Calf Liver Recipes

Calf liver recipes are a versatile and flavorful alternative to your typical beef dishes. Liver is also considered to be healthier than most beef products because it comes from a younger animal that has been exposed to fewer hormones and antibiotics, making it a guilt-free choice for many meat recipes.

Calf's Liver Recipes

Try the following recipes with calf's liver.

Braised Calf's Liver

Ingredients

• 2 pounds calf's liver, sliced into thin pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Season liver with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
3. Add calf's liver to the oil in a single layer (you may need to work in batches) and brown on both sides.
4. Remove liver from oil and set aside on a platter.
5. Add onion to oil and sauté until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Add tomato paste and stir until it begins to brown, 2-3 minutes.
7. Add wine, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
8. Add paprika and return liver to pan.
9. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until liver is cooked through.

Calf's Liver Stew

Ingredients

• 3-4 slices thick cut pepper bacon, cut into pieces
• 1 pound calf's liver
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 4 medium red potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Cut liver into slices and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp over medium-high heat.
3. Remove bacon from oil with a slotted spoon and set aside on a platter.
4. Add liver to bacon fat and sauté on both sides until browned.
5. Remove liver and set aside on platter with bacon.
6. Add onions, diced carrots, and celery to the pan. Cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
7. Add garlic and cook until it releases its scent, about 30 seconds.
8. Add flour and cook, stirring until flour begins to brown - about 2-3 minutes.
9. Stir in red wine, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan.
10. Stir in beef stock.
11. Add sliced carrots, potatoes, pearl onion and rosemary to pan.
12. Add bacon and liver, as well as any juices that have collected on the platter.
13. Simmer until stock thickens, potatoes are tender, and liver cooks through, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Calf's Liver versus Beef Liver

Many people feel calf's liver has far superior taste and texture to beef liver, which can be strongly flavored and quite mushy. This is because the livers have not had to work as hard or filter as many toxins as liver from an older cow. Many people feel the flavor is far cleaner and the texture more palatable than beef's liver. Likewise, calf's liver is high in:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B12
• Copper
• Vitamin B2
• Folate
• Zinc
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin B5
• Protein

Replacing Beef with Calf Liver Recipes

Because the meat of calf liver is so tender and packed with flavor, it can be easily substituted for beef in calf liver recipes like liver and onions or stew. If you've tried beef liver and don't like it, but you've never had calf's liver, then give it a try. You may discover just how good it really tastes.