Cranberry Chicken Liver Pate
This liver paté recipe is easy to make and very delicious. Perfect for anyone wanting to incorporate more of this superfood. It is Paleo and AIP friendly.
Cranberry Chicken Liver Paté
Liver, the king of the “superfoods”. Now the problem is that many people don’t like it. If this is you, this recipe may change your mind. This cranberry chicken liver paté recipe is a mild, creamy, and delicious dream. It is easy to make and the perfect beginner liver recipe. You can enjoy it with my grain-free crackers for the ultimate culinary experience, and get all the nutrient benefits that liver has to offer.
But I Don’t Like Liver… neither did I 🙂
I have been trying to eat liver for a long time now. Inspired by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne and her continued emphasis on the importance of incorporating organ meats into a nutrient-dense diet, I have been trying to like it very badly. Unfortunately, I hated it (and I really don’t like to use this word). I am not a picky eater, but I could barely swallow it. I kept trying every once in a while but it just did not work for me.
Then one summer I was eating liverwurst back home in Germany and it got me thinking. I grew up eating it and I love that taste. So I went on a mission to recreate something similar. The process of making it…what can I say…took some getting used to. But I believe that if you eat animal protein you should not shy away from preparing it. And you really get used to it. I now really enjoy making it. I look at the livers and I am very grateful that they give me so much nourishment. So long story short, after months of experimenting and a few tweaks I now love this recipe and I eat 1/2 -1 jar of this liver paté a week.
What are the Health Benefits of Eating Liver?
Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods out there. Especially if you are on a healing protocol that is pretty restrictive such as the autoimmune protocol, it is crucial to eat organ meats in order to meet your nutrient needs.
Liver is high in Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Vitamin B9 (Folate), Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin), Vitamin A (retinol), Iron, Copper, Choline, Selenium.
Nutrients in Chicken Liver Compared to Chicken Breast
Below is a comparison of the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) of a few nutrients from chicken liver (1) and chicken breast (2). The RDA is for women.
Chicken liver (pan-fried) 100 gram/3.5 oz. | Chicken breast (sauteed) 100 gram/3.5 oz. | RDA/AI | |
B2 | 2.31 mg | 0.21 mg | 1.1 mg |
B3 | 13.9 mg | 10.11 mg | 14 mg |
B9 | 560 µg | 7 µg | 400 µg |
B12 | 21.1 µg | 0.18 µg | 2.4 µg |
A | 4300 µg | 9 µg | 700 µg |
Iron | 12.9 mg | 0.44 mg | 18 mg |
Copper | 0.535 mg | 0.046 mg | 0.9 mg |
Choline | 327 mg | 75.7 mg | 425 mg |
Selenium | 88.2 µg | 30 µg | 55 µg |
Zinc | 4.01 mg | 0.9 mg | 8 mg |
B1 | 0.292 mg | 0.086 mg | 1.1 mg |
Is it Safe to Eat Liver?
There is a common misconception that the liver stores toxins and you should therefore not eat it. But that is not how the liver works. Yes, the liver is a very important detoxification organ, but it does not store toxins. It converts them into a less toxic substance that safely can be removed by the body. It does this by utilizing a wide variety of nutrients. What the liver actually stores is a high amount of nutrients.
How to Source Liver
Just like with other animal products, quality is key. When sourcing chicken livers, make sure they are pasture raised. You can get them at your local butcher, local farmers, farmers market, and if you live in NYC at Farm to People. (You can get a $25 discount or a free small farm box with my code “50SHADESOFAVO”).
What to Enjoy This Liver Paté With
- Crackers: My favorite way to eat this pate is with crackers. You can either use a store-bought brand or try my delicious grain-free crackers (they are also AIP).
- Bread: Enjoy the pate on a slice of sourdough bread (if you tolerate it) or any other compliant bread. I have two bread recipes in my cookbook “ENJOY”. One of them is paleo the other is AIP.
- Veggie slices: Cucumbers, carrots, or celery are great ways to enjoy this paté. Even apple slices work great. I would just recommend this in the beginning though and if you are not a lover of liver. Trying it with crackers first is an easier way to get your palate used to it
Substitutions
- Chicken liver: Although I haven’t tried it yet, you can try duck liver. Beef liver has a bit of a stronger taste, so I would start out with chicken.
- Lard: You can use any other cooking fat of your choice, like extra virgin olive, oil, avocado oil, duck fat, butter, or ghee if you tolerate them.
- Cranberries: When fresh or frozen cranberries are not in season/available to you you can substitute them with a green apple. Dried cranberries are not appropriate for this recipe.
Do you eat liver? Let me know in the comment section below. I hope this recipe will help you to love this superfood.
Happy cooking,
~Annika
Cranberry Chicken Liver Paté
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken livers pasture raised
- 1/2 cup onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced sage
- 2 Tbsp lard (pastured) (or other cooking fat/oil of choice)
- 1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- If there is some liquid surrounding the livers, drain them in a colander. Inspect the livers by checking if there are any visible green parts (gallbladder). If there are remove them.
- Chop the onion, garlic, and sage.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the lard or another cooking oil of your choice. Add the onion, garlic, and sage and fry for about 1 minute. Move them towards the edges of the pan and place the livers in the middle. Fry the livers for about 5 minutes on each side. If the temperature gets too hot, decrease it to medium-low. When you cut through the livers the juices should run clear, not red. Add the cranberries on top with some water and cook everything for a few minutes, until the cranberries have popped.
- Place everything from the pan into a high-speed blender. Add olive oil, salt, and cinnamon. Start blending it at low speed first and then increase it to high. Blend until the consistency is very smooth. If you have trouble blending it you might have to add 1 Tbsp of water at a time until you can blend it.
- Put the paté into 3 6oz mason jars and let it cool off on the counter. Once it has cooled off, chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before consuming. I usually freeze two jars and keep one in the fridge for a couple of days. If you are making this recipe for a party or gathering simply place it in a medium bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
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