100g of cooked liver, for less than 200 calories, you get:
- 29g protein
- 1049% of the RDA for vitamin A
- 263% of the RDA for vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- 110% of the RDA for vitamin B3 (niacin)
- 142% of the RDA for vitamin B5
- 78% of the RDA for vitamin B6
- 63% of the RDA for vitamin B9 (folate)
- 2941% of the RDA for vitamin B12
- 77% of the RDA for choline
- 82% of the RDA for iron
- 1587% of the RDA for copper
And so on. You would struggle to find any other food that comes close to the nutrient-density of liver. All of these nutrients support health in a variety of ways:
- Improved energy (vitamin B12, riboflavin, niacin, and iron)
- Smoother skin (vitamin A and zinc)
- Enhanced fertility (vitamin A, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc, and folate)
- Healthier pregnancy (vitamin A, vitamin B12, copper, folate, iron, and zinc)
- Better attention, concentration, and memory (selenium, copper, niacin, and iron)
- Brighter mood (B vitamins, including folate)
- Eye health support (vitamin A)
- Strong immune system (vitamin A, vitamin D, copper, and zinc)
Seriously, you can’t go wrong here!
How much liver is safe to eat?
Again, I go into more detail here, but in general, I aim for about 3-6oz of liver per week, either in hidden liver or in liver and onions. This is well within the safe limits, but is enough to prevent me from developing any deficiencies.
I also notice that if I start eating more liver than that, my body tells me that it has had enough. That’s one huge benefit of eating liver rather than taking liver capsules. I’ll eat a bite and it will be fine, but then the next bite, my body will gently but firmly tell me that I don’t need to eat anymore. Truly, our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb beef liver, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
Directions
Step 1: Thinly slice the onions. Trim the vessels and membrane off the liver, then cut into thin, bite-sized strips.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook until soft, about 5-10 minutes.
Step 3: Add beef liver to pan with allspice, nutmeg, and chili powder. Mix all together and cook 3-5 minutes.
Step 4: Add the apple cider vinegar, then stir and cook for a minute more. Turn off the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Equipment
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The Best Liver and Onions
Simple, cheap, and absolutely delicious – this liver and onions has all of the nutrients and none of the ick!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb beef liver, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Thinly slice the onions. Trim the vessels and membrane off the liver, then cut into thin, bite-sized strips.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook until soft, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add beef liver to pan with allspice, nutmeg, and chili powder. Mix all together and cook 3-5 minutes.
- Add the apple cider vinegar, then stir and cook for a minute more. Turn off the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 234 kcal
Fat: 10g
Total Carbohydrates: 11g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 24g
The nutrition data provided here is for informational only and is only an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It cannot be verified or guaranteed, and should not be used in the treatment of medical conditions. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice This data should be interpreted and used at your own risk.
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