Tender Old Fashioned Beef Liver and Onions with Gravy Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Tender Old Fashioned Beef Liver and Onions with Gravy Recipe

Tender Beef Liver with Onions and Gravy – This old-fashioned Southern recipe is packed with flavor and comfort. The seasoned flour calf's liver are seared to perfection, and smothered in a rich gravy with caramelized onions, this dish is both hearty and nostalgic. Perfect when served with mashed potatoes, rice, or roasted veggies, it’s a simple yet satisfying meal that brings a touch of homestyle cooking to your table. Whether you’re a liver lover or giving it a try for the first time, this recipe is sure to impress! You'll see why it is one of mama's all time favorite meals.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Servings: pound

Calories: 681kcal

Author: Julia Jordan

Ingredients

⅓ cup Cooking Oil
1 pound Calf Beef Liver thawed
1½ cup All Purpose Flour
1½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Paprika
1 Large Onion peeled and sliced

For the Gravy

2 tablespoons of Seasoned Flour reserved from dredging the liver meat
1½ cup Water
½ cup Milk optional, can use all water instead

Instructions

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat; add cooking oil and heat to 350°F.
In a shallow dish, mix the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Dredge the liver slices in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. If you wish to cut the liver slices in half, do so while in flour mixture as it is easier to handle without tearing the meat. Place the dredged liver slices into the skillet. Reserve a couple tablespoons of the seasoned flour for gravy and discard the rest.
Sear the liver slices for 3-4 minutes per side until browned (overcooking can make liver tough). Remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel lined sheet pan to remove excess grease.
Next, add the onions and cook until softened or caramelized (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Be sure to scrape the tasty bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved seasoned flour to the pan with the onions and stir to incorporate with the onions and pan drippings. Allow the mixture to cook 2-3 minutes.
Next, add the water and milk to the pan and stir to combine with the onion and flour mixture. The gravy will not be thick at this time.
Return the liver to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 20 minutes until the gravy is thickened. Taste the gravy and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Serve liver, onions, and gravy hot with your favorite sides.

Notes

If using Beef Liver instead of calf: Place sliced beef liver in a bowl and cover with milk or buttermilk. Soak for 1-2 hours to reduce the metallic taste. After soaking, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Soaking is not necessary if using milder beef calf liver and you can skip this step.

For more tips and ideas see the full post for tips cooking beef liver, as well as serving suggestions.

Gravy: I didn't add extra seasonings to the gravy since we used some of the seasoned flour from dredging. Tastes may vary, so add seasoning to your gravy if desired to suit your tastes.

Nutrition