Liver: Discuss

gratus fermentatio said:

I'm going to have to try this some time. How does it compare to liverwurst or braunschweiger?
Regards, GF.

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I've never had either of those so I can't say. The liver pudding (we always call it liver mush) is fairly firm and not really spreadable. I typically pan fry a 1/2 inch slice using cooking spray (bacon grease is what MawMaw used and is preferred) until crispy on both sides and then have it on a biscuit with yellow mustard, or just eat it plain. It's crispy on the outside and kind of mushy on the inside, with a little bit of spice.

I'm originally from Charlotte, and outside of North Carolina it seems that no one has ever heard of this product.

shelly_belly said:

I've never had either of those so I can't say. The liver pudding (we always call it liver mush) is fairly firm and not really spreadable. I typically pan fry a 1/2 inch slice using cooking spray (bacon grease is what MawMaw used and is preferred) until crispy on both sides and then have it on a biscuit with yellow mustard, or just eat it plain. It's crispy on the outside and kind of mushy on the inside, with a little bit of spice.

I'm originally from Charlotte, and outside of North Carolina it seems that no one has ever heard of this product.

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There's an annual livermush festival in a town in western NC. I'm slightly curious but it would be a 3 - 4 hour drive and my wife is not at all interested in trying it.

Darwin18 said:

There's an annual livermush festival in a town in western NC. I'm slightly curious but it would be a 3 - 4 hour drive and my wife is not at all interested in trying it.

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I forget what I wanted to try this one time, but I told my wife my curiosity was getting the better of me.

Her: "nuh uh. I'm not eating it."
Me: "C'mon! I cant go alone!"
Her: "Why dont you go with Brett?"
Me: "Brett's out of town"
Her: "Ok then why dont you call Anna. She'll eat anything."
Me: "You're ok with me going on a dinner date with another woman?"
Her: "If it will get this conversation to stop Im cool with you going on a dinner date with Anna, yes"

Maybe not as funny as I thought it was at the time, but we still chortle about it.

CreamyGoodness said:

I forget what I wanted to try this one time, but I told my wife my curiosity was getting the better of me.

Her: "nuh uh. I'm not eating it."
Me: "C'mon! I cant go alone!"
Her: "Why dont you go with Brett?"
Me: "Brett's out of town"
Her: "Ok then why dont you call Anna. She'll eat anything."
Me: "You're ok with me going on a dinner date with another woman?"
Her: "If it will get this conversation to stop Im cool with you going on a dinner date with Anna, yes"

Maybe not as funny as I thought it was at the time, but we still chortle about it.

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Might just drop her off in Asheville and check it out myself. This is a woman who refuses to eat mushrooms because they're a fungus.

Darwin18 said:

Might just drop her off in Asheville and check it out myself. This is a woman who refuses to eat mushrooms because they're a fungus.

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Oh see now I dont have any more sympathy for you, you made your bed .

Too bad its not in New York, honestly, I'd totally go with you. I live for this kind of crap.

MyNameIsPaul said:

Sorry, I forgot they don't exist everywhere. I think it's only Tx/OK, and maybe Arkansas. It's a cafeteria style restaurant, known for feeding little old people at 4pm for dinner. It's pretty decent food, and their liver is awesome!

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Wait a sec, not sure how I remember an ancient "America's Most Wanted" episode... but was there a mass shooting in a Luby's in the late 80s/early 90's?

dinnerstick said:

and preferably lightly killed

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"Don't you even take the bones out?"

CreamyGoodness said:

And then you have kidneys. Frightening things. I havent had them many times, and I havent had them made by an expert, but every time Ive had them they smell like a urinal. Difficult to choke down something that smells like someone peed on it.

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Ditto. I've only had them in steak & kidney pie, but I always thought they tasted like piss smelled. I've even had a buddy tell me "Oh they're great, have some of MY steak & kidney pie, it'll change your mind..."
It didn't.

IMHO, no matter how much garlic, oinion or spice you put in with kidney, it's just going to taste like spicy piss. I'd rather drink a Bud light; and that saying a LOT!!!
Regards, GF.

Now HEART is another matter all together. Wasnt thrilled with goat heart, but beef, pork and especially chicken heart is very nice.

CreamyGoodness said:

I forget what I wanted to try this one time, but I told my wife my curiosity was getting the better of me.

Her: "nuh uh. I'm not eating it."
Me: "C'mon! I cant go alone!"
Her: "Why dont you go with Brett?"
Me: "Brett's out of town"
Her: "Ok then why dont you call Anna. She'll eat anything."
Me: "You're ok with me going on a dinner date with another woman?"
Her: "If it will get this conversation to stop Im cool with you going on a dinner date with Anna, yes"

Maybe not as funny as I thought it was at the time, but we still chortle about it.

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<LOL> Creamy, that's one awesome SWMBO you've got there!
Regards, GF.

CreamyGoodness said:

Sweetbreads, when prepared by someone who knows what they are doing, are simply sublime. Think the texture of gnocchi with a savory, meaty flavor. It makes me happy just thinking of them...

And then you have kidneys. Frightening things. I havent had them many times, and I havent had them made by an expert, but every time Ive had them they smell like a urinal. Difficult to choke down something that smells like someone peed on it.

Brains on the other hand I would eat again in a minute. Ali at Kabob Cafe makes them in a simple lemon sauce, and its like eating a cloud.

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gratus fermentatio said:

Ditto. I've only had them in steak & kidney pie, but I always thought they tasted like piss smelled. I've even had a buddy tell me "Oh they're great, have some of MY steak & kidney pie, it'll change your mind..."
It didn't.

IMHO, no matter how much garlic, oinion or spice you put in with kidney, it's just going to taste like spicy piss. I'd rather drink a Bud light; and that saying a LOT!!!
Regards, GF.

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I must admit that kidneys are probably my least favorite organ meat.

CreamyGoodness said:

Now HEART is another matter all together. Wasnt thrilled with goat heart, but beef, pork and especially chicken heart is very nice.

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CG, we really need to hook up gastronomically someday. I love hearts!
Of course I've had beef, pork and poultry hearts but I have also had the pleasure of moose, elk, caribou, venison, black bear, salmon and halibut hearts so far. I like the moose, elk, caribou and venison hearts the best.

My father-in-law (Armenian) makes this lamb heart - sliced, seasoned with salt, skewered and grilled over hot coals. Simply delicious. I would eat it every day. But prepping a heart is a lot of work; it's like surgery.

CG, GF and others!

How did we ever let the Offal Ideas Thread die? The last entry was in October 2012. In truth we keep expanding beyond liver in this thread.

Good point. We need to get on that!

Maybe a weird question, but for the liver-lovers out there - do you get a big charge of energy when you eat liver? When I eat it I feel like I could bench press a car.

chocotaco said:

My father-in-law (Armenian) makes this lamb heart - sliced, seasoned with salt, skewered and grilled over hot coals. Simply delicious. I would eat it every day. But prepping a heart is a lot of work; it's like surgery.

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Heart is crazy good.

As OP I declare offal officially within limits of this thread. As soon as I figure out how to edit the OP, I'll make it official. Until then offal = on topic.

Thunder_Chicken said:

Maybe a weird question, but for the liver-lovers out there - do you get a big charge of energy when you eat liver? When I eat it I feel like I could bench press a car.

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I know I feel pretty good after eating liver. I've always told myself it was probably the B vitamins and Iron associtated with the liver. I don't know if that is true or not.

Subsailor said:

CG, GF and others!

How did we ever let the Offal Ideas Thread die? The last entry was in October 2012. In truth we keep expanding beyond liver in this thread.

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Every culture on the planet has eaten offal. First eaten out of necessity.

Later it was eaten because it became an acquired taste and a part of societies food culture.

In time many cultures became affluent enough to where they could afford "the good cuts" and forgot about all the tasty specialty cuts of meat.

Too bad. It's their loss. I grew up in a family with European food heritage and married into a culture with Asian connections.

I will eat anything that doesn't eat me first!

processhead said:

Every culture on the planet has eaten offal. First eaten out of necessity.

Later it was eaten because it became an acquired taste and a part of societies food culture.

In time many cultures became affluent enough to where they could afford "the good cuts" and forgot about all the tasty specialty cuts of meat.

Too bad. It's their loss. I grew up in a family with European food heritage and married into a culture with Asian connections.

I will eat anything that doesn't eat me first!

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Yes, this is very true. I was fortunate enough to start out life on a farm where everything was utilized when butchering and processing.

I am not allowed to eat anything that has been named.

Subsailor said:

Yes, this is very true. I was fortunate enough to start out life on a farm where everything was utilized when butchering and processing.

I am not allowed to eat anything that has been named.

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I get around the name thing by naming them things like "Lunch, Porkchop, Juicy," etc...

BTW, I never had a heart I didn't like, though I haven't tried fish heart yet. It never ocurred to me to use fish innards for anything other than bait or fertilizer. Next big fish I catch, I'll have to give it a try.
Regards, GF.

I liked the Rocky mountain oysters, but drew the line at the fryed bull sperm, I said NO.

gratus fermentatio said:

I get around the name thing by naming them things like "Lunch, Porkchop, Juicy," etc...

BTW, I never had a heart I didn't like, though I haven't tried fish heart yet. It never ocurred to me to use fish innards for anything other than bait or fertilizer. Next big fish I catch, I'll have to give it a try.
Regards, GF.

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GF, you're another person I would like to sit down and have a meal and a beer with, thanks!

I didn't think to try until I watched Bizarre Foods and the host ate the heart right fresh from the fish. He also ate the still beating heart of a frog.

I don't know why I never considered fish hearts and livers before, I eat them from four-legs and fliers; why not fish?

Im told the air bladders of some fish are a delicacy in Japan. The original Iron Chef had it as the secret ingredient once years ago.

I remember my father and I frowning with doubt when the Japanese actress judge declared "this would be a good dish for children!"

Subsailor said:

GF, you're another person I would like to sit down and have a meal and a beer with, thanks!

I didn't think to try until I watched Bizarre Foods and the host ate the heart right fresh from the fish. He also ate the still beating heart of a frog.

I don't know why I never considered fish hearts and livers before, I eat them from four-legs and fliers; why not fish?

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I've read that you should never eat the liver from certain arctic fish, polar bears & walrus as they have a sort of biological antifreeze in them. Other than that, I'm pretty much on board with "Why not?" I've always thought frogs tasted like pond water, though I suppose farm raised frogs might taste better.

I saw (on TV) a fish prepared so that it was still alive after being partially cooked & was served up gasping on the plate, while the other end had been scaled, breaded & fried. I think I'm more concerned about the suffering of the creature as opposed to eating something that's still twitching. I've eaten rattlesnake that twitched inthe pan without reservation, but I do believe in a clean kill; I figure it's the least I can do in appreciation for a meal.

Sitting down to a meal & copious amounts of homebrew with you sounds like a great way to spend a day/evening.
Regards, GF.

The only time I can think of a "live" fish or animal being eaten as humane is the little fish that are "drunk" with a glass of water in certain parts of Japan. I figure being swallowed whole and dying in a stomach cant be too too bad (similar to how they would die via another fish). Even if it is humane, however, I'm not certain I'd be thrilled to do so, however. Swallowing something whole was always a technique to NOT taste something.

gratus fermentatio said:

I saw (on TV) a fish prepared so that it was still alive after being partially cooked & was served up gasping on the plate, while the other end had been scaled, breaded & fried. I think I'm more concerned about the suffering of the creature as opposed to eating something that's still twitching. I've eaten rattlesnake that twitched inthe pan without reservation, but I do believe in a clean kill; I figure it's the least I can do in appreciation for a meal.

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