Many people wonder if there is a way to prepare the turkey liver that is usually found inside your Thanksgiving turkey. Thankfully there is! In fact, there are a few ways you can put this often discarded part of the turkey to good use in ways that you may never have thought of.
What’s So Great About Turkey Liver?
Recently, there has been a lot of interest in eating turkey liver as part of a healthy diet with many calling it one of the most potent superfoods out there. This is due to the fact that the turkey liver is full of nutritional value with very high concentrations of vitamins and minerals.
To begin with, turkey liver is an incredible source of iron and its also very high in protein which is essential to maintain muscle mass and moderate metabolism. It is one of the most concentrated sources of vitamin A, which is good for strong bones and also contains an abundance of the B vitamins, especially vitamin B12, that promote healthy blood cells and immune functioning.
As far as taste goes, turkey liver is considered to be one of the most savory types of livers. Turkey liver, in contrast to chicken or beef liver, is much milder and smoother in taste. It is full of robust flavor and yet has a certain delicacy to it as well. This makes it a highly delicious and much loved treat for those who are familiar with its uniquely rich taste!
One of the other great things about cooking turkey liver is the fact that there are numerous ways to quickly and easily prepare it. With just a few ingredients and a short amount of time, there are literally dozens of ways to prepare turkey liver as an appetizer or even as a main dish.
The Turkey Liver Lovers’ Specialty!
Cooking turkey liver is an easy way to incorporate some major health benefits into your diet while sampling the tasty and rich flavors of this often overlooked part of the turkey. For those who take pleasure in the taste of turkey liver, one of the most popular preparations is a recipe for turkey liver paté.
Turkey liver paté can be enjoyed on toast or on bread for lunches or as an appetizer at any time. It is delightfully simple but so filled with flavor that your guests and family will never guess how easy it really is to make. Here’s a recipe that will guarantee to please even the most discerning tastebuds!
Recipe for Turkey Liver Paté
Ingredients:
- 1 turkey liver
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium shallot
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1/8 cup Cognac
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
Preparation:
1. Place butter in large pan on low heat and allow to melt until butter begins to foam.
2. Chop and mince shallots and add to butter and sauté until clear.
3. Add the liver, thyme, Cognac, salt and pepper and simmer on high heat.
4. Cook and stir occasionally until the Cognac is reduced and the liver is brown on the outside but still slightly pink on the inside (about 3-4 minutes)
5. Remove from heat and let sit for approximately 10 minutes.
6. Once the mixture has cooled, place in blender or food processor and add the cream.
7. Blend until mixture is smooth and creamy, feel free to add more cream until the mix reaches desired consistency.
8. Adjust seasonings as needed then place mixture in the refrigerator and allow to cool for at least two hours.
Serve with warm bread or toast.
There are plenty of variations for this recipe which comes from a popular French style of cooking. If the flavor of turkey liver is too strong for your taste, many people choose to let turkey livers sit in a plate of milk before adding to the mixture.
This gives the liver an even smoother and milder taste. Some recipes call for adding mushrooms or other spices like tarragon and sage and some add fresh berries to make the flavor even more distinctive.
This is a good basic recipe which you can customize as you like for a memorable way to serve turkey liver.
Other Ways to Cook Turkey Liver
Turkey’s liver can also be prepared in many other ways and another popular method is as an ingredient in a homestyle gravy to accompany a turkey feast. Other options include frying turkey livers in butter or ghee and seasoning with garlic and onions. Bacon and mushrooms make great accompaniments to fried turkey liver for a meal which is rich and very filling!
Turkey livers can also be used to make an excellent turkey stuffing or for a totally original meal, try using turkey livers mixed with ground beef and use for burgers!
There are loads of other ways to create delicious meals and appetizers with turkey liver. Why not introduce your guests or family to turkey liver paté or another quick and easy turkey liver recipe? It’s a healthy way to treat your guests and family to a decadent and memorable dish!
1 Comment
I would advise anyone eating any animal liver to make sure it is organic. Even though the liver contains all those good nutrients, it is also the organ that filters all of the bad things in the body. It’s like getting a concentrated form of all the toxins one consumes. In fact, one should eat as much organic foods as possible.
I also note a comment in the NYT (Jaques Pepin, of all people) recipe for Turkey Liver Toasts, that recommends ‘sauteing’ the livers in oil and butter ‘when the oils smoke’ (!). Smoking oil is BAD oil (high content of free radicals). DO NOT LET BUTTER OR OIL SMOKE! Low temperatures are required to maintain a stable oil (unless you are using coconut oil, which can be heated safely at a higher temperature).