Calf Liver

[In the Kitchen]

Originally Posted by ChefJune

I've loved liver since I was a little kid. In fact, I used to eat the leftovers as cold liver sandwiches!

I like to start by cooking bacon in the pan and then draining off most of the fat and cooking the liver and onions in the bacon fat.

Imo, the secret to great liver is not cooking it too long. Otherwise it turns into an old shoe sole. In fact, I think overcooking (also read "well done") is the nemesis of most meat, especially organ meat.

Only way to eat liver is w/bacon fat and onions. Otherwise, the flavor seems to strong. But putting in buttermilk for while in fridge before fixing does make the flavor tone down a bit. Nothing better than the flavor of bacon, onion in your gravy and mashed potatoes. that is another thing that the store doesn't hardly carry anymore is calf liver.

[shpj4]

I liked Yakuta's receipe for Calf Liver for will try it some day.

Good luck.

[buckytom]

another vote for calves liver fried in bacon fat, then served with butter softened onions, and back or irish bacon.

[Snoop Puss]

Make liver rather than beef stroganoff. Spectacularly good.

[AllenOK]

Originally Posted by Ishbel

I love calves liver, but don't like lamb or pig's liver... they smell kinda 'wild' when cooking to my nose.

I only cook liver in the winter (don't know why) and serve with mashed potatoes and a carrot and onion gravy.

Liver, when not overcooked, is highly nutritious, as that is where the body (or critter's bodies) store fat-soluable vitamins and minerals. Ish, maybe you eat it in the winter to stock up on vitamins and minerals?

Personally, I abhor all liver. But, seasoning veal liver with salt and pepper, dusting with flour, and sauteing in bacon grease, then cook some onions in the same grease, and maybe even making a beef gravy from those drippings, is good. I just don't like the liver, though.

[Ishbel]

You may be right, Allen - maybe a 'race memory' sort of thing?!

[Lynan]

The only way I eat liver nowadays is alla Veneziana, with white wine, sage and onions. All poured over a heap of creamy mash!

[Ellen]

How is that done Lyn, love to know. I have only had liver twice in my life. Cooked by th chinese chef at the north Syndey League Club.

[Domestic Goddess]

Besides Liver, Bacon & Onions, my family likes to eat beef liver prepared this way. It's quite delish!


Chili Liver

4 slices bacon (I usually cook a few more slices)
1 lb. sliced beef liver, sliced thin
Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening, for cooking liver in
3/4 cup flour
salt & pepper
1-(10 1/2 oz.) can Campbell's French Onion Soup
1/4 cup chili sauce or ketchup

In a 12-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove bacon, crumble; and set aside.
Dust liver with flour; season with salt & pepper.
Brown liver in bacon drippings (you may need to add a little shortening).
When done frying liver, add soup and chili sauce.
Cover; and cook over low heat 15 minutes, or until tender; stir occasionally.
Uncover; cook to desired consistency.
Garnish with crumbled bacon.
Serves 4-5.

Note: I prefer to use the Buttered Flavored Criso, instead of the regular Crisco.
I don't crumble the bacon, but rather leave it in strips, so everyone gets a slice or 2 with their liver.

[Constance]

My Grandma Snarr made delicious liver and onions. She fried the bacon, added the thinly sliced onion rings and let them cook until they were soft, then pushed all that to the side of the pan. She dipped the salt & peppered pieces of liver into seasoned flour, and quickly browned on one side. She then turned the meat over and spooned the bacon and onion over the top.
She let that cook a bit to crisp up, then added a little bit of Coke, turned the heat down, covered, and simmered for a few minutes.

Man, that stuff was so good over mashed potatoes, with a little scoop of peas in the top.