Question on claves liver: Had it a few weeks ago in a restaurant and it was superb.

C

cynupstateny

Well-known member
Very mild flavor, med rare and lots of caramelized onions. Made it at home last night and, even though I soaked the liver in milk before cooking, it had a really strong bite.

Anyone know how I can tame it a bit?

 
Do you think it was as fresh as it might have been? I've not cooked it in awhile, but in years

past have sometimes purchased liver that was very strong and I think it was just not fresh. Same with chicken livers, I've recently been able to get Bell and Evans from Whole Foods and the difference is amazing. They're soooo good, compared to what I've gotten in a regular supermarket.

Edited to say the milk should have helped, I'd hate to think how strong it might have been without it.

 
Did you notice any discoloration? Sometimes in the butchering it is touched with a bit of the bile

 
It tasted the same as it always does when I make it at home. Just trying to

figure out what they do at the restaurant to "tame" it.

 
Rinse with water first, then soak in milk about 2 hours.

Also overcooking will make it bitter which is probably why it was medium rare as you called it. I always cook liver sort of medium rare.

Oh, also make sure you trim the outer membrane and all the fat, connective tissue, etc. - they can add to the bitterness.

You can also add a little wine to the milk and soak or soak in wine but not as long if all wine.

 
Or it's (deliberately?) mis-labeled ... maybe cow-age, or even pork liver which no one would

otherwise buy? Not all stores are honest ...

 
Supermarket chicken livers, I was told by two supermarkets, are intended not for humans but

for pets. (Or birds, as is suet. Horrified look on meat department clerk's face: "You COOK with this?!") Therefore they're often older or poorer quality than chicken livers selected for human consumption, such as from good butchers or the ones you're buying at Whole Foods.

A sad commentary on something ...

 
My dad loves liver and onions, and my mom doesn't, but she loves him and makes it for him all of...

the time, when requested.

Her trick is super fresh liver, sliced thinly. She sautees at least a 1/2 # of thick bacon first, until crisp/tender, then in the fat sears the liver, then carmelizes several onions and puts the liver back in until it is just done, then adds the bacon before serving.

Her biggest trick is that her portion is one tiny piece of liver and mostly all the bacon and lots of onions, while Ken's is more liver and onions and a little bacon. Doncha just love that!!! Oh, and she opens allllll the windows when cooking! (you can tell liver is not my favorite either, except foie gras and the occasional chicken/duck liver pate that is).

 
I've seen packages of various meats or bones labeled for pets or for bait, I don't think

they can legally sell anything in a meat department not meant for human consumption unless it's labeled as such. Not in Florida, at least.

 
Sorry, I didn't mean it wasn't *suitable* for human consumption -- it's more that so few humans eat

those things these days, the expected market is pets or birds. That's what I was told, anyway, when I went to two supermarkets and asked why I couldn't find chicken livers anymore.

 
Chopped Liver is made with chicken liver and it's very popular with 'humans' especially around the J

oops ran out of space..Jewish Holidays...so I for one have never heard this before.

 
I live in a town where almost every hot food supermarket carries fried chicken livers and gizzards,

even our KFC does. At first I was ecstatic, then I figured out that I love my fried chicken livers, not deep fried ones. I will ask my butcher about the fresh chicken livers. But, I have a feeling that he will look at me like I am crazy, which happens frequently in this town. smileys/smile.gif

 
Not as bad as it seems. The pork stores that sell Italian sausage here make something called..

figatelle. It is a small piece of pork liver and bay leaf wrapped in caul fat. Sounds awful, but absolutely fantastic on the grill.

 
I was told the same thing about marrow bones - they weren't for people but for dogs.

I had asked why they never had meat on them for soup. The shin meat makes excellent stews as well, but I almost never see it in the supermarkets here.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top