Chopped liver is a complicated dish to make at home because unlike other cuts of kosher meat which are sold ready to cook after they have been soaked and salted to remove excess blood, liver can’t be kashered that way. When you buy raw liver from a kosher butcher you still need to kasher it by removing the excess blood through grilling or broiling. Learn more about kashering liver here. If you can find them already broiled or grilled, that will save you time and hassle.
The real trick to a delicious chopped liver in our family is lots of caramelized onions that have been cooked low and slow for a long time, they give the sweet flavor to balance the liver taste. Many argue that it's the schmaltz, the chicken fat, but since that is harder to come by and very time consuming to make, we’re okay with oil. Learn more about the origins of chopped liver here.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup schmaltz/chicken fat or vegetable oil
- 1-2 medium onions chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound broiled or grilled chicken liver
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
Nutritional Facts
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the chicken fat or oil over medium heat. Add the onion, pinch salt and pepper, reduce to low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Transfer the chicken livers and onions to a food processor. Add the hard-boiled eggs and pulse until the mixture is smooth and has the desired consistency. Alternatively, place livers on a cutting board and with a large chefs knife finely chop by hand, place in a bowl. Grate eggs over top, add onions and any remaining oil from pan and mix well.
- Season the chopped liver with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the chopped liver on its own or with crackers or bread. It can also be used as a filling for sandwiches or as a topping for matzah. Enjoy!
- Chopped liver will keep covered in the refrigerator for 5 days.
So you're only sauteeing the onions in the oil, and adding it to the precooked chopped livers? The first step isn't clear.
I think step one is incorrect. You have to add the chicken livers to the pan and cook for 30 minutes correct?
It's interesting that liver is the only meat that is best not cooked very long. The longer you cook it, the tougher it gets. Best to fry the pre-grilled or broiled liver just for a few minutes to retain it's softness; or just add the already cooked liver as suggested in the above recipe.
I buy kashered chicken livers and never heat them up again unless too pink in the liver centres for my taste and only just a short time for that subtle colour change. everything goes through grinder orbox grater to maintain texture.