My liver and onions recipe with gravy is old-fashioned comfort food that will surely be a big hit with any lovers of organ meat. Best of all, the luxurious sage-infused gravy is perfect for slathering over a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes too!
This simple recipe features sauteed onions and beef liver lightly coated in seasoned flour and pan-fried until golden brown, which is then served with a flavorful brown gravy infused with a sprig of fresh sage.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef liver - Other cuts of beef can be substituted if you don't enjoy organ meat. This can be made similarly to my hamburger steak with onion gravy recipe.
- Milk
- Butter - Bacon grease or olive oil can be substituted.
- Large onion - Yellow onions are preferred but a sweet onion is a great substitute.
- All-purpose flour
- Table salt
- Ground black pepper
- Beef broth - Beef stock is a good substitute.
- Worchestershire sauce - Soy sauce can be substituted.
- Fresh sage - Fresh thyme or rosemary can also be used.
How to make it
This old fashioned liver and onions with gravy recipe is pretty straightforward. Begin by soaking the raw liver in milk to remove any bitter flavor. While the liver soaks, saute onions in butter in a cast iron skillet set over medium heat.
As the onions cook, discard the milk and dredge the liver pieces in a shallow dish containing a mixture of flour, salt, and black pepper. Then remove the onions from the skillet with a slotted spoon and add the remaining butter. Place the coated liver slices in the skillet and cook until the flour browns.
Now you are ready to make the delicious gravy. Slowly whisk in the Worchestershire sauce and beef broth and bring to a simmer. Add sage to the skillet along with the set-aside onions. Cook everything until the liquid thickens into a gravy consistency, then taste for salt and pepper and serve with fluffy mashed potatoes along with a green vegetable such as roasted green beans.
Storing Leftovers
Store your leftover liver and onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it within five days. The best way to reheat this classic dish is to microwave individual servings separately until heated through.
Liver and Onions with Gravy
Equipment
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef liver
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cup beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
- 1 sprig fresh sage
Instructions
- Soak liver in milk for 30+ minutes. This will remove any bitter taste from the liver.
- While the slices of liver soak, add two tablespoons of butter to a large skillet set over medium heat and add the sliced onions. Saute until the onions turn golden brown and become tender. Then remove the onions and set aside.
- While the onions cook, mix together the flour, salt, and black pepper, then dredge the raw liver in it, ensuring each piece is fully coated. The milk can be discarded.
- Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the skillet along with the liver and cook until the flour mixture becomes golden brown.
- Slowly whisk in beef broth and Worchestershire sauce, add the fresh sage and return the onions to the skillet. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until it thickens. Add additional salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Nutritional Information
This recipe was originally published on November 18, 2022.
Alex
In South Africa Ox Liver is really affordable and basically in the budget of even the less fortunate. I personally eat liver at least 3 to 4 times a month in all variations, crumbed, peri-peri, with mash, with just a tomato and onion relish etc: Absolutely love it.
PT
I’ve always been told 3/5 minutes but while you’re making gravy it’s still in there
Rebecca
I love liver and onions but I do not love sage so I would have to omit the sage for this recipe.
Mac
Liver and onions. One of my favorites, and something I don't cook nearly enough. I'd be interested in how long you cook your liver. I've always been told--and have found this to be true--that you cook it for around seven minutes, and if you miss that window, plan on cooking it for an hour.