10 Meals to Sneak Beef Liver Into

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Beef liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods out there! It’s well known and documented to be full of vitamins and minerals that are otherwise lacking in most people’s diets! Traditional culture groups would supplement with beef or buffalo liver in the winter months to prevent scurvy and give beef liver to expectant mothers. The nutrients in beef liver are bioavailable, meaning, easy for the body to absorb, unlike the nutrients in many supplements.

Beef liver provides 59.3mcg of vitamin B12, 9.8mg of copper, 6582 of vitamin A RAE, and 2.8mg of riboflavin. It is an excellent source of niacin, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, iron, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, thiamin, and manganese.

Eating organ meats is an important part of an ancestral diet! To learn more about ancestral eating, see my post here on What is ancestral eating!

Sourcing:

Source beef liver from farmers who have their cows on pasture. For ruminant animals such as cows, grass-fed is best, as their digestive tracts are suited to grazing on grass, and NOT 2 scoops of a GMO soy/corn mix. It’s also best to avoid farmers who use unnecessary hormones or antibiotics. Cows that live in small and filthy conditions often require antibiotics that could have been avoided if they were on pasture. Find a local farmer who you trust. Local farmer’s markets are great places to start! Bonus, if you can visit their farm yourself and see the living conditions of the animals! Nothing is more reassuring than seeing cows roam green pastures!

Beef liver is excellent for the body BUT many people do not like the taste. Admittedly, it does have a strong flavor that most people are not used to. Some people don’t mind it, but others have trouble tolerating it. If that’s you, here are TEN meal ideas that you can sneak beef into!

The key to disguising beef liver is:

1. Mix a small amount into ground beef (about 1/3 cup for every pound of ground beef).

2. Season the mixture generously.

Meal Prep Tip:

Blend raw beef liver until it has a smooth texture. Then pour about 1/3 cup into small freezer bags and freeze for later. Be sure to label each bag with the date. Whenever you get ready to prepare a meal with liver, simply thaw out a bag in warm water, and then add it to your ground beef.

See more Ancestral Eating Meal Prep Tips and Tricks here!

10 Meals to Sneak Beef Liver Into:

1 . Meatballs

Again, the key to disguising beef liver is plenty of seasonings, so don’t be shy when seasoning! Meatballs are great in pasta, but I also just like to eat mine plain with a baked potato!

2. Burgers

Burger patties are an excellent carrier for beef liver. Season generously, and pop them on the grill for extra flavor! Burgers are good the traditional way with cheese, ketchup, and mustard, but I also love to enjoy mine with guacamole and tomato!

3. Tacos

Tacos are a FAVORITE in my home! The delicious taco seasoning perfectly disguises the beef liver flavor! I like to make my taco seasoning ahead in a mason jar so that I’m always ready to cook delicious tacos! See my post here for Nourishing Beef Liver Tacos!

4. Chili

Chilli is the PERFECT fall meal, and chili by itself is already packed full of good ingredients! Adding beef liver to the ground beef is the perfect way to boost the nutrient profile!

5. Bolognese

Bolognese is known for being rich in flavor! What better way to disguise beef liver? Add the liver to the ground beef and cook the dish as normal.

6. Sloppy Jo's

Sloppy Jo's are always a crowd-pleaser! While the meat itself is not specifically seasoned, the sauce is where the famous flavor comes from! The sauce perfectly disguises the taste and smell of beef liver.

7. Shepards Pie

Shepard's Pie is an excellent carrier for beef liver! The garlic and onion perfectly hide the beef liver flavor! I like to add a bit of cheese on top of mine to make it even more delicious!

8. Meatloaf

As a child, I HATED meatloaf, but as an adult, it's one of my favorites! Meatloaf can be hit or miss, so find a good recipe! Season generously and just mix the beef liver with the ground beef to boost the nutrients!

9. Spaghetti

Spaghetti can be a tricky dish to disguise beef liver in. Because this dish does not have strong flavors, it requires seasoning the meat well and/or adding plenty of garlic to the sauce. But, with plenty of garlic and parmesan cheese, this dish is the perfect place to hide a bit of beef liver!

10. Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers are another favorite in my household, and they can be prepared in so many ways with a variety of delicious seasonings! I personally enjoy stuffed peppers with a rice/bean/beef mix and a generous amount of seasonings!

Really, beef liver can be hidden in most ground beef dishes. I’ve even added it to ground lamb dishes before, and it was delicious!

Want to learn more about meal preparation? See my post here for tips and tricks!

What other meals could you hide beef liver in? Let me know in the comments!