How to cook lamb liver? 6 Tips for Soft Liver

Cooking animal organs like cooking lamb liver can be very intimidating as the flesh really delicate and can get hardened by overcooking. The process is somewhat similar to cooking a tenderloin steak. It's all about keeping it soft and juicy. Let's dig it.

Jump to:

1. The Science behind Mutton, lamb, beef liver
2. How to clean the liver before cooking?
3. How long to cook lamb Liver?
4. How to get rid of the odor of the liver?
5. Why do you soak liver in milk before cooking?
6. How to fix a hard lamb liver (Kaleji)?
Bonus tips:
💬 Comments

1. The Science behind Mutton, lamb, beef liver

The liver is soft and tender tissue with 70% water. When you cook lamb liver for a long with salt, it quickly releases all its water and gets tough and chewy. So the best way to cook the liver is to reduce the cooking time to 5 minutes in total.

Lastly, never add water while cooking the liver. You may add tomatoes or yogurt that releases water while cooking.

2. How to clean the liver before cooking?

The liver has a thin membrane on it. Always remove that membrane and then cut it into small cubes. Sprinkle a little salt on the raw liver and leave it for 15 minutes. Then wash it thoroughly removing all blood veins.

3. How long to cook lamb Liver?

Whatever method you use the cooking time for the lamb liver will not exceed 5 minutes. Cover and cook on a medium or slow flame for 3 minutes, add salt and cook for another two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and rest for 10-15 minutes. This resting will give the liver time to settle all juices and seal them completely. The steam trapped in the pot also completes the remaining cooking of the liver.

Right before serving heat on a high flame with quick stirring to burn any excess water and it helps to sear (bhonofying) as well. Enjoy the soft yummy mutton liver (Kaleji). ( Do not re-heat for long.) This is the best way to cook the liver. This method keeps the liver tender and juicy.

4. How to get rid of the odor of the liver?

For the odor of the liver that bothers many, fresh liver is good and doesn't have a strong odor. This is similar to fish which get smelly as it gets old. The salt that you add before washing helps remove the odor.

Amongst spices fresh garlic can cut the odor apart from it, fresh herbs like fenugreek, and green coriander have a strong aroma that also helps undermine any bad odor.

5. Why do you soak liver in milk before cooking?

Some people soak the liver in milk for 2 hours to cut the typical liver odor. This helps because milk has the ability to absorb all bad odor, purge the blood, lightens the color, and improve the taste.

Similarly, soaking fish in milk is also a common practice that helps reduce fish odor. (As I always cook fresh liver and not frozen with fenugreek, I don't soak in milk.)

In fact, if you burn the bottom of the pot and food has a burnt odor. Adding milk can overcome that odor too. Milk can remove bad odors and burnt odors from food but if milk is burnt itself there is no way to fix it, interesting Nah!

6. How to fix a hard lamb liver (Kaleji)?

If you cooked liver longer than 5 minutes and the liver is hard. You can cook it for 30-45 on a very low flame with little water. This will again turn the liver soft but not as juicy as it would if cooked for only 5 minutes. This works if making a Liver stew where the gravy keeps the liver juicy.

Bonus tips:

Always cut liver in tiny chunks about ½ inch and of equal size for even and quick cooking.
The liver is highly nutritious as it is the most nutrient-dense of all organ meats. So it is very beneficial for growing kids. However, people who are trying to lower their cholesterol consume it in moderation.
Always make sure the liver eaten is of a healthy animal that was not exposed to toxins as the liver also filters all body toxins.
Because the liver is so dense in nutrients sometimes is difficult to digest especially for those who have weak digestion. For this purpose fenugreek seeds and fenugreek leaves are always added to the liver which helps digestion.

Want lamb recipes? Check these!