Beef liver: useful properties and recipes for cooking

Any liver, whether it is beef, pork or chicken, has a high nutritional value. Often this product is used in recreational diets. Each variety is a meat byproduct, has in its composition a lot of protein, characterized by a significant amount of vitamins, enzymes and trace elements. The taste of the liver is directly related to the age of the animal: the younger it is, the tastier the subproduct dish will turn out.

How to tell the difference between beef and pork liver

According to experts, by-products of certain animal species have different composition, appearance, taste and nutritional value. For example, pig's liver contains slightly more fat than cow's liver. The difference is small, but nutritionists still do not recommend this byproduct for people who have problems with high cholesterol levels, as this affects the circulatory system.

In terms of vitamins and trace elements, these products are similar, but beef liver is considered the most dietary, as it contains less fat and more vitamins (especially A and B). Such liver is especially useful for people with kidney disease and nervous system.

It is also easy to distinguish animal liver by its taste. Pork byproduct has a slight bitterness, and has a more delicate structure. To remove this bitterness, the liver should be soaked in milk. Beef liver has a more rigid structure, so to prepare dishes with such a byproduct it should be stewed with sour cream, and before cooking it should be cleaned of film and vessels.

It is also possible to distinguish between pork and beef liver by external signs. First of all, it concerns the size. For comparison, a whole piece of cow's liver weighs at least 5 kg, while pig's liver weighs up to 3 kg. Beef byproduct has a red-brown color, a tough structure and a pleasant aroma. The pork counterpart is characterized by the presence of large pores and a diamond-shaped pattern. In addition, this product has a sharper smell, giving a slight bitterness.

Which liver is more useful: beef, pork or chicken?

Pork liver has a large number of vitamins and minerals (vitamin H, vitamins B). Chicken by-product is good because it is more quickly digested. It contains a lot of protein, folic acid, and vitamin A. Chicken liver is very popular among Koreans, who use it for poor eyesight, overwork, in the postpartum period. Beef liver has a set of the most common vitamins, enzymes, amino acids. It increases the level of hemoglobin, helps strengthen the immune system.

According to experts, beef byproduct is useful in terms of both taste and nutritional indicators. Such a vitaminized product is very useful for human health, it has a positive effect on the genital, excretory system of the body, normalizes blood composition, has a positive effect on the condition of hair, skin.

Composition and calories

Cow's liver consists of protein, which plays an important role in the construction and growth of the human body. It contains almost the entire list of essential amino acids, a large number of mineral components. The iron it contains increases hemoglobin levels, vitamin A helps preserve vision, B12 helps build nerve and blood cells.

The caloric value of beef product ranges from 125 kilocalories per 100 grams. It is worth noting that in stewed form, this figure is 117 kcal, and if the dish is fried, the caloric value increases to the mark of 208.

Beef liver can be added to the diet no more than 2-3 times a week. At children's age the daily rate of meat and by-products is only 100 grams per day. This includes liver. For adults, there are the following recommendations: women - 200 g, men - 250 g, elderly people - 50 g per day.

How is beef liver useful?

Beef liver increases mental alertness, improves memory, protects against the emergence of "chicken blindness". In addition, this product helps to cleanse the body of toxins, promotes the normal outflow of bile and liver function. Cow's liver can protect the body from atherosclerosis, varicose veins, blood clots, helps thin the blood, clear the blood vessels of cholesterol plaques.

For women

For women, it is recommended to take boiled liver. This will normalize the hormonal background, relieve all unpleasant feelings during menstruation, during menopause. In addition, this product allows you to get rid of black dots, acne. With the addition of beef byproduct in the diet, the elasticity of the skin improves, collagen fibers are strengthened.

For men

If we talk about the benefits for men, beef liver is useful for those who smoke and drink alcoholic beverages. Being a kind of sponge, it can absorb all poisonous substances and toxins, normalize the work of the liver. Also this dish can prevent the development of cancer.

When pregnant

Beef liver is advised even for pregnant women, starting from the second trimester. It is not recommended to use it from the first weeks, as allergies can develop. The high content of retinol in the product allows to prevent the formation of stretch marks, maintain healthy nails and hair. Due to the high level of iron in the product is the prevention of anemia in pregnant women and the unborn child. The content of folic acid and B vitamins in the liver promotes the normal formation of the baby's nervous system, as they help to transport oxygen to the fetus. By cleansing the liver and kidneys, this product reduces the urge to vomit during toxicosis.

When breastfeeding

Women during the lactation period are also recommended to eat beef liver. However, you should do this no more than 1-2 times during the week, and a single serving should be 100-150 grams. Then there will not be any reactions in the baby. Taking beef liver by women while breastfeeding helps to improve the quality of milk and the degree of its fat content. Many people think that the milk will begin to be bitter, but this is not true, so do not worry that the baby will refuse the breast.

For kids

Cow's liver is useful for children at any age, as it helps to strengthen the immune system, protects against the development of respiratory tract infections. You can give this product to a child from one year of age as a complementary food. The large amount of vitamins and enzymes contained in liver is very important for the physical and mental development of children. If you give your child liver regularly from a young age, it will have a positive impact on his adult life. After all, in this case he will be protected from such problems as obesity, cancer, bone disease, anemia.

When losing weight

Since beef liver is rich in all the necessary enzymes, micronutrients, which are easily absorbed by the human body, it is often included in diets for weight loss. For example, if you need to lose excess weight in a short time, you can use a diet based on this product. This will help to get rid of 5-7 extra pounds in two weeks.

Beef liver in medicine

In diabetes mellitus

In diabetes mellitus, it is allowed to add beef liver to the diet. This is due to the high content of vitamins and elements, the most important among which are copper and iron. Here they are contained in an active form, due to which they are easily absorbed by the human body. Iron helps in maintaining normal hemoglobin levels, and copper protects against the development of inflammatory processes. In addition, the vitamins and minerals in the liver protect the skin, brain and organs of the excretory system in case of diabetes.

Important: The glycemic index of beef liver is 50 to 100 units (depending on how it is cooked).

For pancreatitis.

To protect against exacerbations of gastrointestinal diseases, namely pancreatitis, it is important to follow a diet. This will make the periods of remission longer. The basis of the diet in such cases should be products containing a lot of protein, vitamins, enzymes. It is worth noting that food containing fat and carbohydrates has a negative effect on the organs of the digestive tract.

During exacerbations, you should exclude the use of liver. This is due to the fact that it increases the secretion of gastric juice, which negatively affects the inflamed parts of the digestive organs. Introduction of cow's liver into the diet should be done gradually, and one month after the onset of the remission period should be started. This will restore the work of the organs, and at the expense of a large vitamin composition improve the well-being of the person.

Gastritis

With gastritis, the body does not absorb a sufficient number of useful and nutrients. Beef liver has a high level of necessary for a person useful substances, which is necessary for people suffering from gastritis. However, if gastritis is associated with high levels of acidity, it is not recommended to eat liver. This is due to the fact that the extractive elements in it, which contribute to the production of hydrochloric acid, lead to irritation of the walls of the stomach. You should not eat liver in case of exacerbation of gastritis. As for gastritis with reduced acidity, there are no restrictions regarding beef liver.

For constipation

Beef liver helps in the fight against such a problem as constipation. By normalizing digestion, in particular improving the function of the gastrointestinal tract, taking this byproduct eliminates constipation. This restores peristalsis, as well as intestinal microflora. This helps to protect the human body from the development of intestinal obstruction.

With gout

The complex treatment of gout also involves following a strict diet. It is impossible to completely get rid of such an ailment, but by following a special diet, it is possible to reduce the period of exacerbations. Beef liver can be included in the diet of a patient with gouty arthritis, but it should be remembered that the most useful product is fresh. Consume beef by-products should be in limited quantities, no more than 1-2 times a week. As mentioned above, beef liver contains a lot of iron, folic acid and B vitamins.

In cholecystitis

As is known, inflammation of the gallbladder appears due to improper diet. Therefore, a rational diet is important in the treatment of this disease. Eat with cholecystitis should be foods rich in vitamins, useful substances, dishes that are easily digested by the body, have a low caloric content and contribute to the liquefaction of bile. Beef liver meets these requirements. It can be included in the diet for this pathology, but very important is the way this product is processed. For this purpose, liver dishes cooked on steam or in water, without adding spices, are the best.

Harms and contraindications

No matter how useful the product is considered, it always has the opposite effect. This also applies to beef liver. It should not be consumed by elderly people who have chronic diseases. It is not recommended to use liver in the diet of people with high cholesterol. Otherwise, it will lead to blockage of blood vessels, which often ends with sad consequences.

Also, consumption of this byproduct is not recommended in cases where there is acute or chronic inflammation of the kidneys. For information regarding adding beef liver to the diet, a specialist should be consulted.

How to choose and store beef liver

When choosing a product, it is important to know that the benefits and harms of liver are directly related to the quality. When choosing, you should pay attention to chilled versions. This will allow you to externally determine the freshness and quality of the product. Buying liver in the market or in a store, you can ask the seller to provide special certificates and conclusions from a specialist.

A good quality liver should have a homogeneous structure and a light brown or burgundy color. Careful attention should be paid to the film, it should fit tightly to the subproduct. Fresh and healthy beef product should not be flavored with spices. The surface of the liver should not have any lesions or growths, which indicate that the animal was sick. If there are any, the purchase should be rejected. It is worth noting that beef liver is characterized by a specific smell, which is important not to be confused with the sign of a spoiled product.

Fresh cow liver can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days. If you put the product in the freezer, then here it can lie for three months. Of course, it is better to cook something with it right away, as it is not recommended to store liver longer than three months.

Can you freeze it?

It is better to prepare dishes with fresh beef liver. However, you can also freeze it. To ensure that the product does not lose its valuable properties, it is recommended to store it in the freezer for no more than three months.

How to cook beef liver deliciously: recipes

Pâté

To prepare beef liver pâté, you must first wash 0.5 kg of the byproduct and cut it into pieces. Then you should peel and wash one onion and one carrot. The onions should be chopped with a knife, and the carrots should be grated. Next, you need to heat a frying pan and pour 150 grams of vegetable oil into it. This is necessary in order to fry the liver with onions and carrots over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Then the resulting mass pass through a meat grinder, mix with butter and add salt and pepper to taste. After that the mass should be crushed until homogeneous. This can be achieved with a fork or a wooden spatula. The pâté is ready. All that remains is to transfer it to a suitable container and keep it in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Fritters

To prepare beef liver pancakes, you should prepare half a kilo of this product, wash and cut into small pieces. Then you need to peel and cut into four pieces an onion. The liver and chopped onion should be passed through a meat grinder. After that you should mix all products in a bowl and add 2-3 eggs, pepper and salt to taste. You can add a little semolina. The resulting liver mass should be well whipped with a whisk, then cover the bowl with a lid and leave to swell for half an hour.

Next, add vegetable oil to a heated frying pan and, using a tablespoon, lay out liver pancakes. Fry on medium heat until golden crusts form, adding vegetable oil as necessary. Ready fritters can be served with side dishes.

Liver cutlets

Cutlets are an appetizing dish, which can be prepared not only from minced meat, but also from beef liver. The first thing to do is to prepare 0.5 kg of liver, you should remove the bitterness from it. To do this, the product should be kept in water for several hours. Then free the liver from the film and blood clots and cut it into pieces. Two small onions should be sliced. The ingredients should be twisted on a meat grinder. Then in the resulting mass add two eggs, spices, 150 ml of mayonnaise and mix thoroughly. Then, about 200 grams of flour should be added to the minced liver, the mixture should not be very steep, it should have the consistency of dough for pancakes. After that, spoon the base for beef liver patties and fry in oil until golden.

How to fry

To fry beef liver, it is recommended to use flour or breadcrumbs, which will make the product soft inside. It is also worth noting: the less time fried liver, the tastier and softer it turns out. If there are no tomatoes on hand, you can add a small amount of tomato paste or thick juice. Adding a small amount of lemon juice will help to get a dish with a spicy flavor.

How to Braise

To prepare braised liver, first the product must be washed under cold water, remove the film and cut into small sized pieces. Next, you need to fry the liver in a pan with the addition of onions until tender. Then pour in the tomato paste and stew the mass for a minute. After that, it is necessary to pour warm water into the frying pan, bring the dish to a boil and stew for no more than five minutes, otherwise the liver will turn out tough.

How to cook

The easiest method of cooking beef liver is boiling. This usually takes about 30-40 minutes. To check the readiness of the product, you need to pierce it to the middle. If a light liquid appears, the dish is ready, but if the juice leaks dark red, you need to continue cooking.

Do I need to soak it before cooking?

It is recommended to soak the cleaned liver in milk or cold water for about an hour.

Can I Eat Raw

The question often arises as to whether beef liver can be eaten raw. Yes, it can be eaten raw, but it is not recommended to do so, as there is a high probability of harming the body. The liver can contain parasites that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Heat treatment kills all parasites, if any.

How to defrost quickly

The best place to defrost liver is in the refrigerator. But in this case, it is necessary to leave the product there for a whole night, this will preserve all its useful properties. You can also defrost the byproduct in the kitchen at room temperature. It takes several hours, depending on the size of the piece available. But if you need to defrost liver quickly, it should be placed in a deep dish and filled with water. You can also use the microwave to defrost. In this case, you need to turn on minimum power, so as not to heat the liver from the inside or outside.

How to peel the foil

Before cooking a dish of beef liver, it is imperative to remove the film that covers it. Since the film is bitter, it can spoil the taste of the finished dish. It is necessary to remove the film from frozen liver without waiting for complete defrosting. You should only slightly defrost the product, this will allow you to easily remove unwanted parts. It is important to rinse the piece of liver well before cleaning.

If you want to remove the film from fresh liver, first you need to put it in a bowl of water for a few minutes. After that, on a cutting board, you should put your thumb between the product and its film and carefully remove it from a whole piece.

According to some hostesses, using coarse salt to sprinkle the liver makes it easier to remove the film.

Also, before cooking a dish of liver will need to remove all the large veins. To do this, the product should be cut into small pieces, cutting along the veins. This way you can easily clean the pieces of liver from the bile ducts and blood vessels.

Can animals be given beef liver

Beef liver can also be included in the diet of pets. It can be given to adult dogs and cats, as well as puppies, kittens, pregnant and lactating individuals. However, it is important to remember that there are contraindications. For example, it is not recommended to give liver to elderly animals. For pets, 50-70 g of liver, depending on the weight of the pet, is enough, and the product should be given no more than twice a week.

Some pet owners give their pets beef liver in raw form. Whether they are right or not, it is impossible to answer unequivocally, because everything depends on the peculiarities of each animal and its way of life. However, it should be remembered that the raw byproduct has a laxative effect. Boiled product has a slight fortifying effect. According to veterinarians, nowadays the diet of pets is so similar to that of humans that you should not risk giving the dish in raw form. If we are talking about a dog, of course, none of them will refuse to eat a piece of raw meat or liver, but we must remember that this can lead to negative consequences. The pet may get diarrhea or ascariasis, and then it will be difficult to get rid of the problem.

Interesting facts about beef liver

1. Beef liver is very popular with athletes and bodybuilders. This is due to the fact that this product helps to build muscle mass. So, back in the last century, American scientists conducted an experiment. For this purpose, they organized three groups of rats, each of which was given a certain menu. Then the experimental animals were placed into water tanks and measured the time during which the rats were kept afloat. Rats with a normal diet swam for 10-12 minutes. Animals whose diet was supplemented with synthetic vitamins lasted slightly longer, but the difference was only a few seconds. And the rats that were fed beef liver were able to stay in the water for up to an hour and a half. This suggests that this product contains substances that increase endurance, but scientists have not been able to find out which components are responsible for this.
2. In some modern civilizations folk healers believe that beef liver in its raw state has a lot of useful elements and can cure various diseases. For this purpose, the liver is cut into small pieces (the size of peas) and kept in the freezer for two weeks. For treatment and prevention, such healers advise to take one such pill every day. It is believed that during the time spent in the freezer, all parasites and dangerous organisms die. However, only fresh product is used for such experiments, and animals for this purpose must be raised in ecologically clean places and only on a natural diet.
3. In the media and in various literature you can find information that the animal's liver is very harmful, because it is the liver that faces the impact of toxic substances in the body in the first place. However, it is worth noting that the liver does not accumulate poisons that enter the body. In addition, this organ collects all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which, on the contrary, detoxify all the toxins.

Beef liver photo