Organ Meats. Two words that seem to make a lot of people very uncomfortable. For us, regularly consuming organ meats is a PRIORITY for our health. Please look into the benefits of including pasture raised organ meats into your diet! In general, organ meats are 10 to 100 times more nutrient dense than corresponding muscle meats. Think about that for a second!
In many traditional cultures, organ meats were the only parts consumed and muscle meats were discarded to the dogs. The nutritional information for liver blows me away.
Take a look: Liver is a good source of Thiamin and Manganese, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin A (489% daily requirement!!!), Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Phosphorus, Zinc, Copper and Selenium.
I love making this recipe! I make it a little different every time, and it always turns out really delicious. I think the caramelized onions and pastured bacon are the key ingredients to making this taste really amazing. Please give it a try and find a way to include this superfood into your diet.
Pork Liver Mousse
- Carefully clean the pork liver, being sure you remove any connective tissue. Dice the liver into 1 inch cubes. Add the cleaned liver to a bowl and then cover it with milk. Move it to the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Melt 3 tbsp. of the butter in a skillet and add the onions. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook the onions low and slow until they start to caramelize. This process takes a while and cannot be rushed. The more sugars that develop and the deeper the color of the onions the better they will taste. Add in the bacon, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the garlic to the caramelized onion/bacon mixture and stir for about a minute. Add in the liver cubes to the skillet by removing them from the milk – discard the milk, or feed it to your pets like we do. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and fresh ground pepper then heat gently until the juice coming out of the livers is clear and they are fully cooked. Deglaze with 1/4 cup brandy/cognac and let simmer for a minute or so.
- Carefully add the entire contents of the skillet to your food processor. Add in 1/4 cup of cream and 1/4 cup butter. Puree for several minutes, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust the cream, brandy, salt and pepper to your personal tastes. If it is too thick, add more cream. Keep in mind it will thicken up in the fridge and should have a somewhat thin texture here. You’re looking for something just pourable. Puree one last time getting everything very smooth.
- Using a fine mesh sieve and wooden spoon or spatula, push the puree through to get rid of the grainy texture. This last step is tedious but the difference in the final texture makes it well worth it. (disclaimer: I sometimes skip this step, but usually regret it.)
- Traditionally this is not served until it has a chance to chill for several hours or overnight, but I like it warm. So eat it whenever you want on crisp crackers, apples, or rustic bread. Bring to room temperature for best results.
- Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage move the mousse to a freezer safe container and cover the top with a layer of gelee or clarified butter. Freeze for up to 6 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator the day before using.
I like to pair this with fig jam, or top it with a port gelee if I’m feeling fancy.
