With all the work that goes in to hunting an animal, the least we can do is enjoy every last morsel of it. As a family, we have been fortunate have lived a semi-subsistence lifestyle for the past two decades. From the high Arctic to the equator to the tip of Africa, we have enjoyed many varieties of wild game. Many Americans still don’t relish some of the “parts” of the animal the rest of the world covets.
Everywhere we hunt, we enjoy learning about how folks prepare internal organs and other challenging parts of the animal. Liver is one of those organs that is so incredibly nutrient dense, we should take special care to get it out of the animal and get it cooled down quickly so it can be enjoyed many ways.
One of the keys with liver is a neutralizing 30-60 minute soak in an acidic marinade or simply equal parts lemon juice or vinegar and water. Another tried and true technique is soaking the liver in milk, buttermilk or plain yogurt. The most important factor is not overcooking the liver. Like waterfowl and other wild game meat, the longer liver cooks, the stronger the flavor becomes. Additionally, the fresher the liver the better, cook within a few days of harvesting the animal. A nice coating, a flash fry in hot oil and you will be going back for seconds on these nuggets.
Liver Nuggets
- 1 pound elk or deer liver
- 1/3 cup lemon juice or vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Slice liver into bite sized portions approximately 1/4” thick. Mix lemon juice or vinegar with water in a shallow dish. Marinate liver in mixture 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
Drain marinade and discard. Lightly season liver with salt and pepper. In a shallow dish, combine flour and bread crumbs. Coat liver pieces with flour mixture.
Heat a heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Melt butter and add liver carefully to avoid spatter. By the time all of the pieces are in the pan it is time to turn them all over. Once cooked, remove liver and place on a warm plate. Repeat the steps as needed for the rest of the liver.
