Table of Contents Show
Calf liver is a by-product that differs significantly in chemical composition and structure from cattle meat. On the one hand, it is a therapeutic product, since it has anti-anemic, immunomodulatory, antidepressant, and anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
On the other hand, many experts believe that veal liver can detain toxins. Is it worth cooking such a product, how it tastes, and how to choose the right one – let’s figure everything out.
Liver meat background
The liver is a by-product of the 1st category, an internal organ of animals (large and small livestock and poultry) between the stomach and the diaphragm, consumed by humans for food.
You can cook various fried, stewed dishes, pates, sausages and pie fillings from the liver. Not all chefs consider this product worthy for preparing delicacies, however, with proper heat treatment, you will get a really tasty dish.
Nutrition value of liver
The liver is a storehouse of useful substances. The chemical composition of the offal is in no way inferior to meat tenderloin. The main value lies in the low calorie content, high protein content, and sufficient concentration of iron.
In addition, experts allocate vitamins of group B, and phosphorus. However, in order to preserve all these nutrients, you must be able to choose, process and prepare the product correctly.Â
What does liver taste like?
Calf liver may have a bitter taste, but when properly cooked, it is more tender and tasty. So, how to describe the taste of this offal? Fresh calf liver has a sweet, earthy taste. It makes chefs around the world come up with new and new delicacies with this product.
A stale product will have a bitter and unpleasant flavor that you will immediately feel. Try to be especially careful with choosing a by-product, so that you do not have to soak the liver in marinades.
Sometimes calf liver can also have a metallic taste. You can solve this problem by soaking the product in milk. Just put the pieces of liver in a shallow frying pan and pour in enough milk. Leave to marinate for a couple of hours.
How can I make my liver taste better?
Not everyone likes the liver: the unpleasant aroma, specific taste and rigid structure are really not pleasant to everyone. However, if you are a liver lover, learn a few simple secrets to improve the taste of this product.
- Before cooking, be sure to clean the liver from the veins, vessels and shell. If this is difficult, place the liver in warm water for a few minutes.
- Marinade will help to make the liver tastier. Dissolve a little citric acid or lemon juice in water, add balsamic vinegar and soak the liver in this marinade for several hours.
- Do not prematurely salt the offal, as salt draws moisture from the products.
Calf liver selection criteriaÂ
Experts urge you to be especially careful when choosing a calf liver. To do this, pay attention to the following points:
- The color of a quality product should vary from brown to dark red.
- The shell should be smooth without damage. If there is a gray coating on the shell, the by-product has deteriorated.
- High-quality by-products have a sweet characteristic smell.
- When choosing a delicacy, carefully inspect the bile ducts. In a healthy liver, the edges of the holes do not differ in color from the main structure.
- Fresh liver should look dense, moist, elastic and shiny.
Is Eating Beef Liver Good For You?
Due to its rich chemical composition, calf liver has a beneficial effect on the human body. Among the useful properties, experts distinguish the following:
- The ability to increase the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood.
- Influence on the appearance of the skin, the structure of hair and nails.
- The ability to increase the body’s endurance to power loads and physical training.
- Regulation of blood clotting and thrombosis.
Do you have to soak calves liver?
However, some experts are categorically opposed to eating liver. The reason lies in the ability of the internal organ to accumulate harmful substances and toxins.
This can lead to poisoning of the human body, allergies, as well as intoxication. To avoid such consequences, you need to choose the right fresh liver, as well as properly pickle and cook the product.
To protect yourself, soak the offal in milk or water. The main thing is not to forget to dry the liver with paper towels later.
Beef Liver VS Calf Liver
Many beginners do not know which liver to choose for cooking their dishes: beef or calf? Both by-products have the same nutrients that are useful for the human body.
However, calf liver is a delicacy due to its soft texture. Another advantage is a lower level of toxic substances. A calf does not have time to accumulate as many harmful substances as an adult bull during its life.
Cooks are unanimous in choosing the best liver for cooking: only calf. The combination of texture, tenderness, taste and aroma is ideal for preparing most dishes.
How to cook calf liver in oven
You can easily cook veal liver in the oven. To do this, you will need the following ingredients:
- calf liver – 500 grams
- onions – 1 piece
- olive oil – 20 ml
- salt and pepper – to taste
- garlic powder – to taste
- spices – to taste
Step-by-step execution technology:
- Rinse the liver under cold water. Remove the film from the offal.
- Chop the workpiece into portions and transfer to a baking container.
- Add salt and pepper to the liver, mix and leave for about 10 minutes.
- Chop the onions into half rings and put them in a saucepan with oil.
- Roast the vegetables to a ruddy shade on medium heat.
- Then spread the fried onion evenly over the surface of the offal.
- Cover the workpiece with a lid and place it in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes.Â
How long to cook calf liverÂ
Unlike beef, calf liver is younger, and therefore more tender. Such a product requires less time for preparation and boiling.
To begin with, you need to clean the calf liver from the shell and veins. During cleaning, check the freshness of the product: if the shell is easily separated from the surface, then the liver is fresh.
After cleaning, soak the product in water for 30 minutes, and then boil for 20-25 minutes. Check the readiness of the calf liver when cutting, if it bleeds, then increase the cooking time.
Cooks also recommend adding salt already at the end of cooking, so that the product does not become rigid.
How to cook calf liver in air fryer
You can also cook deep-fried veal liver. To do this, prepare the following ingredients:
- calf liver — 400 g
- wheat flour — 1 tbsp
- starch (potato) — 1 tbsp
- vegetable oil — 200 ml
- salt — to taste
- onion — 1 piece
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Wash the liver, remove the veins and film, cut into cubes, 5-7 cm each.
- Soak the offal in water, then dry with paper towels.
- Pour starch and flour into the bag, add the liver, close and shake.
- Heat the oil in a deep fryer, carefully lay out the liver. Fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place on a paper towel to remove excess oil.Â
How to cook calf liver without flourÂ
Breading is a good option to cook liver, but you can do without flour mixture. To prepare such a recipe, you will need the following set of ingredients:
- liver (calf) – 800 gr
- kefir – 300 ml
- onion (large) – 1 piece
- vegetable oil – 2 tbsp.l
- ground pepper – to taste
- salt – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Wash the liver, dry it with paper towels and remove the shell.
- Cut a large piece into medium-sized pieces with a thickness of about 1.5 cm and send it to a bowl.
- Fill the liver with enough milk. Put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Pour the oil into the mold and spread it over the bottom. Add the chopped onion, sprinkle with salt and ground pepper.
- Put the liver on a baking sheet and put it in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Put the finished liver on plates with a side dish and immediately serve it on the table.
Easy calf liver with onions recipe
A combination of onion and calf’s liver is a great option. For such recipe you will need:
- calf liver – 800 g
- onion 2-3 pcs.
- sour cream – 2-3 tbsp
- mustard – 1 tsp
- extra virgin olive oil – 3-4 tbsp
- salt and pepper – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Thoroughly wash the liver, remove the shell and other excess.
- Then we cut it into portions, preferably not very thick.
- Peel the onion and cut it into half rings for more flavor. Add onions to the large skillet. Fry until golden brown over medium high heat. So you will get caramelized onions.
- Fry liver slices and onions in olive oil for another 5 minutes. To submit success, remove onions 3 minutes before ending. Otherwise, they will give away too much liquid.
- Add sour cream, mustard, salt, and pepper to the pan. Stir well and fry for 7 minutes under the lid. The dish is ready!
Boxty with liver and bacon recipe
Even deliciously cooked liver can not be compared with the strong taste of boxty with liver and bacon. For this dish you will need the following ingredients:
- calf liver – 300g
- butter – 70g
- onions – 1 piece
- carrots – 1 piece
- vegetable oil
- salt – to taste
- black pepper – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Peel the liver from the shell and cut into cubes.
- Prepare the marinade. In a bowl, pour lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, squeeze out garlic, add spices, mix everything.
- Put the chopped liver in the marinade, mix, and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Take raw smoked bacon according to the number of liver pieces. Put a strip of bacon on the board, put the liver on it from the edge and “bandage” a piece.
- Place the pieces of liver in the bacon on the high heated frying pan. Reduce heat to medium, and fry the liver in bacon for 2 minutes on each side.
How to serve calf liver
Professional chefs say that it is best to serve fruits and berries to the liver: apples, raspberries, and blackberries. They will give the dish an exotic and festive look and taste.
Liver dishes are also well served with light vegetable side dishes or tender mashed potatoes. As drinks, as well as with beef recipes, it is better to serve concentrated juices – pomegranate, cherry, and apple.
Another good option would be a semi-sweet red wine.
Storage rules
If you have remaining liver, then learn how to store it properly. Professional chefs advise you to pay attention to the following points:
- Store the cooked veal liver in the refrigerator, at a temperature of no more than + 6 degrees for no more than 2 days.
- If, when purchasing a liver, you have not yet decided whether she will cook it within the next two days, it is better to put the product in the freezer for storage.
- Do not leave the prepared product at room temperature for more than 4 hours.
Recommendations
Many housewives refuse to cook the liver, due to the fact that it turns out to be dry and hard. However, professional chefs have highlighted a number of tips that will help you prepare this offal the right way:
- Try to initially choose a fresh product, without an unpleasant smell.
- Before cooking, you should definitely get rid of the shell. It gives the dish excessive bitterness. The calf liver has a very thin film. To remove it, scald it with boiling water or put it in boiling water for 20 seconds.
- To make the liver tender, pre-soak it in cold milk.
- If there is no milk at hand, you can use baking soda. Sprinkle it on each piece of liver and leave it for 1 hour. Then it is enough to rinse the liver under a stream of cold water.
- In order to make the liver airy and soft during frying, it is better to cut it into small pieces.
- To make the liver juicy and soft, it must be fried in a well-heated frying pan for 5 minutes on each side.
- If you want to get a slightly pink liver, cook the product over moderate heat.
Final Verdict
Calf liver is a product that not everyone will like. However, the main problem most often lies in the inability to cook such a dish correctly. Just learn how to choose, store and thermally process the liver correctly.
Choose suitable spices and seasonings, as well as side dishes that can reveal the taste of the product. Experiment and try new calf liver recipes!