Elk Liver

Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
669
Location
Wisconsin
Last night we had a wonderful dinner consisting of Elk liver and onions. It was the second half from my last hunt, and I gotta say, I couldn’t be happier that I packed it out! Again!

As a kid, I hated this stuff. But things have changed.

Just wondering how small of a crowd I’m in doing this. If you don’t, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Next hunt, don’t let it go to waste.
Take along a couple Ziploc gallon size freezer bags. It will fill two of them.

Here’s the simple recipe;

Slice, rinse, soak in milk for a while, it will mellow out the bitterness a bit.

Season with Salt and pepper (lemon pepper). Roll in flour, pat off excess.


Large skillet, medium heat, add olive oil and soften sliced onions a little then add liver till browned once on each side. Cover and let rest for a little while.

Goes well with dry red wine.
 

MTtrout

WKR
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Messages
362
Location
Western Montana
Another hard no here! Heart and “sometimes” tongue go in the game bag though. I’ve tried elk liver several ways and the only way I would even consider eating it again is if cooked up fresh in the field but still don’t have high hopes for it. Not opposed to it, just a favor I don’t enjoy
 

FLATHEAD

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Jun 27, 2021
Messages
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Liver and Heart are my favorites!!!!
Esp. with onions and peppers right out of the garden,
cooked in cast iron.
Oh man!!!
 

Laramie

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Apr 17, 2020
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2,619
I'm not sure why people are grouping heart and liver together. One is a lean delicious muscle and the other is a blob of gush that has a weird texture and needs to be soaked in milk and cooked in strong onions to remove the nasty taste and smell.


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Joined
Oct 5, 2018
Messages
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Location
Colorado
I keep the heart and liver but only eat them fresh within a few days of the kill. Liver doesn't freeze or keep well in my opinion. I throw in onions and mushrooms as well.
 

LostArra

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May 9, 2013
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3,476
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Oklahoma
Cajun dirty rice is a good way to use liver. Most recipes call for chicken or game birds but I've used elk and won over some son in-laws who said they hated liver.
I'll also fry some liver steaks when it's fresh


If liver sits in the freezer too long it becomes bait. I feel the same way about salmon.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
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Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,630
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Colorado Springs
Yep, the elk liver from the first elk of the year was always a mainstay in our camp, but that was a long time ago. We always soaked it in salt water for 24 hours, then sliced it thin and fried with onions in camp. These days I never gut them so not interested in going in after them when I'm done.
 

UtahJimmy

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Joined
Jul 6, 2016
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Location
SLC, UT
I always grab the liver and heart, even when doing gutless. Liver gets dehydrated for the pup, heart gets eaten by the humans.

Hell, just last weekend I helped a buddy pack out a bull and he was going to leave them. So I went over to the carcass (done gutless), made a few slices, and off we went.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Nov 23, 2020
Messages
360
Yep, the elk liver from the first elk of the year was always a mainstay in our camp, but that was a long time ago. We always soaked it in salt water for 24 hours, then sliced it thin and fried with onions in camp. These days I never gut them so not interested in going in after them when I'm done.
This with diced potatoes is good as well.
 
OP
J
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
669
Location
Wisconsin
Keeping the liver is common than I thought.
Been enjoying the venison heart and inside tenderloins for many years now, usually within a day of the kill, but not the liver until recently. The wife, not really a liver fan at all enjoys the elk liver dinners.

For the guys that leave it, you might want to reconsider, or at least give it away.
 

Laramie

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Apr 17, 2020
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2,619
You sure you have the right liver buddy?? I would classify the spleen as a blob of gush.. but not the liver
Yep... just some bad experiences growing up I guess. I have tried it a few times as an adult. Just not my thing.
 
Joined
Sep 28, 2018
Messages
1,726
Location
VA
Yep... just some bad experiences growing up I guess. I have tried it a few times as an adult. Just not my thing.

I will agree that it takes some "getting used to" . I will usually throw about 3-5# liver in with 10-12# meat and seasonings to make liver wurst. Much more palatable in sausage form
 

JoeDirt

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Joined
Mar 6, 2019
Messages
471
I would be interested i a few more recipes people like?!

I was thinking about grinding some liver in some sausage with a bunch of spices to hide the taste ...haha
 
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