Rediscovering liver: A guide to choosing and preparing organ meats
Organ meats used to be very popular, but now many of us cringe at the mention of them. This may stem from the fact that they were not well prepared in the past. Choosing the right type is also important. Here's what to look for when choosing liver.
6 September 2024 18:43
Both pork and chicken liver have their health benefits and are worth including in meals occasionally. Chicken liver is rich in folic acid, whereas pork liver contains a lot of iron. There's one more significant difference between them: cholesterol.
How to make liver tasty?
Organ meats are not very popular, but when we do reach for them, liver is the most common choice. Recently, a friend told me that the taste of liver brought back bad memories because it was served in the school cafeteria. Now she prepares it her way. First, she soaks it in milk overnight and then fries it with onions and apples. Prepared this way, chicken liver tasted very good to her. So, it's better not to write off organ meats and try to rediscover their flavour. Liver is also a rich source of protein, vitamin A, and B vitamins.
Which liver to choose?
Chicken liver contains more cholesterol than pork or beef liver. This may be unexpected for many, but this type of organ meat is indeed a cholesterol bomb. On the other hand, beef liver has the least amount of cholesterol, making it an even more attractive choice. Each type of liver has its unique nutritional properties.
The liver is a good source of high-quality protein, essential for building and repairing tissues. It also contains many vitamins, such as vitamin A and B vitamins, which support the nervous system and boost immunity. The liver is also rich in iron, which is necessary to produce red blood cells. Another important component is folic acid, which is found in particularly high amounts in chicken liver.
Pan-Fried Beef Liver
Ingredients:
- 700 grams of beef liver,
- 4 tablespoons of oil,
- 1 tablespoon of butter,
- wheat flour,
- 2 tablespoons of cream,
- 2 medium onions,
- 500 millilitres of milk or buttermilk,
- salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation:
- Soak the liver for about 1 hour in milk with a few drops of lemon juice.
- Then pat it dry and slice it into strips, dredge in flour, and fry in hot oil on both sides without seasoning.
- After a few minutes of frying, when the liver is slightly browned, add butter, cream, peeled and sliced onions, and fry until the onions are tender.
- Transfer the fried liver to plates and only then season with salt and pepper to taste.
