Fried Pork Liver Recipe

What are your thoughts on pork liver? Well, if you’re here, chances are you’ve tried it before and liked it! This pork liver recipe is packed with nutrition and protein, perfect for a weekend dinner or a make-ahead meal.

Pork liver is a popular dish, served in stir fry, Menudo, and of course, as the classic liver and onions. Today’s dish is based on the traditional liver and onions recipe that hopefully, you’ll find a little different and plenty tasty.

What does pork liver taste like

It’s pretty hard to describe; it is very rich, mildly bitter, with a hint of an earthy flavor. It has a totally different texture than any other meat, but not in a bad way. The perfect way to find out what it tastes like is to try it yourself!

Is liver good for you?

According to this article, “liver is one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet.”

Pork liver is full of nutrition, containing massive amounts of protein, copper, iron, and vitamins A and B. Liver, in fact, contains such a high amount of vitamin A that eating too much of it can lead to vitamin A toxicity.

Pork liver or beef liver

From a nutritional standpoint, pork and beef liver are very similar. Pork liver is said to have a more intense flavor than beef, though it does tend not to be quite as tender.

The age of the animal plays a significant role in the tenderness of the meat as well. The younger the pork or beef, the more tender it tends to be.

Of course, the way the liver is prepared will also affect the texture and flavor.

How to cook pork liver

We are going to start this pork liver recipe with a marinade. If you want the whole liver experience, skip the marinate step and continue from there.

To begin, slice the meat into thin strips, about a quarter-inch or so thick.

Then marinate the liver in a bowl or ziplock bag. Cover with Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and avocado oil.

The apple cider vinegar in this marinade will really help with…we’ll call it a unique smell and flavor from the liver.

Moving on, let the meat soak anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours—however, long time permits.

The following steps are pretty much the same for frying any meat; pork chops, beef, chicken, etc.

But, before frying the meat, cut an onion up into thick slices and separate the rings.

Then fry the rings in the skillet with butter or oil for just a couple of minutes or until they start to brown.

Now, back to the marinating meat. Drain the marinade off of the liver and pat dry.

Dredge the strips of liver through the flour (I stir a dash of paprika and cayenne pepper in with the flour for an extra kick).

Now, in a hot skillet over medium to medium-high heat along with a dash of oil, cook the liver, flipping often to avoid burning the sides for about 4 or 5 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.

What temp is safe to cook liver to

Cooking liver to the perfect temperature is an absolute must. Overcook it, and it gets tough quickly. And liver, pork, or beef cannot be eaten rare.

The USDA recommends all organ meat, such as beef heart, to be cooked to a minimum of 160°F with the exception of chicken liver which must be cooked to at least 165°F.

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What skillet is best for this recipe

Preferably stick with a cast iron skillet; I am using a 12″ skillet which, fits all the liver strips quite nicely. Stainless steel pans will work; just be sure to keep an eye on the temperature.

Serving suggestions

Pork liver and onions make an excellent meal just as it is. Other tasty sides to compliment it include potatoes, Brussel sprouts, rice, or this delicious bacon and butternut squash dish.

Fried pork liver, like fried chicken, is a simple recipe that can be made and enjoyed any night of the week.

Some more popular favorites:

• Venison backstrap
• Fajitas texanas
• Saucy pork ribs
• Juicy jalapeno burgers
• Homestyle meatloaf