Mom's Liver and Onions (NOT)

[Charlie B53]

Don't get me wrong, I loved my Mom, still do, even though sh'e gone now.  But I do not like her Liver and Onions.   I'm not so sure she liked it either.  She liked her meat well done.  Steak, well done, burgers, well done, chicken, falling apart done, roasts, falling apart done.   See a pattern here?  When it came to Liver, WELL DONE.  And I mean shoe leather.   I can't be sure if she actually like it or if she fixed it thinking us kids HAD TO have it as part of a well (done) balanced diet.   I can't cook meat like that.  Pork, I make the exception, I actually break out my thermometer and keep checking the internal temp until it 'just' hits 180 F, then it's instantly OFF the heat.  Chicken almost the same.  Oh, a little tip on chicken.  ALWAYS buy local.  What I mean is if you live in the NorthWest do NOT buy 'Grown in Arkansas' chicken, and likewise here in Missouri I would never by a bird from Washington.  Since Dad owned the Refrigeration Company I learned a lot as a kid.  Some unscrupulous drivers are too cheap to burn the fuel to keep their refer running and frozen during the trip.  Some have been known to stop by a refrigeration supply house and gas their load with nitrogen, refreezing it solid so a warehouse will accept the delivery.  Not always, but sometimes those long-distance birds have been frozen, thawed, and re-frozen.  I can see it in the color of the meat and bone of the legs and thighs after it is cooked.  Local birds are generally far fresher.

When it comes to liver,  I won't buy frozen, it HAS TO BE fresh.  This makes all the difference in the world.  Freezing liver rupture the cellular walls as the water freezes and enlarges, causing the flesh to dry much quicker as it is being cooked.  This results in tougher to cut and chew liver.   Pretty much the same with ALL meats, but especially liver as there is no long-chain muscle, more like a sponge.  It has to have it's integrity or it loses its tenderness once cooked.   Got that?   NO frozen Liver.  Frozen makes great catfish bait!

Now, on to the cooking.

I like to use a bit of bacon to get a bit of flavor and to lube my skillet.  Cut the bacon into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces and put in skillet on low to medium heat.  We're not needed to fry it so much is to slowly melt out the fat.  As it heats you can turn up the heat a bit to melt a bit more.  If you like a lot of bacon fine, use a lot.  If you are not a bacon eater then feel free to use any oil, a few tablespoons should work fine also.  You can play with oils for different flavors as each has it's own and can add a little something.

While the bacon or oil is heating clean and slice the onions.  1/4 to 3/8 inch thick slices.  Add to your skillet on medium heat, cover and sort of simmer, stirring and turning as needed until they soften and begin to darken.  If your onions ever look like they are drying, add another spot ofoil and if necessary a few tablespoons of water, they HAVE TO stay well moistened.  That's why you have to keep the lid on, not just to keep in the heat but to keep in the moisture. While the onions are simmering down prepare your FRESH Liver.  If you become a regular at the Butcher Shop you may ask if he is willing to skin and de-vein the liver before slicing.  The skin and large veins are the toughest parts of the liver.  If you see any large vein pieces, cut them out.  Sharp knife or kitchen scissors will work fine.

Some like to rinse and dry their liver to rid it of all blood.  That's fine.  Salt if you use it sparingly,  I skip the salt myself,  it just contributes to my holding even more water, raising my BP and making my legs swell.  I use Lemon Pepper and Garlic.  Both sides.  Have it ready but do NOT put it into the skillet until the onions are done.  Lay the liver directly on top of the onions and put the lid back on.  You are not wanting to fry the Liver so much as to steam it.  Watch it carefully.  I really like my clear glass lid, I can keep a close eye on the color of the liver. When the top side of the liver begins to lighten turn it over and fork some of the onions on top. Put the cover back on and notice how long it has been since you first put the liver in as this is critical.  Depending on the level of heat, the size of your skillet and how much liver you have it will only take about HALF as much time to cook the second side.   Turn the heat down to low NOW. There is already enough heat to finish cooking.   When that few minutes are up get it OUT of the skillet away from the heat.

If having vegetables, potatoes, etc. they all should have been on and done before the Liver hits the skillet as Liver does NOT take long.  Not quite as quick as frying eggs, but still not very long, everything else has to be just about ready for the plate.

Tender enough you can just about cut it with a fork!   Far far better than Mom's shoe leather.

Sorry Mom.


Liver and Onions

1 to 1 1/2 pound FRESH Liver

8 ounces of Bacon, more or less, or 3 -4 tablespoons oil

3 or 4 LARGE Sweet Onions, sliced, or more if you like the onions as a 'gravy' on potatoes, or bread

salt?

Pepper

Garlic, course

[Michael Murphy]

When I was a child my parents and my sister loved liver and onions, personally I would have preferred to have body parts repeatedly slammed in a drawer then eat liver.  My rule was simple I would skip dinner and go to bed hungry rather then eat liver.  I would eat veggies I hated but I drew the line on liver.  Since my mother did not like us not to eat usually I got something else besides the liver.  When I was about 8 57 years ago I had a epic case of Scarlet Fever I was out of school for a month.  The first week my mother made liver.  She and my father decided to tell me it was steak, being young and naive I trusted them and began to eat.  My parents probably celebrating their victory went down stairs to eat their liver.  All I know is that for some reason the liver did not agree with me and I power chucked it all over my room.  Needless to say never again was I presented with liver for dinner.  I I'll also state there is very few reasons to be a adult the best is if I don't like it there is no one who can make me eat it.

[Charlie B53]

That is definitely an advantage to growing up.  LOL

Our Kids didn't care much for Liver either.  I would only insist on them taking ONE bite, after that they would pig out on mac and cheese.   Wife and I both like my Liver.  It IS tender.  And that makes all the difference.  Well, and the carmelized onions.  Sometime I make them just to have them with steak and potatoes.

[cassandra]

I might get to try it once during my lifetime (but hubby hates pigs liver), cos it sounds nice, but so far I've been eating chicken liver, which is delicious with the same recipe. And have only had pigs liver in hosp where everythings is always.........

[Charlie B53]

There is only one problem with chicken liver, there is only the ONE!

Pork liver makes for good fish bait, or crab bait if you're near salt water.

[cassandra]

           Nah we buy it per pound, and for crab 'catching' you have to be on the east coast (UK), and I'm afraid that fish catching is not one of my hobbies.
Fresh chicken liverS are delicious. But I'm gonna try you pig liver recipe on a day hubby will eat vegetarian. That hasn't ever happend yet, but .....

[kickingandscreaming]

I love liver and onions.  And I like rare.  Used to prefer calves liver, but now that I know how abused calves (veal) are, I won't touch it anymore.  Beef liver is fine.  The problem is it's very high in phosphorus (136mg/oz.). That's why I stopped eating it.

[Charlie B53]

Ooops!   I forgot I was going to look that up to see just how much phosporus there is.  I did take 2 binders last night after eating only three pieces.

But I forgot tonight, and I already finished ALL the left-overs.  Ah, can I take binders a few hours AFTER?  Or is it way too late already?

Just yet another of my many "D'oh!"  moments!

I was so full I couldn't finish all the onions.

[cassandra]

I would think that binders 2 hours later would still work on the bits that hadn't left your stomach yet?

[Charlie B53]

Done.

Wondering what I am going to make today?

Can't be much as Wife has a colonoscopy tomorrow and is on clear fluids only today.  Tonite she has to drink that 'stuff'  YUCK!   When I had mine at the VA they give us a GALLON jug of powder they call 'Go-litely'.  Got to be some of the most terrible stuff invented by man.   I couldn't drink it.   I ended up dumping almost a whole container of lemonade mix into it.  Wasn't so bad then.  Got the job done.   That's one I just about dread doing again.   Wife having hers is an unpleasant reminder.  If I remember correctly, I had mine not too long after she did hers last time.   I'll tell you,  at my next visit with my PCP that I am NOT going to mention this!

I may have to make some lame excuse to have to run to town, and grab a quick bite like a McChicken sandwich so I can have it gone before I get home.  That way I won't feel so guilty eating in front of her.

[kickingandscreaming]

Binders are supposed to be in your stomach at the same time as the food.  I doubt that those binders did much for you.  My dietition said that each binder (Renvela) is only good to bind 64mg of phosphorus per 800mg tablet. 

I don't know how big a "piece" of liver really is (it depends) so I don't know if 3 binders would be adequate to bind that much phosphorus.  According to Nutritiondata.com a "slice" of liver weighs about 2.4 ounces and delivers 20 grams of protein and 338mg phosphorus.  To "cover" that much phosphorus you would need 5 Renvelas. 

[Jean]

Like most people, I think, as a kid, I would not touch the stuff. Then I learned to love the only kind I see locally, which is calves liver. Ironically, now, I am married to a man who is highly allergic to onions. How do you like that one? I am far too lazy to cook two meals, so I just wait for " girls night out" and have it then.

[Charlie B53]

Wow, I never heard of an onion allergy.   My Wife sometimes has problems digesting raw onions but once cooked they are no problem.

But some allergies, like with peanuts, NOTHING is safe.

It's good that he has found out, and watchful as there may be others he isn't aware of, yet.

Take Care,

Charlie B53