Beef liver is a nutrient power house, and yet many people lack an appreciation for its taste and texture. I tried again and again to find a way to prepare liver so that my whole family would eat it with enjoyment. This Dirty Rice, to date, is the only way everyone in my family will consume liver and ask for more.
Beef liver is often known for having a bitter flavor. In the past, I’ve tried soaking it in lemon juice before cooking. That didn’t quite do it for us, so I moved on to buttermilk as another option. Even though we don’t normally consume dairy, I purchased organic buttermilk and covered each piece of liver to soak overnight in a sealed bowl. The next day, I removed each piece and pat it dry with a paper towel before cooking. This was the secret step I’d been missing.
Soaking beef liver in buttermilk helps to remove the naturally bitter flavor.
Other than neutralizing the traditional liver flavor with buttermilk, the cajun seasoning also helps to hide the taste of liver for those who don’t prefer it. As written below, the recipe makes more seasoning than you’ll need at once. I store it in a labeled air tight container. You can turn up the heat to account for personal preference by adding supplemental teaspoons of seasoning to your dish.
If your family has been scarred by past experiences with liver, this may be the answer to making it a staple in your diet. Aside from buttermilk being a good, neutralizing liquid, I also found that dicing the liver super small helped to hide it in the rice. As an even better option, grind it and mix it with the ground beef before cooking (if you have access to a meat grinder or food processor).
This one pan meal makes for easy clean-up.
Beef liver exceeds most other “superfoods” in its nutrition content. Just 1/10 of a pound of grass fed beef liver contains 276% of vitamin A for the day, 1,236% of B12 and 244% of copper. Other than these heavy hitters, a 1/10 pound serving of beef liver exceeds the nutrient content of a similar serving of kale, spinach, or blueberries in these categories: Vit A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, Folate, B12, Copper, Iron, Phosphorous, Selenium, and Zinc. This is a nutrient powerhouse you want in your diet!
Beef liver contains more vitamins and minerals than any other food on the planet. The B vitamins and iron content divert oxygen to your muscles and organs. This accounts for an increase in energy and the banishment of fatigue. The vitamins in beef liver are also known to increase cognitive functioning and strengthen the immune system.
Aside from adding nutrients with hidden liver, you can also pack a healthy punch by using a rich, homemade bone broth or stock to cook the rice.
I hope you’ll try this tasty way to sneak nutrient dense beef liver into your family’s diet. This makes for a quick week-night meal, so add it to your regular rotation and enjoy!
Cajun Seasoning
Ingredients
– 2 1/2 tsp. paprika
– 2 tsp. garlic powder
– 1 tsp. onion powder
– 1 tsp. cayenne powder
– 1 tsp. dried oregano
– 1 tsp. dried thyme
– 1/2 tsp. white pepper
– 1/2 tsp. black pepper
– 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Store excess rub in an airtight container.
3. This seasoning does not include salt. This allows you to control the salt content of individual recipes and use this one seasoning for multiple uses.
Dirty Rice with Beef Liver
Ingredients
– large skillet or cast iron pan
– 1 lb. ground beef
– 1/4 lb. beef liver
– 1 c. buttermilk
– 1-2 tbsp. avocado or olive oil
– 1 medium onion, diced
– 1 red, orange, or yellow pepper, diced
– 4 ribs celery, diced
– 4 garlic cloves, minced
– 3 tsp. cajun seasoning (see above)
– 3 tsp. Celtic sea salt
– 2 c. beef bone broth or stock
– 1 c. white rice, uncooked
Directions
1. Rinse the liver under water, pat dry, and place in buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, begin to brown the ground beef in oil in a large skillet or cast iron pan.
3. Remove the liver from the refrigerator. Drain and pat dry. Dice very small or grind using a meat grinder or food processor.
4. Add the liver to the ground beef and begin to brown it.
5. While the ground beef and liver are browning, add the onion, pepper, celery, garlic, cajun seasoning, and salt. Cook until the vegetables are soft (about 5 minutes).
6. Add the uncooked rice and beef bone broth or stock. Stir. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer covered until all of the stock is absorbed (about 20 minutes).
7. Fluff with a fork and enjoy.
Here on SpringForestFarm.com, Jennifer Taylor Schmidt writes beef recipes for the busy, natural homemaker. It is possible to seek optimal health with limited time and money. Join Jennifer in future posts as she explores the possibilities found in a 1/4 and a 1/2 beeve. You can also find her thoughts and personal health journey on RealFoodRealHealing.com.
Spring Forest Farm 
I don’t enjoy dicing raw liver, so I often cook the liver first, and while the ground beef and vegetables are browning, I chop it with either a potato masher or in a food processor. Then I add the liver back into the ground beef and vegetables when they are done browining.
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