Liver Taco with Mango Hot Sauce

Liver is the one food I have had a strong dislike for since early childhood. My parents made us eat it once a week, at least they tried. I found clever ways to rid myself of the liver on my plate. The things I put my poor brother through, that’s all I’m going say.

In wanting to do better for myself, and learning from Ray Peat that liver has so much to offer, I set out choking down a lot of liver over my last 6+ years. At first, I found that pairing it with a tequila martini and extra onion and bacon worked pretty well, ordering it in a restaurant. Later I realized a restaurant portion of liver is just too much, so I started experimenting at home with the liver. I finally found a couple several ways I like it, and one is in this liver taco. I had been remiss in eating my liver this past year, because it was not easy to prepare buying it from my local health food store in a tub frozen rock solid, but I found one that is grass-fed and portioned for easy use!

Whenever I make liver I like to soak it in milk first to soften the flavor. Even a half hour soak does a good job. I cut of these four ounce portions in half, and then in tiny pieces. I cooked my masa tortilla in a little refined coconut oil until softened or crispy, whichever you like, then put it on a plate and salt it.

Gather the liver ingredients. I have some smoked salt and a fresh mango habanero sauce I use for mime. Cut the sweet onion into slivers. I pick a few sprigs of cilantro from my garden for mine. Heat up a little beef fat in a frying pan. I save the fat that comes off of browning ground beef or from making short ribs for something like this. It has more roasted flavor than tallow alone. When the fat is hot tossed in the liver bits. Quickly season it with some dried powdered cumin and smoked salt and cooked for barely a minute.

I assembled my taco with the liver, mango habanero hot sauce, my onion slivers and cilantro and had it gone in four bites, and it was tasty! Be sure not to cook the liver till dried out or it will get that awful liver taste. My son made my mango hot sauce, but using a fresh made salsa using fresh mango instead of tomatoes would be so good too! Regular salsa or a hot sauce and sour cream combo would also be a good alternative, like my ground beef liver combo pictured below.

“Milk, orange juice, eggs, liver, and shellfish provide
nutrients that help to restore good liver function.
-Ray Peat