The Secret to Tender Liver: What to Soak It In to Make It Soft and Not Bitter

Many cooks and food bloggers who publish liver recipes suggest soaking it in milk before cooking to remove the bitterness and characteristic odor. For example, this is how beef liver dishes are recommended to be prepared. However, there are life hacks that allow doing this even if there is no milk at home, writes UNIAN. The first is using salted water (1 tablespoon without a heap per liter of water) with a pinch of sugar. The liver should be soaked for 30 minutes, and then well rinsed with water. The second method uses baking soda, which is sprinkled over the liver and left for an hour, then thoroughly rinsed. The third method uses soda and salt (two tablespoons per 5 liters of water). The liver is soaked for 1−2 hours in the solution and rinsed. The fourth method is a solution of dry mustard (1 tablespoon per liter of water). In it, the liver is recommended to be kept for several hours, then rinsed. Before using any of these methods, the liver must be prepared — peel off films and cut out areas with vessels. To make this easier, the liver should be dipped for 30 seconds in boiling water. You can also marinate the liver, leaving it for four hours in a solution consisting of 1,5 liters of water, a tablespoon of honey, and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Soaking is usually advised for calf or pig liver. However, if desired, it can also be done with chicken liver. By the way, chef Lilia Matsko, who previously shared a recipe for liver cutlets, recommends soaking liver in milk or water 2−3 hours.