While we are used to soaking liver in vinegar or lemon to get rid of the bad smell and kill any remaining toxins, American and European chefs advise to soak liver in milk. Yes, that's right: Milk!
The former is a tripeptide made up of the amino acids cysteine, glycine and glutamate (which is the salt of glutamic acid) and is partly responsible for the “metallic” taste of liver. The latter are alcohols to which we owe the characteristic smell of this gland.
It should have a fresh, clean smell. Refrigerate loosely wrapped for no more than a day." Remember, too, the "Companion" notes, that liver toughens quickly when overcooked. Despite all this, I hope you'll continue to cook and eat liver. It's a good-for-you food.
Many people don't bother taking it off, but some believe it is a necessity. One thing is for sure, though, the liver needs to soak for at least an hour to drain the blood out of the meat.
Soak the liver in a dish or bowl of milk for 30-60 minutes. This is an important step in removing the bitter flavor from the liver. Salt and pepper the liver generously, and leave it out at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Milk. While we are used to soaking liver in vinegar or lemon to get rid of the bad smell and kill any remaining toxins, American and European chefs advise to soak liver in milk. Yes, that's right: Milk! They claim that in addition to getting rid of toxins that usually are present in raw liver, milk helps tenderizing it ...
Modernist Cuisine, a cookbook by Nathan Myhrvold, states they are skeptical of soaking in milk and could only taste a difference in mild organ meat like foie gras. For stronger flavored organ meats, they recommend just soaking in water.
Tips for getting tender beef liver
Use white vinegar and milk mixture to soak the beef liver. I am used to the texture, taste and smell of the liver so I soak mine for only 30 minutes and sometimes less. If you are new, it is highly recommended to soak it for up to 24 hours or at least 2 hours.
Some people think that liver tastes bitter or gamey. If you soak it in milk for 1-2 hours prior to cooking, it removes much of the bitter taste.
Information. Do not wash or rinse raw meat or poultry before you cook it. Washing can cause bacteria found on the surface of meat or poultry to be spread to ready-to-eat foods, kitchen utensils, and counter surfaces. This is called cross-contamination.
One of the peculiar symptoms of the fatty liver disease is having "breath of the dead". Also known as Fetor hepaticus, the breath of the dead is a chronic odour in your breath and can be easily distinguished from your normal breath.
Smelling of the breath is common after having certain food or in the morning, but with people suffering from fatty liver conditions, it remains throughout the day. The breath may have a distinct sulfur and musty smell throughout the day. It is an obvious sign of fatty liver disease and should not be ignored.
Substances that cause fetor hepaticus
Trimethylamine is also increased in many patients with cirrhosis and may contribute to the odor of the breath.
Severely ill patients often have characteristic smells. Patients with diabetic ketoacidosis have the fruity smell of ketones, although a substantial number of people are unable to detect this. Foetor hepaticus is a feature of severe liver disease; a sweet and musty smell both on the breath and in urine.
The liver shouldn't smell strongly or look overly slimy - if you get any whiff of ammonia, the liver may be off and shouldn't be eaten.
Barring complications, the liver can repair itself completely and, within a month, the patient will show no signs of damage. However, sometimes the liver gets overwhelmed and can't repair itself completely, especially if it's still under attack from a virus, drug, or alcohol.
Tips and Notes:
Soak the liver in buttermilk and refrigerating it at least 2 hours before cooking tenderizes the liver and eliminate the gamey and bitter taste. The acidity from the buttermilk improves the liver's texture and taste.
On one hand there is theory that keeping the liver in milk overnight (in the fridge) let it get more tender and flush bitterness even better than for two hours. But if it was the "success rate", the overnight soak would be the advised time for soaking.
To Do: Simply place your cut up liver in a bowl, barely cover with water and add the juice of a lemon or a tablespoon or two of vinegar. Soak for a few hours before cooking, drain and pat dry.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Incredible detoxification actions of ACV work to flush out the harmful toxins from the liver that hinders its normal functions. Studies discloses that regular intake of ACV promotes weight loss, diminishes cholesterol levels, lessen inflammation, and uplift the overall health of the liver.
Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, put it in warm water, twice daily and it will reduce the fat in your liver, reduce inflammation in the liver AND helps with weight loss in general.
You want to soak the liver for 30 to 90 minutes. The acid begins to denature the proteins which improves the texture and taste. But if you leave your liver for too long in the acid, it will start to “overcook” the liver, creating an undesirable texture.
Cut it in rather thin slices and pour over it boiling water, which closes the pores of the meat, makes it impervious to the fat, and at the same time seals up the rich juice of the meat.
Sauté livers for at least 5 minutes or until an internal temperature of >70°C has been reached and maintained for 2-3 minutes. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the largest liver in the batch. Livers should be cooked until they are no longer bloody in the core.