“A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”- Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Ok, so this isn’t the liver of an annoying bureaucrat but that of a cow, either way liver and onions could possibly one of the scariest dinners one can encounter. As a child the thought of eating liver and onions would run shivers up my spine. But as an adult I’m more intrigued than terrified. I decided to treat the beef liver with as much love as I would a filet mignon. It is just another cut of beef after all and deserves the same amount of respect. Now that I have a newfound respect for liver, wouldn’t it be fun to make this as part of a spooky Halloween feast? What could be more fun than a Silence of the Lambs themed Halloween dinner party? Just minus the cannibalism, obviously.

Liver and Onions

1 lb. beef liver

2 cups full fat buttermilk

1 small yellow onion, sliced

1 small red onion, sliced

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

3 TBSP unsalted butter

¼ cup bourbon

1 cup beef broth

Fresh thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

In a glass bowl or container, place the liver and cover with the buttermilk. Cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

On a pan or a large plate, measure out the flour, garlic powder, onion powder and the kosher salt. Mix to combine and set aside. 

Drain the buttermilk off the liver and give the liver a quick rinse under cool water. This is to rinse away some of the gamey and bitter flavors normally associated with beef liver. 

Set a large non-stick on medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter, cook the butter until it starts to gently foam. While your pan heats up we will prepare the liver.

Dredge the liver pieces in your seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Once the pan is hot enough, place the dredged liver in the pan and cook until browned on one side, about 6 minutes. Add another tablespoon of butter, flip and brown the otherside. When browned on both sides, remove from the pan and set on a plate. 

Add your sliced onions to the pan you browned the liver, sprinkle with a little bit of salt and cook on medium low heat. As the onions cook, scrape up any brown bits leftover from the liver. Cook until the onions have softened and are translucent. 

Next, add your bourbon to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes or until reduced. This will cook out the alcohol but not the bourbon’s flavor. Once the bourbon is reduced add the beef brother and turn the heat up to medium. When the beef broth has reduced and thickened slightly, add back in the browned liver and cook for about 10-15 minutes spooning the sauce over the liver as it cooks. This will thicken the sauce even more and finish cooking the liver.  

Finish the liver by adding some leaves from a few thyme sprigs as well as salt and pepper to taste. Serve your liver and onions with mashed potatoes and your vegetable of choice, perhaps some fava beans. 

*Notes: 

Marinating the liver in buttermilk is a very important step in the making of liver and onions. The acid in the buttermilk helps to tenderize the meat as well as washing away some of the metallic game flavor usually negatively associated with beef liver.

When done the liver should be slightly pink in the middle. You don’t want to over cook the meat because it will become tough and chewy.