Sur Le Gril Chopped Liver
Submitted by Mammy
Classic chopped liver made with calves liver, caramelized onions, hard-cooked egg, and butter, ground twice for a smooth, rich spread. Serve chilled on dark rye with tomato and cucumber.
This chopped liver is the real deal: calves liver fried just until cooked through, ground twice with golden caramelized onions, and folded with sieved hard-cooked egg for a smooth, rich spread that belongs on a Jewish deli platter. No shortcuts, no food processor paste. The twice-ground texture has character.
Cooking the liver correctly is everything. Three minutes per side gives you meat that’s just barely done through. Cut a piece to check; any remaining pink means another 30 to 60 seconds. Go past that and the liver turns grainy, dry, and bitter. The window between perfect and overdone is narrow, so stay close.
Forcing the hard-cooked egg through a wire strainer (whites and yolks separately) gives you a fine, delicate texture that disappears into the liver mixture instead of leaving chunky bits. The 24-hour rest in the fridge mellows and melds the flavors.
Chef Tips
- Remove the tough outer membranes from the liver before cooking. They’re chewy and unpleasant in the finished spread.
- Brown the onions until truly golden, not just translucent. That caramelization is a major flavor contributor.
- A meat grinder with a medium blade gives the best texture. Two passes through the grinder creates a spread that’s smooth but still has some body.
- Serve on dark rye bread with sliced tomato and cucumber. The cool, crisp vegetables balance the richness.
Variations
- Schmaltz version: Replace the butter and oil with rendered chicken fat (schmaltz) for a more traditional, deeply savory flavor.
- Lighter take: Use chicken livers instead of calves liver for a milder, more approachable chopped liver.
Ingredients
Directions
With a sharp knife, remove the tough outer membranes from liver.
In a heavy skillet, heat oil and add chopped onions.
Cook over medium high heat until translucent and golden brown.
Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add butter to skillet.
Heat until melted. Add liver pieces.
Over medium heat, fry liver until just done - 3 minutes on each side.
Alternatively, liver can be brushed with butter and broiled.
To test for doneness, cut a piece from liver slice.
If still pink, continue cooking for 30 to 60 seconds.
Overcooking causes the liver to be dry and tough.
For finely mashed egg that disappears in the liver mixture, force egg through a wire strainer.
For best results, separate the hard cooked whites from yolks and sieve them separately.
Set aside.
Fit meat grinder with a medium blade and place cooked liver and cooked onions in the grinder.
Grind, then regrind the ground mixture.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the twice ground meat and onions mixture with the sieved eggs.
Add salt and pepper.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
If desired, add a few drops of commercial gravy browning liquid to heighten color.
Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. Serve with slices of tomato, cucumber and dark rye bread.
Serves 4.
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