If you've never tried liver before, this liver and onions recipe will make you fall in love with this mega food! Calf liver topped with caramelized onions is a nutritious delicacy packed with vitamins and minerals.
For my entire childhood, I struggled with the taste of liver. I just couldn't get over the weird, rubbery, bitter taste and texture. Even though my mum constantly reminded me how good it was for me, that didn't change how I felt about it.
Now that I'm older and know for sure about how amazing liver meat is for the body, I needed a way to make it enjoyable for me so I could reap all its benefits.
I've definitely come a long way from the bland liver of my youth. From beef liver to pork liver, there are many delicious ways of improving the taste of liver and making it delicious.
So if you are not a fan of liver and onions, read on. In no time, this will become a new favorite dish! It is easy, delicious, and ready in less than 30 minutes. It is also gluten-free, low carb, and keto-friendly too.
Next time, try this Chicken Hearts and Nigerian Pepper Soup recipe for more nutritious offal meat recipes!
Is liver considered meat?
Liver is known as organ meat and is also referred to as offal meat. Offal meat refers to internal organs and other parts of an animal that are deemed undesirable and discarded.
Other offal meats include kidney, heart, brain, tongue, chicken hearts, and chicken gizzard. Organ meats are usually nutrient-dense and are very healthy.
What does calves' liver taste like?
Calves' liver might be a bit of an acquired taste, but it is tender and delicious when prepared properly. It has a sweet, naturally earthy flavor and a soft texture, unlike beef liver. It has a unique taste of its own and soaks up the flavors of what it's cooked in.
I give detailed instructions in this post on improving the flavor and taste of liver meat if you struggle with it.
What is the difference between beef liver and calf liver?
Both beef and calf livers come from the same animal, a cow. However, one significant difference is that calf liver is from a young cow while beef liver is from a mature cow. Therefore, the taste of beef liver is stronger and more intense than the taste of calf liver.
But no matter where the liver meat is from, it is still packed with essential nutrients, so it is good to include this in your diet.
Liver Nutrition
The liver, in general, is very nutritious and packed with lots of vitamins and minerals. It is without a doubt one of the most nutritious-dense foods out there.
A single portion of liver contains significant amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, folate, and iron. In addition, liver contains potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorous, and selenium.
Even a small amount of liver will produce more than the daily values of several nutrients the body needs. So you only have to incorporate this sparingly into your diet.
Also, liver meat does not contain any dietary fiber, so be sure to pair it with a high fiber dish for a well-balanced meal.
Carbs in Liver - Is Liver Keto Friendly?
Yes, liver is keto-friendly. It contains very few carbs, is high in proteins, and has lots of vitamins and minerals.
Liver contains:
- Just 3.8g of net carbs and a whopping 26g of protein.
- Making it incredibly nutritious.
- Low carb and keto-friendly.
Ingredients Used
- Raw Liver: You can get fresh calves liver from your local butcher shop or meat market. If that is not an option for you, you might find frozen liver at a grocery store in the meat section.
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.
- Other ingredients: Olive oil and medium onions.
How to Prepare Liver
I get my calves liver from the grocery store and it comes already cleaned and sliced. If your liver is not already sliced, you'll have to slice it yourself. It should be about one inch thick.
I use calf liver which is milder in taste than beef liver. If you use beef liver and don't like the strong metallic taste, you have to prep it first.
The first thing you need to do is place the liver in a large bowl and add enough milk to cover it. Let the liver soak in the milk for an hour or two, then pour the milk away. Pat the liver dry and it's ready to use.
How To Make Liver and Onions
- Mix the spices together in a shallow dish and liberally rub the liver with the spices.
- Chop onions into ring shapes by slicing lengthwise. Heat oil in a cast iron pan. I like to use a cast iron skillet for this, but you can use any large skillet or shallow pan.
- When heated, add the onions and sprinkle a pinch of the mixed spices. Cook onions in olive oil for a few minutes till caramelized. Take out the sauteed onions and add more olive oil to the pan.
- Add the liver pieces and cook liver for 3-5 mins on medium-high heat. Flip and cook the other side for a few minutes. Top with the onions and serve.
Storing and Reheating
You can store leftover cooked liver and onions in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days, and it would retain its freshness. To keep it for longer, freeze it for up to 3 months to maintain its freshness.
Of course, the liver can be frozen and stored even longer than that, but it might no longer be as fresh.
What can I eat this recipe with?
This liver and onions recipe is usually eaten with white rice.
I like to enjoy my liver and onions with mashed cauliflower or keto rice on a low-carb diet.
Tips when cooking liver
- Make sure the liver is cooked in a single layer to make sure it's cooked through.
- Do not overcook the liver or the texture will become rubbery.
- Some people coat their liver with all purpose flour, but I omitted this to keep the carbs low.
- You can substitute the olive oil with two tablespoons of butter or bacon grease for an infusion of flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Rinse your liver to get rid of dirt and excess blood from it before cooking. Clean liver cooks and tastes much better than when it has excess blood in it.
If using beef liver, I highly recommend soaking it in milk for an hour or two so you can get rid of the odor and improve the taste of the liver. In addition, liver that has been soaked in milk isn't as chewy as it would've been without the milk.
It's pretty easy to know when liver has gone bad. The liver would give off a slightly ammonic smell. It would also feel slimy to the touch. Also, because bacteria multiply fast on raw meat, liver left out at room temperature for hours might have gone bad and should not be eaten.
One way to ensure your liver slices have been appropriately cooked is to cook for at least 3-5 minutes on each side and slice a bit open to make sure it's no longer bloody. You can also use an internal thermometer to check that the temperature is at least 160F.
Need more main dishes? Check out these other easy dinner recipes!
Liver and Onions Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb calf liver
- 1 onion
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Prepare the liver
- If using beef liver, soak in milk for an hour or two, then pour the milk away.
- If liver is not sliced, slice about one inch thick.
- Wash and pat the liver dry.
Make the liver and onions
- Mix spices together and liberally rub liver with spices.
- Chop onions into ring shapes by slicing lengthwise.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a cast iron pan.
- When heated, add the onions and sprinkle a pinch of the mixed spices.
- Sauté the onions in olive oil for a few minutes till caramelized.
- Take the onions out and add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.
- Add the liver pieces and cook liver for 3-5 mins on medium-high heat.
- Top with the onions and serve.
Notes
- If you struggle with eating liver, soaking the liver in milk for a while will remove the bitterness from it and improve the taste of the liver.
- Do not overcook the liver or the texture will become rubbery.
- Make sure the liver is cooked in a single layer to make sure it's cooked through. Do it in batches if you need to.
- You can substitute the olive oil with two tablespoons of butter or bacon grease for an infusion of flavor.
My mother made liver and onions when I was a child and I absolutely love it!! No one in my family likes it so I never cook it. BUT, I just bought some liver from a local farm and I am fixing this tonight!! I cannot wait. My mom has passed away so I dont have her to go to for the recipe. This looks pretty much like hers and so thankful to find this recipe. Thank you so much!!!
You're welcome, Kristi! I hope you enjoy the recipe. I'm sorry to hear about your mom's passing.
One of my favorite dishes except I'm from the country lol .I coat the liver in flour with the seasonings mixed in with it and brown on both sides with the onions as well in a cast iron skillet and oil , after all the pieces have been browned on both sides I put them all back in the frying pan adding enough water to cover the liver and onions and let this simmer for probably 40 minutes making the most wonderful liver and onions with gravy serving it with fresh homemade mashed potatoes and seasoned greens along with cornbread ! No way am I putting your method down because I love it like that as well . I'm thinking now we will be having liver real soon lol . Thanks for the recipes
I love the idea of making gravy with the liver. It sounds really delicious!
My father turned me on to this when I was a little boy I never looked back I have been eating this ever since.
I'm glad you enjoy it, Craig!