Beef Liver Paté

Do you want to be 119% healthier than everyone else you know? I have the secret to being that healthy. Do you want it? Are you sure? OK, you're sure. Eat liver. Liver that has been caramelized, seasoned, creamed and whirred and spread on a cracker is the kind of liver even the squirmiest of squirmers can eat. Because guess what? My husband is a squirmer and he. ate. the. liver. Did he like the liver? Well, no. But he tried it! Doesn't that count? In my book it does.  

This recipe is a little putzy, but if you have some offal in your freezer you need to offload this has got to be the best way to offload. The end result is full of flavor with sherry, brandy, and all of the pumpkin pie spices incorporated making an ever so slightly sweet, bacony loaf of goodness loaded with health benefits.

Here are some ways to serve paté:

• Smeared on a cracker. 
• Next to a platter of crudités. 
• On soft french bread as a sandwich.
• With a cheese tray.
• With a bottle of dry red wine. 
• Next to a crunchy green salad.

Printable Recipe Here

Beef Liver Paté

recipe adapted from The Meaty Bohemian

Butter, for greasing baking dish

3 tablespoons bacon drippings or lard

1 large shallot or 1/8 cup sweet onion, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 lb. beef liver, cleaned of connective tissue, cut into 1” chunks

2 tablespoons sweet sherry

2 tablespoons brandy or red wine

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1 tablespoon heaping coarsely chopped parsley or thyme, leaves only

3 thin slices of bacon or pancetta

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Butter a standard-sized 8x5 bread pan. Set aside. 

Heat the bacon drippings in a large cast-iron skillet over moderate heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for a minute or two until slightly softened. Making sure the pan is hot enough to sear the meat, add liver chunks and quickly caramelize on each side - about a minute each side (you’re not cooking the meat through here, just getting a great char on the meat). 

Remove meat to a food processor and allow to cool slightly. To the food processor add the sherry, brandy, heavy cream and spices, making sure to heap the spice measurements. Process for several minutes until smooth, creamy, and no chunks remain. Lastly, add in the herbs. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared bread pan and place inside an oven-safe baking dish that has 3” sides. Smooth the top of the loaf with a spatula and lay the 3 slices of bacon on top of the loaf. Place pan into oven. Fill baking dish with hot water, about 2” up the sides of the dish. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. 

Remove from oven and water bath, allow to cool slightly. Move bread pan into refrigerator with a heavy weight like a brick or all the jars of pickles in your fridge atop the loaf. Chill for 24 hours. 

When ready to serve, slide a butter knife around the sides of the loaf and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into slices to serve immediately with crackers and wrap individually in plastic wrap to freeze up to 6 months.