Liver. The word itself can evoke strong reactions. While some might shy away from it due to preconceived notions about its taste and texture, others recognize it as a nutritional powerhouse. If you're hesitant, I'm here to guide you! This keto liver and onions recipe transforms this often-underappreciated organ meat into a flavorful and satisfying dish that fits perfectly into a low-carb lifestyle. Whether you're a seasoned liver lover or a curious newcomer, this recipe is for you.
Why Liver? Unveiling the Nutritional Benefits
Liver, often referred to as offal meat, is an incredibly nutrient-dense food. Other examples of offal meats include kidney, heart, brain, tongue, chicken hearts, and chicken gizzard. It's packed with essential vitamins and minerals, offering a wide range of health benefits. Even a small serving of liver can provide more than the daily recommended values of several nutrients that your body needs. Liver also contains potassium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and selenium.
Specifically, liver is keto-friendly. It contains very few carbs, is high in proteins, and has lots of vitamins and minerals. Liver contains just 3.8g of net carbs and a whopping 26g of protein, making it incredibly nutritious, low carb, and keto-friendly.
When introducing liver into your diet, consider opting for calf liver. Both beef and calf livers come from the same animal, a cow. However, one significant difference is that calf liver is from a young cow, while beef liver is from a mature cow. Beef liver might be a bit of an acquired taste, but it is tender and delicious when prepared properly. It has a sweet, naturally earthy flavor and a soft texture, unlike beef liver. Calf liver has a milder flavor compared to beef liver, making it a great choice for those new to eating organ meats.
Preparing the Liver: Tips and Tricks
Before diving into the recipe, let's address some common concerns about preparing liver:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Rinsing: Rinse your liver to get rid of dirt and excess blood from it before cooking. Clean liver cooks and tastes much better than when it has excess blood in it.
- Soaking: If using beef liver, it is highly recommended to soak it in milk for an hour or two so you can get rid of the odor and improve the taste of the liver. This step helps mellow the strong flavor and tenderizes the meat. In addition, liver that has been soaked in milk isn't as chewy as it would've been without the milk. Simply place the liver in a large bowl and add enough milk to cover it. Let the liver soak in the milk for an hour or two, then pour the milk away. Wash and pat the liver dry.
- Freshness: It's pretty easy to know when liver has gone bad. The liver would give off a slightly ammonic smell. It would also feel slimy to the touch. Also, because bacteria multiply fast on raw meat, liver left out at room temperature for hours might have gone bad and should not be eaten.
Keto Liver and Onions Recipe: Step-by-Step
This recipe combines the richness of liver with the sweetness of caramelized onions, creating a balanced and satisfying keto-friendly meal.
Ingredients:
- Raw beef liver (fresh calves liver from your local butcher shop or meat market)
- Onions
- Ghee
- Butter
- Milk (for soaking, not included in final ingredients)
- Kosher salt
- Bacon (optional, for added flavor)
- Mushrooms (optional, for added flavor)
- Garlic (optional, for added flavor)
- Herbs (optional, for added flavor)
- Mixed spices
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Prepare the Liver: If using beef liver, soak in milk for an hour or two, then pour the milk away. Make sure the liver is cooked in a single layer to make sure it's cooked through.
- Prepare the Onions: Trim the onions’ ends and then make a small cut into each of the onion skins and remove the outer skin. Cut the onions into thin rings about ¼” thickness.
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 tbsp ghee and heat until melted. Tilt the pan to distribute the fat. Add the onion rings and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are softened and lightly browned.
- Cook the Liver: Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, allow it to melt, then tilt the pan to distribute the fat. Add the liver pieces and cook liver for 3-5 mins on medium-high heat. Flip and cook the other side for a few minutes. One way to ensure your liver slices have been appropriately cooked is to cook for at least 3-5 minutes on each side and slice a bit open to ensure it's no longer bloody. You can also use an internal thermometer to check that the temperature is at least 160F.
- Combine and Finish: Once the liver is halfway cooked, add the onions back into the pan. Finish cooking the liver to your desired doneness.
- Optional Additions:
- Cook the bacon until crisp, remove and set aside.
- Place the sliced onions, mushrooms, garlic and the finely chopped herbs into the pan and cook until the onions are soft.
- Place the remaining butter in the pan, add the liver and salt and pepper and cook until seared and browned on the outside.
- Place the liver into a casserole dish or dutch oven. Pile the bacon and onions on top of it to form a “blanket” over the liver.Place on the stovetop, cover with lid and cook on a gentle heat for approx. 20-30 minutes, this is what creates the rich gravy. Stir together at the end.
Serving Suggestions
This liver and onions recipe is usually eaten with white rice. I like to enjoy my liver and onions with mashed cauliflower or keto rice on a low-carb diet. Serve with low-carb sides such as cauli-rice or zucchini noodles.
This beef liver recipe does include onions, which are higher in carbohydrates. You can either make the recipe without the onions or have a few to fit your macros.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto