How to cook beef liver correctly and for how long for salads and pates

If the liver is cooked incorrectly, it will become “rubbery”; such a dish will not bring pleasure while eating. Therefore, it is important to know how long to cook beef liver, depending on the dish where it will be used and the chosen cooking method.

How long to cook the liver

Many people fear that when cooked, the offal will become too hard and lose its taste. But to prevent this from happening, you need to know how to properly prepare the product and then cook it. It is enough to follow the minimum instructions so that the finished result exceeds all expectations.

It is important to remember that a lot depends on which pieces you plan to cook and the cooking method chosen. For example, the smaller the pieces, the faster they cook.

If you plan to cook pate, then you need to adhere to a certain time period so that the finished product turns out not only tasty, but also juicy. Small pieces are cooked for about 20 minutes after the water in the pan has boiled. If the piece is large enough, then the time is increased to 50-60 minutes.

Advice! To check readiness, it is recommended to pierce a piece with a knife or fork. If the object enters easily and white juice flows out, it is the liver of the year. If it is red, you need to continue cooking.

Cooking on the stove

The sequence is:

Pour water into a deep container.
Add bay leaf and peppercorns
Bring to a boil, then add the offal.
It is recommended to cook over low or medium heat. If necessary, you can add other spices to taste.
After the water in the pan boils, it takes about 40-50 minutes to cook large pieces.
If the offal is cut into small bushes, then it is enough to boil for 20 minutes.

It is recommended to add salt 5 minutes before cooking. If this is done during the soaking process or immediately as soon as the water boils, the product will be quite hard, which is not good.

Important! According to many chefs, the key to proper cooking is, first of all, the freshness of the chosen product.

Microwave cooking

Before boiling beef offal in the microwave, you need to prepare everything:

To do this, you will need to cut the liver into pieces about 3-4 cm in size, and then transfer it to a deep container.
The amount of water should be enough to completely cover the liver.
Immediately add black peppercorns and other spices to taste.
Since the water will boil, you need to choose a container so that it is 2/3 filled with water.
When everything is ready, you can cover the container with a special plastic dome equipped with a hole for steam removal, set the maximum power level and set the timer for 10 minutes. After this time, the liver needs to be removed and checked for readiness, if necessary, put in the microwave for a few more minutes.

Attention! To make beef liver juicy, it is not recommended to immediately remove it from the water. The broth needs to be salted and the product left in it for 10 minutes or until it cools completely.

Cooking in a slow cooker

Place the prepared and washed product in a multicooker bowl, add a few bay leaves, black peppercorns and other spices if desired. Fill water to the maximum level. You can use hot water immediately.

Close the slow cooker, then set it to one of three modes - boiling, soup or stewing. If the pieces of offal are large enough, then they need to be boiled for 40 minutes; small pieces need to be boiled for 15-20 minutes.

Cooking in a steamer

The first step is to prepare the beef liver, namely, cut it into pieces 3-4 cm in size. You can add any spices to your own taste. After this, you need to turn on the steamer for about 30-35 minutes.

Attention! It is recommended to salt the cooked product after cooking, and not during.

Benefits of beef liver

Many people try not to include the liver in their diet, since this organ is a filter through which waste products pass. However, if the animal eats properly, then there is no need to be afraid of this. This by-product is a storehouse of vitamins. It contains folic acid, vitamins A, B, C, omega-3, omega-6. In addition, it contains a lot of trace elements and iron. In its finished form, the offal is quite useful for the nervous system and kidneys. It is very popular among people on a diet. The liver is especially useful during pregnancy and for people who have low hemoglobin.

Tips for choosing and preparing beef by-products

A distinctive feature of beef liver is its low calorie content. It contains 20% proteins, 5% fats, 4% carbohydrates. Thanks to this, this product is excellent as a dietary food.In addition, the composition is rich in vitamins, including zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and much more.

Boiled offal is great for pates, salads, rolls, homemade sausages, cold appetizers, and baking fillings.

When buying a liver, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

Buy only fresh offal. It is important to take into account the fact that the shelf life of fresh product does not exceed 48 hours. When frozen, the shelf life increases to 3 months. However, after freezing, some of the nutrients are lost, as well as vitamins.
High quality beef liver has a special hue - ripe cherry, and at the same time has a pleasant sweet aroma.
If the liver is purchased frozen, then a thin layer of ice must be visible on the cut. If the ice crystals are pink, then this indicates that the product has been frozen at least twice, if not more.

Attention! If the liver is cooked for too long, it becomes tough and loses its taste, while undercooked offal is highly likely to contain pathogens of dangerous diseases.

You need to prepare the liver correctly, it is advisable to adhere to the following method:

It is recommended to defrost offal at room temperature. If the product is fresh, be sure to wash it under cold running water.
To make the liver soft, you need to take a sharp knife and carefully remove the elastic film that covers the offal. This will allow the product to be soft and not so bitter. This task can be significantly simplified. To do this, you need to put the piece in a deep container, take water (+70 degrees Celsius), pour it over the liver and leave for 2-3 minutes.
You also need to get rid of everything unnecessary - veins, bile. Rinse the product thoroughly. Be sure to soak for 1 hour before cooking. To do this, use cold water. Some housewives soak it in milk. Thanks to this procedure, the bitterness and unpleasant odor disappear, and the liver itself becomes quite soft and juicy.
To significantly reduce the cooking process, you need to cut the offal into small pieces.
During cooking, after boiling, it is necessary to remove the resulting protein foam.
Salt is added after the liver is cooked or 5 minutes before it is ready.

Advice! Since the liver can dry out, it is recommended to store the offal in broth until serving or further use.