This article first appeared in the March 2026 issue of
Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Unfortunately, it has fallen out of favor in recent decades as people have become less accustomed to utilizing the whole animal. In addition to that, its strong taste has also caused many people to avoid eating this amazing superfood, rich in bioavailable heme-iron, choline, folate, and vitamins A, D, K2 and B12. It is well worth getting creative and finding ways to include liver in your diet to help support health and energy levels.
There was a very interesting study done back in the 1950s that speaks to the energy-boosting capabilities of liver. Researcher Benjamin H. Ershoff
divided rats into three groups. The first group was fed a regular vitamin-fortified diet. The second group was fed the same diet with additional B vitamins. The third group got the same diet but was given 10 percent of their rations as powdered liver instead of receiving
B vitamins. Weeks later, the rats were put in a container of water and forced to swim (this next part makes me uncomfortable as I never want any animal to suffer, but the results are fascinating).
The first group swam an average of 13.3 minutes, and the second group for
13.4 minutes, on average. Of the third group (those having consumed the
powdered liver), three of the rats swam for 63, 83, and 87 minutes, while
the others showed astonishing endurance by continuing to swim for two
hours, at which point the experiment was called off. Liver certainly is a great way to support human iron levels, so it makes sense it would support our energy levels too.
Adding liver to your diet also helps stretch your meat budget, since organs do not cost as much as other cuts of meat. Here on our farm in Canada, we sell our lamb and beef liver for $5/lb, or just $0.31/oz. This makes it cheaper than many other packaged foods that people commonly buy, from boxed macaroni and cheese ($0.44/oz, before you add cream and butter, which are the healthiest part), Kettle brand chips ($0.71/oz) or organic dark chocolate ($1.73/oz). Liver is not only more affordable than these foods, but its nutritional value is far superior. It’s worth prioritizing buying liver from farmers with healthy animals and demonstrating beneficial land management.
Beef liver has a strong flavor, whereas chicken liver is milder, with lamb
liver falling somewhere in between. Many people do not like the flavor of
liver on its own, but pâté can be a pleasant way to eat it. Organ meats like
liver, heart, and kidneys can also be incorporated into (i.e. hidden in) ground
meat. Disguising liver this way is a great strategy for adding nutrition to
your meals.
To combine liver with ground beef, first cook the liver and then chop it
finely (the finer the better), and then mix a small amount into any ground
meat dish, such as chili or burgers. To make this more convenient,
freeze small portions, about ¼ cup each, in glass jars, freezer bags,
or silicone baby food molds. Just pop the portion of chopped liver into the
ground meat as you cook it. Alternatively, use a cheese grater to grate frozen liver into the pan while you cook the ground meat.
The pâté recipe below also makes a large portion. It stores well in the fridge for about a week, at which time I like to freeze any leftovers in small portions, as described above, to then incorporate into spaghetti sauce, tacos, etc.
Liver Pâté
INGREDIENTS
• 1 lb. liver (lamb, beef, chicken, or a mix)
• ½ cup butter
• ¾ + cup heavy whipping cream
• 2–4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion or 2 shallots, diced
• ½ –1 tsp salt
• ½ dried or 1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
• Dash of red wine
METHOD
Cut the liver into small pieces using kitchen shears. Heat the butter in
a cast iron pan. Cook the onion or shallots over medium heat until translucent.
Add a splash of wine, if using. Add the garlic, liver, salt, and thyme.
Stir, cooking until the liver is no longer pink. Take it off the heat and allow
it to cool. Place everything from the pan into a food processor. Add the
cream and blend until completely smooth. Achieving a super smooth consistency is key, so add more cream if needed.
This is delicious on crackers, carrot sticks, cucumber slices or sourdough bread.
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