Beef liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. When handled and cleaned properly, it can be a delicious and healthy addition to your diet. Here is a comprehensive guide to cleaning beef liver from harvest to preparation for cooking.
Harvesting and Removing the Liver
When harvesting beef, the liver is located on the right side of the abdomen attached to the diaphragm near the spine. Carefully remove the liver by hand gently pulling and tugging it free from the connective tissue. Avoid puncturing or tearing it.
Once removed, inspect the liver thoroughly. Look for any scarring, abscesses, discoloration, spots, parasites, or other irregularities. Minor scarring is okay, but discard the liver if extensive scarring, cysts, or abnormalities are present.
Separating the Lobes
Beef liver has four distinct lobes or sections. After harvesting, separate the lobes by slicing between the connective tissue:
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The right lobe is the largest. Remove any attached gallbladder, bile ducts, or connecting tissue.
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The left lobe and caudate lobe can be trimmed of membranes and veins.
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The quadrate lobe sits between the caudate and right lobe. Trim away any visible ducts, tissue, etc.
Separating the lobes facilitates thorough cleaning, trimming, and inspection.
Trimming and Inspection
With the lobes separated, you can now trim away any remaining veins, ducts, membranes, or discolored portions:
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Slit larger veins lengthwise and scrape out interior blood clots. Rinse thoroughly.
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Trim any attached fat, membranes, or connective tissue.
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Slice into lobes to expose the interior and check for abnormalities.
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Discard any liver with abscesses, significant scarring, spots, parasites or other issues.
Soaking and Rinsing
To draw out any residual blood and further clean the liver:
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Soak lobes in cold salted water for 1 hour, or up to overnight.
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Rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
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Pat dry with paper towels.
Soaking helps improve flavor and texture. The liver is now ready for portioning.
Portioning the Liver
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Slice the lobes into smaller, evenly-sized pieces for easier cooking.
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Ideal portions are approx. 1/2 pound each.
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You can also choose to grind portions instead of slicing.
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Pack portions in bags or containers, refrigerate for use within 3 days, or freeze.
Freezing Liver for Later Use
For longer storage, freezing is recommended:
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Seal liver portions in freezer bags, removing air.
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Flatten bags to freeze flat for efficient stacking.
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Label with cut, quantity, and freeze date.
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Frozen liver stays fresh 6-12 months at 0°F.
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Thaw in fridge before use.
Freezing in portions makes it easy to defrost just what you need for recipes.
Preparing Liver for Cooking
Once your liver is cleaned, trimmed, and portioned, you’re ready to cook and enjoy!
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Rinse portions and pat dry.
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Lightly coat with oil or milk to help tenderize.
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Gently cook using high heat or slow cooking methods.
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Avoid overcooking, which can toughen the texture.
With proper harvesting and cleaning techniques, beef liver can be a delicious and nutritious ingredient. Follow these steps for quality liver ready to cook up any way you like.
HOW TO CLEAN LIVER FOR COOKING
Does beef liver need to be cleaned before cooking?
Beef liver is a nutritious and tasty organ meat that is key to any nose-to-tail ancestral diet. Liver provides iron, protein, vitamin b12, and minerals. However, beef liver needs to be cleaned properly before cooking because it can have clotted blood inside that will taste bad. You need to get rid of all the blood and membranes before cooking it.
Which foods help clean the liver?
A healthy lifestyle is the key to a healthy liver, but certain foods can help cleanse your liver. These are: leafy greens like kale and spinach, cruciferous vegetable like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, fatty fish such as fresh tuna, anchovies, sardines, and mackerel, infusions, especially green tea and infusion of rosemary, garlic, nuts, spices like turmeric and curcumin, olive oil, fruits and berries, and whole grain products like oatmeal, brown rice, millet and barley.
How to remove membrane from beef liver before cooking?
It is recommended to remove the membrane from beef liver before cooking. You can easily do this by using a sharp knife to peel away the thin membrane on the surface. Removing the membrane helps prevent the liver from becoming tough and chewy.
How to cook beef liver?
Place the cut slices of beef liver in the vinegar water and cover with a lid. Keep the pieces soaking for at least 5 hours. If you want extra creamy beef liver, soak the pieces in 1.5 liters of fresh milk instead of vinegar water. It’s more expensive, but this is how chefs around the globe prepare organ meats like beef liver.