This beef liver pate recipe is delicious, rich, and nourishing with slightly sweet notes. The added vegetables help to blend the strong beef liver taste and make it extra flavorful and satisfying. Use this beef liver pate as an appetizer on your favorite bread, crackers, or toast, or serve it with sliced apples or pears.
1lbbeef liver (organic grass feed beef liver if possible)
1onionsweet Vidalia
2carrotsmedium
6tbspbuttercold, cubed. I used salted.
1tspsalt
1/4black pepper
2tbspfresh dillchopped, for garnishing
Instructions
Prep vegetables. Peel carrots, use a box grater to grate them—Peel and dice onions.
Prep liver. Discard the liquid from the liver, pat dry trim, and remove the white membrane. Use kitchen shear to slice into the cubes or use a knife to slice into thin slices.
Saute vegetables. Preheat a well-seasoned cast iron pan on medium heat, add olive oil, add chopped onions. Cook, frequently stirring until onions are soft and just starting to turn golden on edges. Remove and store on the mixing bowl for now. Next, add shredded carrot continue cooking until soft. Add more olive oil if needed. Remove from the pan and add to the bowl with onions.
Cook liver. Add liver pieces and fry until fully cooked in the same frying pan. How do you know when the liver is cooked? The meat shouldn't have any juices when slightly preseed with a spatula but still have some somewhat pink coloring inside—once cooked, somewhat cool for 5 minutes before adding to the bowl with vegetables.
Combine. Use a food processor fitted with a steel blade or blender jar if using an immersion blender. In the food processor, add cooked vegetables and cooked liver.
Adjust the texture and taste. Pulse till well blended and smooth. The texture should be spreadable, not too thick, and runny. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste, then add the spices: salt, black pepper, add additional spices if desired. Stir inside the food processor until completely smooth, then transfer mixture to small ramekins or soufflé dishes. Serve it right away or store it in the fridge in an airtight container.
Notes
This recipe makes 3 cups of beef liver pate. It helps to prep and cut all ingredients before starting cooking in a cast-iron skillet. This way, you can pay attention when frying instead of hurrying to slice needed ingredients.This beef liver pate has a slightly sweet taste from onions and carrots. Ensure you use approximately the same amount of vegetables as beef liver.Use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom.When cooking liver, it's important not to overcook it when frying for the best flavor. The best test to check if it's cooked enough is to use a spatula, press on the liver, and see if juices will come out. The cooked liver should still be slightly pink inside but without red juices.When using a food processor, pulse till the beef liver pate texture is smooth and buttery.Add spices (salt, pepper) at the end. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.Store cooked beef liver pâté in the fridge. To store it effectively, you need to put it in an airtight container or add a plastic wrap on top. I find that placing beef liver pate in two containers works better than using just one. Because the liver oxidizes quickly when exposed to the air, make sure you use your pate within three days after cooking.