How to Cook Veal Liver (Calf Liver)

overhead view of a plate with fried liver pieces, onions and mashed potatoes.

4.75 from 4 votes

How to Cook Veal Liver (Calf Liver)

Learn how to cook tender veal liver slices (or calf’s liver) with caramelized balsamic onions, a simple recipe that tastes amazing!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Course: Beef, Pork and Lamb

Cuisine: American, German

Servings:

Calories: 541kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

2 Frying pans/skillets

Ingredients

300 g veal liver 2 large slices 10.5 oz
250 ml milk 1 cup
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
250 g red onions 9 oz
1-2 sprigs rosemary
½ teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
125 ml red wine ½ cup
fine sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

Soak the liver: Cut the long slices into four smaller pieces. Place the slices in a shallow bowl. Cover them with milk and soak them for about 30 minutes and up to one hour.
Prepare onions: Halve the onions and slice the halves. Finely chop the rosemary. Cook the onions during the last 15-20 minutes of the liver’s soaking time.
Caramelize onions: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the onions, rosemary, thyme, and a pinch of salt, and cook on low heat, often stirring, for about 10-15 minutes. They should be soft and slightly caramelized.
Add the sugar, stir and let it caramelize gently, about 1-2 minutes until the sugar has a nice amber color. Don’t let the sugar burn.
Flour liver: Cook the liver during the last 5-10 minutes of the onions’ cooking time. Place the flour on a large plate. Shake the liver slices gently to remove the excess milk. Turn them into the flour to coat it lightly all over. Shake gently again to remove the extra flour.
Fry liver: Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a pan. Fry the liver on medium heat for 1 minute on each side.
Deglaze the pan with the onions with balsamic vinegar and red wine. The mixture will thicken almost constantly. Stir well. If the liquid reduces too quickly, add another small splash of wine.
Add the veal liver slices and reheat them gently for about 1-1 ½ minutes per side. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper
Cooking time: Very thick liver slices might need 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side. Check the internal temperature with a digital meat thermometer; it should be 72°C/ 160°F.

Notes

Only season the liver after cooking; if you add the salt before cooking, it will become rubbery.
According to the USDA, internal beef organs should be cooked to 72°C/ 160°F, which is well done. However, in this case, the organs will be chalky and hard to swallow instead of tender and sweet. The compromise is only very slightly pink, not bloody, yet not completely brown.

Nutrition