Making Liver/organ meats Palatable

[CJW]

Has anyone tried a brine?

My husband HATES liver-because it was always pan fried in flour, hard as a rock, etc. when his mother made it.

I am curious if one could submerge it in a brine

salt(1 tbsp)/
honey(2 tbsp-dissolved in hot water)/
(1 tbsp total) spice (pepper, garlic, maybe savory?)

for 12-24 hours and then cook it in a crock pot with a large chopped onion, beef broth, celery, and some garlic?

I want to start eating and serving liver, but I would have to make it really good before he would eat it.

 

[Henrietta23]

Oh yum! Thanks FF. Don't know if I'm up for that challenge right now. Some day!!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Look what I found
http://www.theoffalcook.com/

ETA: Except for the fact that I didn't notice it hasn't been updated since April...

But there's this one
http://www.nosetotailathome.com/

 

[ORChick]

Has anyone tried a brine?

My husband HATES liver-because it was always pan fried in flour, hard as a rock, etc. when his mother made it.

I am curious if one could submerge it in a brine

salt(1 tbsp)/
honey(2 tbsp-dissolved in hot water)/
(1 tbsp total) spice (pepper, garlic, maybe savory?)

for 12-24 hours and then cook it in a crock pot with a large chopped onion, beef broth, celery, and some garlic?

I want to start eating and serving liver, but I would have to make it really good before he would eat it.

It might be worth a try, liver is still relatively cheap. But really, the thing that makes liver tough is long cooking. Was your DH's bad experiences with a big slab of liver thrown in a pan? If so then no wonder. He might be too traumatized to try this, but you might want to give it a try: cut the liver into small pieces - about 1/2"x1/2"x1 1/2" (kind of french fry shaped). Put some flour in a bag, season with lots of paprika and herbs of choice; toss the pieces of liver in the bag so that they get a thin coating of flour. In a large frying pan heat some butter (for flavor) and either some oil or lard (helps to get things hotter without the butter burning), and heat to medium hot - not hot hot - though the meat should still sizzle when its put in. Put the liver pieces in the pan, and stir and toss with a spatula until done - this should happen in a matter of minutes. Done is when they are browned on the outside, and (if you have to) right when there is no pink left in the middle at all; better, if the family can take it, is when there is still a bit of pink. But no longer than that, otherwise it will be tough. Before putting the liver in the pan cook up some mashed potatoes, and a big pan of caramalized onions, and keep them warm. And don't forget to invite me for dinner

ETA: Don't skimp on the butter/oil/lard. You don't want to deep fry the meat, but too little doesn't protect the meat from the hot pan enough, and helps to toughen the meat.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Ok, yesterday we processed 20 chickens. Ten for dog food (spent hens) and 10 young cockerels. Thh dogs got the liver from thier chickens, but this time I saved the cockerel livers for me. should I indiviually freeze them and take out one at a time and try different things with them?

 

[Farmfresh]

Ok, yesterday we processed 20 chickens. Ten for dog food (spent hens) and 10 young cockerels. Thh dogs got the liver from thier chickens, but this time I saved the cockerel livers for me. should I indiviually freeze them and take out one at a time and try different things with them?

Why on EARTH would you feed the old hens to the dog?

Old rooster yes - old hen NEVER! They make the absolutely BEST soups and stews that you could ever hope to eat. Golden broth and the meat is still plenty tender as long as you cook it slow and moist.