Before you flee in terror from the mere suggestion of eating liver, wait! There are so many great things to say about this dish. To put it simply, the liver is an excellent way to get a ton of nutritional bang for very few bucks. It is a concentrated source of the same nutrients you get from regular muscle meat, which costs something like $1-2/pound. I’ve found that working liver into my diet a couple of times a week improves my overall energy, and it certainly enhances my dietary variety. I first tried liver in Senegal, where it was fried, and the women nibbled on it while cooking on Tabaski. Initially, I wasn’t a huge fan, but I committed to integrating organ meats into my diet when I learned more about the health benefits. To quote The Paleo Mom in her post, “Why Everyone Should Be Eating Organ Meats. “
Since I found a market where I can easily buy liver, heart, and other organ meats, I’ve been trying various recipes to make them not only palatable but delicious. My boyfriend mentioned that he had a recipe that we could Paleo-ize and test, so we went for it on Day 13 of my Whole30. His formula, combined with the suggestion of lemon from a recipe from Melissa of The Clothes Make the Girl, is the best I’ve found yet for a fast and tasty way to prepare beef liver.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons bacon fat or ghee clarified butter*
- Two medium yellow onions sliced
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup almond meal or almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound beef liver cut (never fear, you can purchase it in slices- they are about 1/4-1/2 inch thick)
- Two lemons halved
Instructions
- *Normal practice would be to cook a bunch of bacon and munch on it while cooking the liver and onions in the fat. As I don’t have any sugar-free bacon, I’m avoiding this during my Whole30, but you can make this dish either way!
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat one tablespoon of your fat of choice. Slice onions and add them to the skillet. Continue to cook these, occasionally stirring, while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- In another large skillet over medium heat, heat one tablespoon of your fat of choice. In a large, shallow dish or plate, combine flours and seasonings until evenly mixed. One by one, dredge both sides of each slice of the liver in a flour mixture and place in a hot skillet. Turn after each piece has cooked for 60-90 seconds and cook for another 60-90 seconds. I like to leave the centers pinkish-red to maintain the natural tenderness; the liver will become chewy if overcooked. Remove to a plate when finished, and then heat another tablespoon of your fat of choice and repeat with remaining slices.
- When onions have become soft and translucent, turn off the heat. Serve liver with a hearty serving of onions and half a lemon. The lemon juice adds a great flavor to the onions.
I have just found out the benefits of eating liver. We just started a low carb diet and can fit in this recipe for the nutrition is gives our bodies.
Thank you the food looks so dilishes and healthy I want to try it for my wife who is diabetic and overweight
May gravy with your liver . When gravy I’d done add liver & onions & simmer . Steve with a hot biscuit . It’s great !
May gravy with your liver . When gravy I’d done add liver & onions & simmer . Steve with a hot biscuit . It’s great !
Soak the liver in milk prior to making this recipe.
Soaking for about 15 to 20 minutes removes the strong liver taste. Also calves liver is the best to use.