Featured beef cut:
*** Liver ***
Liver is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s high in protein, iron, B vitamins, vitamin C and cobalamin, and contains many other essential vitamins and minerals. When comparing grass finished verses grain finished beef livers, grass fed beef liver is significantly higher in omega-3 fatty acids and has a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. So if you’re going to eat liver, you’ll get the best health benefits from grass finished liver!
Where can you buy liver? You may be able to find liver at your local butcher, health food store, or your local farmers market. You can also buy from your local beef farmer! We sell sliced frozen liver from our farm in Piedmont, OK.
When most people think of liver, they think of fried liver and onions. When I think of liver, I think of pâté. I grew up in Norway eating leverpostei (tinned pâté) on toast, so it’s a comfort food for me. This recipe is for a balsamic vinegar and caramelized onion beef liver pâté.
Ingredients:
- Grass fed beef liver, about 1.5-2lbs.
- 2/3 cups balsamic vinegar, divided.
- Lard or tallow (I used homemade grass fed beef tallow, but any neutral cooking oil will work).
- One yellow or sweet onion, sliced thin.
- 1 teaspoon thyme (or the leaves from 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme).
- 1 teaspoon salt.
- ~1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
Directions:
- Our liver is cleaned and sliced by our processor. If you’ve bought a whole liver, you’ll likely need to remove the outer membrane before slicing.
- Soak the liver slices in 1/3 cup of the balsamic vinegar, ideally overnight, or at least for 3-4 hours.
- Remove the liver after soaking and rinse and pat dry.
- Caramelize the onions: heat a tablespoon or so of your cooking oil in a pan over medium high heat and add your sliced onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are caramelized and very reduced. This can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes.
- Add the remaining 1/3 cup balsamic to the onions and continue cooking and stirring until the vinegar has reduced and coated the onions and garlic in a nice glaze.
- Remove onions to a bowl.
- Add more oil to your pan if needed, and cook the sliced liver in batches, about 3-5 minutes per side.
- Put the liver, caramelized onions, salt and thyme in to a blender and pulse until combined.
- Run the blender on low and pour the olive oil in slowly until the mixture reaches a desirable consistency – you want it to be smooth, but not runny.
- Pâté is usually enjoyed cold. Chill in the fridge before use. You can enjoy it warm as well if you prefer.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container and it will keep for about a week (you can also freeze it and it will be good for 6 months or so).
Serving suggestions:
- Spread over toasted bread or crackers and enjoy as an appetizer or snack.
- Spread over toast and pair with a light salad for a nutrient rich meal.
- Try melting slice of pâté over your next steak as it rests for extra decadence!
- Feature it as a spread on a charcuterie board.
