liver

[sambro]

what is the best liver for taste and texture? lambs pigs or ox? sorry about the question all the vegetarians.

[phizzy]

it really is a matter of personal taste - mine is lamb's as it is not too 'strong'

[mrs_overall]

For me it has to be lambs liver. I can just about tolerate ox liver in a casserole if it's been soaked in milk first to dilute the very strong taste.

[nickmo]

Depends on the recipe..........so many nice ways.......

Saute? braised? roasted? for pate? stuffed? in rice, pasta or noodles? with strong spices for an asian flavour? served simply with a duxelle of mushroom on a quennel of creamed potato? as a filler for meatballs, haggis or a stew?

From your list I'd suggest:

Lambs is finest - tender, cooks quickly and nice flavour on its own. Probably best for the quicker recipes.
Pigs - good for a stew type dish really - think suet puddings here.......
Ox - 'deepest' flavour of the three - again, good for a longer cooking time.

If you really want to taste 'proper liver' - get some venison and try that - the part of the kill reserved for the hunters of course and the first part to cut out and 'cook on the move' -

melt some butter, chuck in some wild mushrooms, dash of red wine, reduce it, add chopped (wild) garlic, and the liver. Season and fry for 2 mins, eat and relish the taste....of the ancestors.........

Hare, boar or any game will be strongest taste as a wild animal, but for the absolute finest texture as well as flavour go for goose, seconded by duck.

Over cooked liver is grey and grainy, so choose the recipe carefully and match the liver to it.

[THAIBUS]

Pigs

[riskman]

calf's liver...

[ann_h]

Lambs is more smooth and firm in texture, Ox is stronger in flavour, softer and grainier in texture. I personally like Ox

Pig offal I don't use (not religious reasons, just don't want to eat the offal of another meat-eater due to toxins)

[maxi2]

You have overlooked chicken liver - a delicacy in itself.

Chop with shallot , bacon and green pepper (all chopped) and fry before pouring whisked egg with milk over the pan for a delicious omelette. A splash of tabasco adds depth.

[ann_h]

They are omnivores, and the reason they were kept by every self-sufficient farmer is that they turned rubbish/table scraps into new food
School dinner leavings were bulk shipped to local pig farms etc.

Pigs will also revert to their very aggressive wild behaviour in one generation and have been known to kill and eat people, I kid you not.