Is liver really that bad?

[Anonymous]

I never had liver as a kid (or adult) but am considering eating it since it's a good source of iron, ect. I've heard all the "horror" stories and read some stuff online and it's making me a bit wary. Is it really that bad? And is the smell that bad too? Also, must I use onions? The bulk of the recipes I've seen online use onions but onions give me b.o., so avoid them.

[Anonymous]

I like the classic diner dish of beef liver and onions, but that isn't the only preparation. Fried chicken livers is a popular soul food. I love this but it's fattening. Chopped chicken liver spread is Ashkenazi Jewish "soul food". Nando's Peri Peri Chicken restaurants do chicken livers in a spicy sauce.

[Anonymous]

Organ meat is very high in cholesterol. Not sure benefits of iron outweigh risk of high cholesterol.

[Anonymous]

I'm a picky eater from the recent picky eaters thread, and I never minded when my mom made liver. I ate it, happily. I picked out the onions though.

[Anonymous]

I think it's delicious. One time when I was growing up I requested it for my birthday dinner

[Anonymous]

Liver is delicious. I never bothered with onions.

[Anonymous]

I like it with onions but haven't had it in years.

[Anonymous]

I love most foods but I can't get past the texture of it. My mom apparently makes great liver, and boy, it does SMELL good.. But my tongue wants no part of it.

[Anonymous]

Liver does not appeal to me. Growing up I ate liverwurst (made with liver) and mustard sandwiches, and I liked them. Now, as an adult, liver kind of grosses me out.

[Anonymous]

You have to get calf's liver, which is what we eat in France and is much more delicate in flavor and texture.

It is traditionally cooked with caramelized onions, and eaten with Dijon mustard, but you can eat it however you like!

[Anonymous]

Can't do organs

[Anonymous]

No. Not when there are so many other healthier sources of iron out there.

[Anonymous]

Some people like it. I personally don't, but my father does.

[Anonymous]

I do not like it. When I was a kid, my mother made it once, but did not tell us what it was. Instead, she told us it was a new kind of steak and we all liked steak. We all rejected the liver/steak with one bite. I don't think it was because we were disappointed that it wasn't really steak -- we really did not like it.

That said, I think it's great that you want to try something new. I think you should go for it with an open mind. There are lots of things I didn't like as a child that I love now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I never had liver as a kid (or adult) but am considering eating it since it's a good source of iron, ect. I've heard all the "horror" stories and read some stuff online and it's making me a bit wary. Is it really that bad? And is the smell that bad too? Also, must I use onions? The bulk of the recipes I've seen online use onions but onions give me b.o., so avoid them.

I suggest trying it in a restaurant first. Several French bistro-type restaurants in the area serve liver. They usually make it with onions, but you don't have to eat the onions.
Alternately, you could try chopped liver from a Jewish deli. Then you can decide whether you are OK with eating it in general, and try to make it at home.