Two years ago, I ate liver for the first time. Sound crazy?
I also thought I was crazy to try it. But I was really struggling with my mood and energy when I was postpartum with my first baby, and I was beginning to suspect it was a result of nutrient deficiencies. So, after hearing about all the health benefits of eating liver, I decided that it was worth the risk of it tasting absolutely disgusting. I figured that it must be particularly offensive. Why else would there be so many jokes about it?
The first thing I made was a hidden liver bolognese sauce. To my surprise and delight, it was delicious. I couldn’t even taste the liver, to be honest.
Since then, I’ve cooked liver many times, in a lot of different ways. There’s been some duds, but on the whole, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how good liver can taste. Sometimes, I make hidden liver meals for a small dose of “nature’s multivitamin.” At other times, I go all out and make something very liver-forward, like liver and onions. But either way, I’ve learned some tricks to actually make liver taste good(or make it indetectable).
Cut the Membranes Away
When you prepare liver, be sure to cut off the membranes on the outside of the liver, as well as any that line blood vessels or tubules going through the liver. These parts become very tough when cooked. So tough, in fact, that they’re almost impossible to chew!
The rest of the liver is very soft, so these tough bits stand out in a very unpleasant way. Before I learned to properly cut it off, our family gagged through a dinner of liver and onions, thinking we’d never make it again. Fortunately, once I cut off the tough bits, we found it was one of our favorite meals.
The membrane also doesn’t get pureed like the rest of the liver when blended in a blender or food processor. At best, you’ll end up with tough bits in your food. At worst, you may burn out the motor (ask me how I know). Take the time to trim it off – it’s well worth the effort!
Add Acid to Brighten the Meal
Liver is very rich, so like other rich foods, it benefits greatly from a bit of acidity. Tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice all bring out the best in liver! And if you’re heating up leftovers of something like liver and onions, an extra squeeze of lemon juice or splash of apple cider vinegar really brings it to life.
The best meals for hidden liver seem to be those that have ground beef (to cover the texture) and a tomato-based sauce with lots of spices or seasonings (to cover the flavor). The acidity of the tomatoes is usually enough, but adding some extra apple cider vinegar can take it to the next level.
Hide the Liver Flavor with Allspice
Allspice is liver’s best friend. If you find the flavor of liver off-putting, try adding allspice – whether it’s hidden liver or a more liver-forward meal! Somehow, it cancels out the “off,” mineral-y flavor.
I learned the trick from Janine Farzin’s Chocolate Chili Beef Liver Pate recipe and it has completely transformed my liver meals. I usually start by adding about a teaspoon of allspice for 2-3 pounds of ground beef (and 4-8oz of hidden liver), though I’ve never found that more allspice hurt the recipe.
That’s why hidden liver Cincinnati chili (which more prominently features allspice, along with a lot of other similar spices) works so well! However, a bit of allspice in other dishes, like hidden liver Bolognese sauce, doesn’t significantly alter the flavor profile and helps the liver slip by under the radar.
Those are my top 3 tips to make liver taste good! What’s your favorite way to prepare liver?
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