Fact: Liver is gross. Okay, so technically that’s probably more of an opinion. But, for me… it’s a fact. And it’s my blog. So the fact stands.
We’ve been purchasing our beef by the half for the past 2 years. Therefore, I receive plenty of grass fed beef liver every four months. I have always given it away as fast as I can. I can’t even stand to look at the packages of liver… they’re nasty.
I started feeling guilty about that, though. Liver is super nutrient dense. The liver does NOT store toxins. The liver is a is a storage organ for many important nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, and minerals such as copper and iron). I needed to find a way to get it into my diet. Then I came across the idea of “liver cubes” somewhere (sorry, I don’t remember where). The idea is this: Puree the liver in a food processor and freeze it in ice cube trays. Then, you can add the cubes to your recipes. GENIUS!
Unfortunately, the idea of pureeing liver ignites my gag reflex. The idea of “liver goo” in my food processor almost sends me over the edge. Fact: I am a huge baby.
Fortunately, I have a friend who is not grossed out by nasty packages of organ meats or by the idea of “liver goo.” Fact: She is crazy. She made the liver cubes for me… score!
So, armed with a couple of bags of frozen liver cubes that I didn’t even have to make myself… I had to take action. I “manned up” (kind of) and have been successfully HIDING them into my food. I’m eating liver! I’m not even grossed out by it now… I look forward to adding it to ground beef dishes. That’s weird, I know. But for me, it’s like a badge of honor. I eat tiny amounts of hidden liver like a champ! It’s right up there with giving birth without any drugs and piercing my daughter’s ears myself.
However, I need to clarify that I still don’t actually want to taste the liver. It needs to be hidden… that’s the whole idea behind making the cubes. You can add small amounts (or large, if you’re not a baby) of liver to heavily seasoned ground beef dishes and you don’t even have to taste it!
I can testify that liver cubes are virtually undetectable in the following recipes. Note: I only add 2 liver cubes.
NOTE: I would never, ever (in a million years never) eat feedlot liver. I am only recommending grass fed liver here.
What do you think? Think this might work for you?
I am going to try this not only for myself but so my 3&8 yr old daughters won’t taste it either:)
Do it, Janelle! My kids (10, 8 & 4) haven’t noticed!
Why not go the same route with heart, kidney, lung as well… just make a pile of mixed offal cubes?
FACT: In 1971, lungs were declared unfit for human consumption by the U.S. Wholesale Meat Act. While as organs go they are a bit lacking in the vitamin department, lungs contain more protein than a T-Bone steak while sporting only 6% of the fat.
FACT: Lung is eaten throughout the rest of the world by almost all cultures.
* The French like to poach lungs before frying them with onions, tomatoes, and a wine sauce.
* Italians use calf lungs in dish with kidney beans called, creatively, “Polmoni di vitello con fagioli.”
*Hungarians boil and saute them with spicy paprika and fresh vegetables.
* Germans make a curried stew with calf lungs, hearts, onions and rice.
* Grecians use them make a special Greek Easter soup called Mageiritsa.
* And who can forget the mother of all European Lung-foods; Scotland’s “Great chieftain o’ the puddin’ race,” more commonly known as haggis.
* Lungs are also a staple of Asian, Indian, and many African cuisines.
Of course, here in the States, Lungs are contraband…
We do eat the heart, Joel! We make it into jerky. Not sure I’m ready for kidneys and lungs yet, though. Liver was a HUGE step for me…
Fair enough
Baby steps!
Liver should only be eaten as Pate.
Why?
Cause it taste good.
I’ve been sneaking liver into my beef roast in the crock pot and my kids have no idea. It’s good stuff and it’s super cheap. YUM!
Really? Does it shred like pot roast?
It doesn’t shred, but covered in gravy juices and potatoes and veg, my three teenage boys eat it and have never said a word. If I told them it was liver, there’s no way they would touch it.
Sadly I grew up eating liver… My parents just like they’re parents forced it down our throats
Any who if you soak the liver overnight in milk the smell and taste mild down a lot. My mom used to season with garlic salt and pepper and then grill it with sliced onions. I do something different I turn it into sausage and you can never tell the difference 
I like that idea, Ilian!
I like eating tripe (cow’s stomach)-tastes very good. =D
You said you receive liver every four months? Are you saying you go through a half steer every four months? Whoa….I just ordered my first steer and my freezer is packed with a quarter! I was hoping it would last my family of six a while- maybe I am wrong about that! Great tip on eating more liver though! I have about three packages to use!
Yes, every 4 months. Seems crazy, right? The only thing I can say is that 2 out of my 3 kids eat A LOT! Also, we pretty much eat every meal and mostly eat beef. You’re going to love having a freezer full of beef!
Does your family eat the beef all the time, or do you also buy other meats often? My husband and I are thinking of buying a quarter of beef, but we’d also eat a lot of fish, and some chicken and pork.
We eat primarily beef– not that we wouldn’t enjoy a bit more diversity– but because it gives us the most bang for our buck. It’s nutrient dense and fits our budget. We roast a chicken once a week. We would love to be able to incorporate more fish (for both nutrients and because we love it!), but at this time, we don’t have an affordable source.
I’m a liver chicken too. These recipes look delicious and easy to make.
I’ve only experimented with a few times. The one time I tried cooking it in a pan even after soaking it in milk, neither my husband nor I could choke it down due to the texture, Maybe once the taste has firmly rooted (the cod liver oil doesn’t make me gag anymore!) in my gut, then it won’t bother me.
Fortunately, our local grass-fed beef source sells ground beef with liver already mixed in! Can’t even taste it when I make it into burgers. I also grate frozen liver into my beef broth.