Question:

I fancy smoking some calves or ox liver. I have googled smoked liver and the
majority of hits seem to be for smoked liver sausage. Has anyone any ideas
on the preperation needed for smoking liver and what the end results are?

Graeme

"Graeme... in London" wrote in message
...
Question:

I fancy smoking some calves or ox liver. I have googled smoked liver and
the
majority of hits seem to be for smoked liver sausage. Has anyone any ideas
on the preperation needed for smoking liver and what the end results are?

Graeme



Never thought of smoking liver, but it sounds interesting.
I would say that you would probably need to bard it
to keep it from drying out horribly. I would probably
use the same method I use for salmon. Lay it on a bed
of leaf or romaine lettuce during the smoking. I would
probably use a fruit wood. It might benefit from a
water pan with some aromatic spices in it, like bay
leaves and peppercorns. I'd avoid seasoning the meat
itself. You might consider an occasional baste or mop
with melted garlic butter or olive oil. Probably wouldn't
take more than a couple of hours to do the whole job,
depending on the size of the liver. YMMV, of course.
Let us know how it works out, because I think I'd like
to try it also.

--
Tank

The "Q" Zone

On 27-Apr-2004, "Graeme... in London"
wrote:
snip
I fancy smoking some calves or ox liver. I have googled smoked liver and
the majority of hits seem to be for smoked liver sausage. Has anyone any
ideas
on the preperation needed for smoking liver and what the end results are?

You piqued my imagination, so I spent some time searching myself.
It's amazing how little information there is about the preparation of
beef/calves liver.

1. I found zip/zero about the cooking of any large chunck of liver.
2. I found one recipe in Smoke & Spice for slow cooking marinated,
bacon wrapped chicken livers. (Might give you some ideas for marinade)
3. There were two recipies on Chef2Chef that caught my interest, but
only for more ideas.

This is a cubed, marinated, grilled calves liver recipe
http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-...5/039498.shtml

Here is an idea that's different at least. Slather with french dressing
before
cooking.
http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-...5/037708.shtml

4. I found a couple of references to liver and onions. All of those were
flour dredged and pan fried. But imagine this idea. Toss some fresh
peppers (You choose) and onions in seasoned oil and layer in bottom
of grill Wok. Cover with 1/2" slices of liver overlapped. I'd consider
marinating the liver in some thing appropriate first. Layer more seasoned
onions and peppers on top, or not. Cook at a temp you judge will give
adequate time to absorb enough smoke. I'd cook at ~250° in my pit and
expect 2 - 2-1/2 hours for the cook. 300° at the meat is probably more
realistic.

I believe that low and slow would not particularly benefit liver, but
I'd like to checkout the effect of the smoke.

The ingredients for the smoked chicken livers marinade from Smoke & Spice
is;

Chicken's Little Livers
Fruity Marinade and Mop

!/4 cup rasberry vinegar or other fruity vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 medium onion, chopped
1 Garlic clove minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

As for end results, I don't have a clue. With that parting shot, I give up.
--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")

"kilikini" wrote in message
...
"Graeme... in London" wrote in message
...
Question:

I fancy smoking some calves or ox liver. I have googled smoked liver and
the
majority of hits seem to be for smoked liver sausage. Has anyone any
ideas
on the preperation needed for smoking liver and what the end results
are?

Graeme




Graeme, why on earth would anyone want to eat liver in the first place?
(Yeah, like the pig's trotters.) Maybe smoking it will give it a better
texture tho.

kili
--

Because beef liver, prepared properly, is yummikins. Lots
of iron, too. Chicken livers, wrapped in bacon, with some
water chestnut. My goodness. Then there's pate. I'm sorry
you don't like it, but that leaves more for me!

--
Tank

The "Q" Zone

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 13:02:37 +0100, "Graeme... in London"
wrote:

Question:

I fancy smoking some calves or ox liver. I have googled smoked liver and the
majority of hits seem to be for smoked liver sausage. Has anyone any ideas
on the preperation needed for smoking liver and what the end results are?

You can smoke whole calves liver at 325-350 for an hour (I used
oak), then put it into a food processor with 1/3 part rendered
bacon or pork fat and a chopped onion, white pepper and salt. May
need to add water or mayo for a good consistency.

Just plain smoked liver isn't all that great. If you're in a
awful mood, try sweetbreads (thymus and pancreas) - they work
well.

-sw

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 12:28:44 -0500, Steve Wertz
wrote:

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 13:02:37 +0100, "Graeme... in London"
wrote:

Question:

I fancy smoking some calves or ox liver. I have googled smoked liver and the
majority of hits seem to be for smoked liver sausage. Has anyone any ideas
on the preperation needed for smoking liver and what the end results are?

You can smoke whole calves liver at 325-350 for an hour (I used

I meant *pork* livers, duh. They're much finer-grained than
beef/calves liver, IMO.

Just plain smoked liver isn't all that great. If you're in a
awful mood, try sweetbreads (thymus and pancreas) - they work
well.

Here I'm referring to calves liver, though. It not that great
smoked.

-sw

On 27-Apr-2004, "Tank" wrote:
snip
Because beef liver, prepared properly, is yummikins. Lots
of iron, too. Chicken livers, wrapped in bacon, with some
water chestnut. My goodness. Then there's pate. I'm sorry
you don't like it, but that leaves more for me!

How do you use the water chestnut Tank? chicken livers
are readily available and dirt cheap. Two of my favorite
attributes for food, right after taste and texture.
--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")

On 27-Apr-2004, Steve Wertz wrote:
snip.
You can smoke whole calves liver at 325-350 for an hour (I used
oak), then put it into a food processor with 1/3 part rendered
bacon or pork fat and a chopped onion, white pepper and salt. May
need to add water or mayo for a good consistency.

How do you like to serve that Steve? And how smooth does it get?
I'm dreaming of a liver sausage like texture. I wouldn't trust my
food processor to accomplish that, but maybe.....
--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")

On Tue, 27 Apr 2004 21:18:21 GMT, "M&M"
wrote:

On 27-Apr-2004, Steve Wertz wrote:
snip.
You can smoke whole calves liver at 325-350 for an hour (I used
oak), then put it into a food processor with 1/3 part rendered
bacon or pork fat and a chopped onion, white pepper and salt. May
need to add water or mayo for a good consistency.

How do you like to serve that Steve?

On crackers or as a sandwich spread with onions, lettuce and
creamy horseradish mayo and/or mustard.

And how smooth does it get?
I'm dreaming of a liver sausage like texture. I wouldn't trust my
food processor to accomplish that, but maybe.....

It comes out like liverwurst/braunschweiger. The texture is
really smooth as long as you use the pork liver. The second time I
made it I used some mayo to losen it up. You can also add some
dry non-fat milk.

FWIW, Braunschweiger uses some sort of smoked pork, usually bacon,
liverwurst is the unsmoked version. Though they tell me that real
German Braunschweiger has no liver in it at all. I'm Pennsylvania
Dutch, so I'm familiar with those versions.

-sw

"Graeme... in London"

. Has anyone any ideas
on the preperation needed for smoking liver and what the end results are?


Preparation is easy. Put the liver in a double plastic bag. Place it out by
the curb on trash day.

End result? A good meal of some other fine food.
Ed

http://pages.cthome.net/edhome

"M&M" wrote in message
...

On 27-Apr-2004, "Tank" wrote:
snip
Because beef liver, prepared properly, is yummikins. Lots
of iron, too. Chicken livers, wrapped in bacon, with some
water chestnut. My goodness. Then there's pate. I'm sorry
you don't like it, but that leaves more for me!

How do you use the water chestnut Tank? chicken livers
are readily available and dirt cheap. Two of my favorite
attributes for food, right after taste and texture.
--

Although I did not make them myself, I've had Rumaki
that was made with chicken livers wrapped in bacon,
sitting on top of halved water chestnuts. They were
skewered with a toothpick. If I am not mistaken, you
would have to pre-cook the chicken & bacon part,
then skewer the water chestnut, and heat them for \
serving. They were presented in a chafing dish, and
they were really good! The water chestnut was hot,
but retained most of the essential crunchiness you like
so much.

--
Tank

The "Q" Zone

I've never tried smoking liver, but it's certainly worth a try.

And for the skeptics out there, I agree... nicely prepared liver dishes are
some of my favorite foods.

Calves liver with onions; chicken livers sauteed with mushrooms over
noodles; chopped liver; pate'; and of course sauteed goose livers.
Then again, I really like sweetbreads too.

I contend that anyone who can eat an egg can eat just about anything on the
planet
(yes, I'm talking about unfertilized chicken ovum.... pretty gross concept,
but deliciouss)


"Graeme... in London" wrote in message
...
Question:

I fancy smoking some calves or ox liver. I have googled smoked liver and
the
majority of hits seem to be for smoked liver sausage. Has anyone any ideas
on the preperation needed for smoking liver and what the end results are?

Graeme

snip
On 27-Apr-2004, Steve Wertz wrote:
snip some more
FWIW, Braunschweiger uses some sort of smoked pork, usually bacon,
liverwurst is the unsmoked version. Though they tell me that real
German Braunschweiger has no liver in it at all. I'm Pennsylvania
Dutch, so I'm familiar with those versions.

Tnx for the feedback Steve. I'm Pennsylvania Dutch also, but I don't
know S%^&. I was'nt allowed anywhere near the kitchen until
the table was set. I never cooked until after 40. Catching up is a
bitch, but we're not losing any weight. About all I remember is that
grandma never threw anything out. But it never appeared on the table
in the same form twice. Never could figure out how she managed that.
I.e., corn on the cob, to creamed corn, to corn fritters.. Hey she cooked
for field crews in her early years and it was hard to break the habit.
--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")

On 27-Apr-2004, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:
snip
Preparation is easy. Put the liver in a double plastic bag. Place it out
by the curb on trash day.

You're bad Ed. I'd guess you've never been served good liver. And
that's not unusual. A lot of people never experience the true essence
of liver and onions done properly. You unfortunately have been ruined
before you ever had a chance. And like me and rutabagas, it ain't
gonna happen.

--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")

On 27-Apr-2004, "Tank" wrote:

Although I did not make them myself, I've had Rumaki
that was made with chicken livers wrapped in bacon,
sitting on top of halved water chestnuts. They were
skewered with a toothpick.

Thanks for the response Tank, but if you didn't make
them or observe how they were made, it leaves us
guessing.
--
M&M ("When You're Over The Hill You Pick Up Speed")