This old-fashioned liver and onions recipe is made just like my mom used to, with the garlic and black pepper both being freshly ground in a molcajete. This dish is a favorite in our home!
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Where can I eat Liver and Onions?
Here in the States, you can easily find the dish “Liver and Onions” on the menu of some diners. Similarly, in Mexico, you can find it in small eateries called “Fondas”, but most people make the liver at home.
In Mexico, not everyone cooks liver and onions the same way, and the seasonings used can vary from cook to cook. For example, some people add lime juice or bitter orange juice while cooking the liver. Nevertheless, the use of garlic, salt, and pepper for seasoning is pretty standard. Unlike some recipes in the US, flour is not used when cooking liver in Mexico.
In what other ways can you cook Liver?
Like in many other countries, Liver and Onions is the most common way of enjoying liver in Mexico, but we also have other dishes that use liver. In some places, chicharrones are made out of several cuts of offal meat, including liver. We also have liver cooked Mexican-style (“a la Mexicana”), and in Oaxaca, they cook liver in a tomato stew. There is even a recipe in the State of Zacatecas that calls for cooking liver in wine. In addition to beef liver, we also use chicken livers, which can be cooked in stews or added to the rice.
Most of these dishes are quick pan-fried meals; you will hardly find a liver dish in Mexico where the liver is baked in the oven (or cooked with gravy or bacon like in other countries).
Whose sells Liver?
In Mexico, it is common to see whole parts of the cow being sold at the local municipal markets; you can find parts like the head, offal meat (liver, kidneys, tripe, heart, sweetbreads, etc.), and even the cow’s feet. You can also find these cuts at the supermarkets, but sold in small packages.
Here in the states, you can easily find liver at your local supermarkets, usually sold in a small and convenient vacuum-sealed package.
What sides do I serve with liver and onions?
Obviously, mashed potatoes are a great option, but at home, we usually serve the liver with Red Mexican Rice and a salad. Other good options for sides are fried potatoes and steamed squash topped with cheese.
How to make Liver and Onions
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS:
- 1¼ lb. liver steaks (I like the steaks that are about ⅜ths of an inch thick)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 6 black peppercorn kernels
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
NOTES:
Using fresh garlic and peppercorns will render the perfect liver and onions taste. If you don’t have them on hand or do not own a mortar, use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Grind the garlic cloves and black peppercorn kernels in your mortar. Add 1 tablespoon of water after you grind them to form a paste. Spread this paste onto the liver steaks, and season with salt. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet to medium heat, then add the onions and sauté very quickly for about 1-2 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.
- Reduce the heat and add the liver steaks to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the liver steaks) until the bottom sides turn a little brown around the edges, then flip to cook on the other side for 3 more minutes.
- Return the onions to the skillet and stir. Keep cooking until the onions are slightly browned. Serve promptly and enjoy! I love to add some serrano peppers to the skillets while cooking the onions too. But that is a personal preference.
Cook’s extra notes:
When cooking liver, there are usually no leftovers (at least in my house!), but if you ever do have leftover liver and onions, you can store it in the fridge for later. While you certainly can reheat it, Liver and Onions even tastes good when cool, especially in a sandwich!
Besides all the benefits that eating liver has, it is also a good option for certain diets, like low carb diets, the keto diet, and diets for diabetics.
📖 Recipe
Liver and Onions
Ingredients
- 1¼ lb. liver steaks I like the steaks that are about ⅜ths of an inch thick
- 2 garlic cloves
- 6 black peppercorn kernels
- 1 large onion sliced
- 3 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Grind the garlic cloves and black peppercorn kernels in your mortar. Add 1 tablespoon of water after you grind them to form a paste. Spread this paste onto the liver steaks, and season with salt. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet to medium heat, then add the onions and sauté very quickly for about 1-2 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.
- Reduce the heat and add the liver steaks to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the liver steaks) until the bottom sides turn a little brown around the edges, then flip to cook on the other side for 3 more minutes.
- Return the onions to the skillet and stir. Keep cooking until the onions are slightly browned. Serve promptly and enjoy! I love to add some serrano peppers to the skillets while cooking the onions too. But that is a personal preference.
Notes
- When cooking liver, there are usually no leftovers (at least in my house!), but if you ever do have leftover liver and onions, you can store it in the fridge for later. While you certainly can reheat it, Liver and Onions even tastes good when cool, especially in a sandwich!
- Besides all the benefits that eating liver has, it is also a good option for certain diets, like low carb diets, the keto diet, and diets for diabetics.
Mortimer
How is this Mexican? I found the exact same recipe called "Venezuelan" .,
Mely Martínez
Hello Mortimer, concerned mother of two,
There are many recipes that we share in our Latin Culture. Countries like Puerto Rico, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, and others in Latin America, have many recipes that are almost the same. Dishes like fried plantain, Tostones, beef soups, rice. Desserts like flan, rice pudding, and many other things. In Mexico, we love liver and onions, as well as other Latin countries.
I hope you give it a try to our MEXICAN version.
Happy cooking!
Tonya Robinson
Outstanding recipe for liver and onions! Thank you.
Sharyn Santos
Tasty, inexpensive, extremely nutritious! Love it!
Shelly
Loved ot!!
Anthony aranda
What color onions are best
Mely Martínez
Hello Anthony,
For a better taste, you can use yellow onions.
Nancy Finn
I make mine like Swiss steak with tomato puree, petite diced tomatoes, lots of sliced onions, red and green peppers, garlic, Worcestershire, steak sauce, salt, pepper. Fry liver dredged in flour slowly in butter, then remove from pan. Cook vegetables in pan drippings, then ad tomatoes (plus a lttle V8 if you have it) steak sauce, Worcestershire, taste for salt level, then put liver back in sauce, and cook slowly for 1-!1/2 hrs till liver is tender. Put gravy over mased potatoes.
Susan
Sounds yummy!
Rosa
I love liver and onions! My grandma used to make it since I was a little girl and I still love it. Thank you.
BooSjhe
My grandma did the same. My Momma made Jalapeno cornbread, the Jiffy pack I believe, lol grandma used to make cornbread with corn inside...I was like grandma, u can't put corn in cornbread she be like they call it "corn"bread lol. Grandma W was something else ❤️
AldiM
Thank you for the recipe, we love the flavor of the seasoning. It was so tasty! No leftovers tonight!
Esther
This was how my mom made liver & onions. Always with LOTS of onion, mashed potatoes & gravy.
My dad & brother always raved about it. Me, not so much. I could never wrap my taste buds around the texture, so I usually ate the onions with mashed potatoes & gravy.
I'll have to try this again. My taste buds may have matured since then.
mmartinez
Hi Esther,
You should give a new try, maybe you like it this time. At home, we love this dish of liver and onions.
Claudia
Yummy 😋 This will be my luncj today . Ibwill try the easy( no molcajete ) 😢 Gracias Mely 🙏
Vinny
Omg! I remember my father making liver and onions from when I was little. It wasn't a favorite as a kid. The flavors in this fresh recipe however make a simple peasant dish outstanding.
H. Len Moser
Love this dish
Will definitely use this recipe for the next time.
elaine stenzel
When i make the liver and onions ,i make bacon and fry the liver in the bacon fat,and serve the bacon with the onions..nice tasty addition.
mmartinez
That sound delicious, I will try next time. Thanks for the tip.
Antje Strebeck
That is the way the Bayetube in Gibson City Illinois makes Liver and Onions super