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Want to cook beef liver but not sure how? Learn the very best way to enjoy this popular organ meat with a simple and delicious beef liver recipe!
I’ve really gotten into making different variations of beef liver recipes over the last few years. It’s funny because growing up, I would never have guessed I’d be the one cooking it, let alone enjoying it.
My mom made liver and onions regularly, and I’d do everything I could to avoid it. But after I got married and started learning to cook on my own, I slowly came around!
Now, to be honest, it’s something I actually look forward to making, and “most” of my kids do too.
This particular recipe is a bit of a spinoff from my fried beef liver recipe. The main difference is that there’s no batter here, and instead of deep frying, the liver is simply seared for a golden crust and tender inside.
So while you head off to try this recipe, I’ll be in my kitchen dreaming up the next round of beef liver recipes to share!
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love This Beef Liver Recipe
- Even the liver-resistant will love this recipe! This is the best way to cook beef liver to bring out all of its great qualities.
- This simple recipe is customizable to suit all preferences. Adjust the seasonings, swap out the onions, or add your favorite sauce to make this recipe just how you like it.
- Cooking beef liver can be intimidating if you’ve never done it. This recipe is simple and beginner-friendly!
- We like to use different organ meats in our cooking to prevent waste and diversify our diets. Roasted beef heart, slow cooker beef tongue, and this beef liver recipe are easy and tasty ways to incorporate offal into everyday meals!
Ingredients
- Beef liver: Use fresh, high-quality beef liver for best results.
- Buttermilk: This is optional, but it helps reduce the metallic taste that is common in liver.
- Seasonings: A combination of salt, pepper, and paprika gives this just enough flavor! Of course, feel free to add any additional seasonings you enjoy.
- Flour: Dredging the liver in a bit of flour before cooking helps it get a nice golden crust.
- Butter: Essential for pan-searing meats, in my opinion! Oil works well too!
- Onion: Fried onions are the perfect complement to beef liver. I use yellow onions, but you can substitute red if you prefer.
- Avocado oil: For sautéing the onions. Olive oil will also work.
How to Cook Beef Liver
Step 1: If you are using buttermilk, soak the liver in it for 1 hour ahead of time.
Step 2: After the hour is up, pat the liver dry and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Step 3: Lightly sprinkle both sides of the liver with flour, then shake off any excess flour.
Step 4: Heat your skillet, add melted butter, and cook the liver 3-4 minutes or until a nice golden brown crust develops. Flip and continue cooking on the other side for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through.
Step 5: Set the liver aside to rest, then add oil and onions to the skillet. Cook 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft.
Step 6: Top the liver with the fried onions and serve immediately.
Helpful Tips
- Cooked beef liver doesn’t store well, so I recommend making just enough to enjoy immediately.
- In this recipe, we are cooking the beef liver very much like a steak. When the liver is ready to be flipped, it should pull away easily from the skillet. If it sticks, try letting it cook a bit longer.
- Beef liver cooks best on medium to high heat. Slow cooking liver leads to dry, tough meat.
- If you want to use a thermometer to know when your liver is done, aim for an internal temperature of 160°F. Avoid overcooking your liver as it will negatively affect the texture.
What to Serve with Beef Liver
Beef liver can be served as the main dish for nearly any meal! Just as you pair side dishes with steak or pork chops, beef liver can complement similar sides.
My favorite sides for homemade beef liver are mashed potatoes, green salad, green beans, or homemade dutch oven french fries. I like to pair it with a carb and a vegetable for a well-balanced meal.
Beef liver also tastes delicious alongside homemade bread. A whole grain artisan loaf with butter is perfect!
Recipe FAQs
As you’ll see in this recipe, I like pan-searing beef liver like you would a steak! With butter and fried onions, it brings out the best flavors and gives it a rich and savory touch. If you aren’t sure about eating beef liver plain, you can add it to ground meat recipes, such as beef liver stir fry.
Soaking beef liver in buttermilk helps reduce the metallic taste that is common in liver. If you enjoy the taste of liver as is, you can certainly skip the soaking!
Related Recipes
- Fried Pork Liver Recipe
- How to Cook Chicken Livers the Easy Way
- Easy Beef Rump Roast Recipe
- Dutch Oven Brisket
If you tried this Beef Liver Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Beef Liver Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef liver
- 1 cup buttermilk optional
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
Instructions
- If you are using buttermilk, soak the liver in it for 1 hour ahead of time.
- After the hour is up, pat the liver dry and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Lightly sprinkle both sides of the liver with flour then shake off any excess flour.
- Heat your skillet, add melted butter, and cook the liver 3-4 minutes or until a nice golden brown crust develops.
- Flip and continue cooking on the other side for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.
- Set the liver aside to rest, then add oil and onions to the skillet. Cook 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft.
- Top the liver with the fried onions and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cooked beef liver doesn’t store well, so I recommend making just enough to enjoy immediately.
- In this recipe, we are cooking the beef liver very much like a steak. When the liver is ready to be flipped, it should pull away easily from the skillet. If it sticks, try letting it cook a bit longer.
- Beef liver cooks best on medium to high heat. Slow cooking liver leads to dry, tough meat.
- If you want to use a thermometer to know when your liver is done, aim for an internal temperature of 160°F. Avoid overcooking your liver as it will negatively affect the texture.
best liver and onion recipe yet!
Thank you so much for the kind comment!