Crispy Cornmeal-Crusted Liver
This crispy cornmeal-crusted liver is golden and crunchy on the outside, tender inside, and an easy way to enjoy liver beyond the classic liver and onions.
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef liver
- 1/2 cup milk for soaking
- 2/3 cup medium-grind cornmeal plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Trim away any silver skin or tough connective tissue from the liver, as these pieces can be tough and chewy.1 lb beef liver
- Place the liver in a bowl, cover with milk, and let it soak for **20–30 minutes**; drain well.1/2 cup milk
- In a shallow bowl, season the liver with paprika, garlic powder, and thyme, making sure the pieces are evenly coated.1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- In another bowl, combine the cornmeal and salt, then coat each piece of liver thoroughly, adding more cornmeal and salt as needed.2/3 cup medium-grind cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the liver until golden and crispy on both sides and cooked through; as it cooks, I like to gently pierce the pieces several times with a fork, which I find helps make them softer.olive oil
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Trimming the liver: I like to remove the silver skin and any tough connective tissue before cooking. These parts can be unpleasantly tough and chewy.
- Why soak the liver in milk? The milk helps mellow the strong smell of the liver. After soaking, drain it well and pat it dry before seasoning.
- Cornmeal: Medium-grind cornmeal gives the liver a nice crunchy coating. You may need more or less cornmeal depending on the size and number of liver pieces you have
- Reheating: For the crispiest leftovers, reheat the liver in an air fryer or oven. The microwave will warm it up, but the cornmeal coating will become softer and lose some of its crunch.
Nutrition
Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 316mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 501mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 19337IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 7mg
