All Things Liver

Liver and Onions

2 pounds sliced beef liver
1 1/2 cups milk, or as needed
1/4 cup butter, divided

(If you have it, use bacon grease instead!)

2 large Vidalia onions, sliced into rings
2 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed

salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

 

Gently rinse liver slices under cold water, and place in a medium bowl. Pour in enough milk to cover. Let stand while preparing onions. (I would soak it 30 minutes to an hour - whatever you have time for.) This step takes the bitter taste of the liver out.

 
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Separate onion rings, and saute them in butter until soft. Remove onions, and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Season the flour with salt, pepper and garlic powder and put it in a shallow dish or on a plate. Drain milk from liver, and coat slices in the flour mixture.
 

When the butter has melted, turn the heat up to medium-high, and place the coated liver slices in the pan. Cook until nice and brown on the bottom. Turn, and cook on the other side until browned. Add onions, and reduce heat to medium. Cook a bit longer to taste. Enjoy!

 

 

Southern Fried Chicken Livers

 

1 pound chicken livers

1 egg  

1/2 cup milk

Texas Pete, a few shakes or to taste

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Place the chicken livers in a colander, and rinse with water. Drain the livers well. Whisk together the egg and milk in a shallow bowl until well blended. Shake in a few drops of texas pete, or more to taste. Place the flour, garlic powder, and salt and pepper in a resealable plastic zipper bag, and shake to combine.
 
Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F. My fryer has a vented lid that can be used while frying to reduce the chance of burning yourself due to popping and spattering.
 
Place the chicken livers in the bowl of egg and milk mixture, and coat each liver. Place the livers, one at a time, into the plastic bag of flour mixture, and shake the bag to coat the each liver completely.
 
Gently place the coated livers, a few at a time, into the basket of the fryer. Cover the fryer with the fryer lid to avoid getting burned by spatters of oil that will pop out as the livers fry. Drop the basket and deep fry the livers until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.

I stress the safety of the fry lid because livers can pop! I just want you all to take this recipe and make it your own! Feel free to add your favorite herbs and spices...this is my basic recipe...I often add paprika, poultry seasoning, cajun, anything to the flour.If you like extra crispy....Flour first, then egg mixture, then flour again! Makes the coating thicker and crispier!

 
Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

1 lb. chicken livers
Approximately 8 oz. bacon (not thick cut)
Teriyaki sauce, Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze
Kebab skewers

Wrap bacon around chicken liver, stretching the bacon to fit, if needed. Secure with a skewer. Repeat until skewer is full. Repeat with remaining chicken livers and skewers.

Pour teriyaki sauce over skewers, reserving about 1/4 cup. Marinate skewers for at least 4 hours, but no more than 8 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place skewers on grill and baste with reserved teriyaki sauce. Cook until bacon is done about 7 minutes and flip skewers. Baste again with teriyaki sauce and cook for another 7 minutes making sure not to burn the bacon.