While liver is rarely enjoyed in the modern diet, it is an incredibly nutrient dense food that is an important source of essential vitamins and minerals.
According to the Weston A. Price Foundation, liver provides:
- “An excellent source of high-quality protein
- Nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A
- All the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12
- One of our best sources of folic acid
- A highly usable form of iron
- Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium; liver is our best source of copper
- An unidentified anti-fatigue factor
- CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
- A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA.”
There are many great reasons to incorporate more liver into your diet, but if you aren’t familiar with preparing organ meats it can be a bit intimidating. Liver also has a distinct flavor that can be unappealing to some folks.
Finding ways to make organ meats enjoyable will obviously encourage you to include them in your diet more often. But, is it doable? Definitely!
Our whole family enjoys this beef liver paté served with homemade crackers. Even my 4 year old, who has recently decided there’s a huge number of foods she no longer eats, likes it! If you still find the taste a bit unappealing, add a small slice of tomato to each cracker, as the acidity helps to tone down the liver flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 lb beef liver, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp salt
Directions:
Add a few spoonfuls of the butter to a heated pan and sauté the onions until soft and translucent.
Add the liver and cook for a few minutes, until lightly browned.
Add the red wine (I substitute homemade wines — Yves’ naranjilla wine is a tasty addition) and apple cider vinegar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has cooked off.
Add the salt, thyme, and liver-onion mixture to a food processor and blend til smooth.
Stir in the remaining butter and a little more salt, if desired.
Enjoy with homemade sourdough crackers and fresh tomato slices. My sourdough nettle crackers and whole wheat moringa sourdough crackers pair beautifully with this savory spread.
References
Nichols, Lily. Liver and Organ Meat: Nutritional Benefits & How to Make it Palatable.
Razaitis, Lynn. The Liver Files. Weston A. Price Foundation. July 29, 2005.
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