Pan-fried calves liver with crispy sage leaves, and a marsala wine, onion & bacon “gravy” makes for a delicious and surprisingly quick meal.
This delicious and hearty dish will go from your fridge to your table in around 40 minutes and it tastes like you spent far longer working on it.
Quickly Fried Liver with Onions and Bacon
I adore liver, it is one of my favourite ingredients to cook and eat. It is so often frugal, it tastes incredible and it is exceptionally nutritious.
I’ve got traditional dishes like British braised liver and onions with bacon, as well as more eclectic dishes like kaleji masala (Indian liver curry) and peri peri chicken livers to name a few.
Calves liver is not the cheapest, but it is often thought of as being the finest and it needs nothing other than a little seasoning and then being quickly pan-fried in butter.
Here I have bundled it with a simple onion and bacon gravy that I have given a lift with Marsala wine. Then finished it off with some crispy fried sage leaves.
It is a remarkably easy dish to make, the gravy is made separately and can be cooked in advance. The liver takes no longer than 3 minutes to cook and the sage leaves another 20 seconds or so.
All told this liver dish will come together in around 40 minutes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in advance?
The gravy is perfect for making in advance, and it will store in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can even freeze it for up to 6 months.
However, the liver needs to be cooked and eaten as soon as it is rested or it will become tough.
Does the liver really cook that quickly?
Yes, do not be tempted to cook the liver for more than 90 seconds on each side. It is a very delicate meat and it can become tough, chewy and practicable inedible when it is overcooked.
What is streaky bacon?
US visitors to my website always ask this question, streaky bacon is what you guys call bacon.
Here in the UK the phrase bacon tends to refer to back bacon, or what you guys know as Canadian bacon.
Can I use something other than Marsala wine?
Yes, sweet marsala is perfect in this recipe, but you could replace it with everything from a medium white wine to a full-bodied red wine.
You could even use sherry or port, your choice will change the flavour of the gravy, but they will all taste great.
Can I cook this without alcohol?
Yes, but it will be a very different dish. I would increase the amount of stock and add a splash of vinegar to add acidity. Anything from red or white wine vinegar or even sherry or balsamic vinegar would work well.
Then I would add a little bit of sweetness with some red currant jelly. It will not taste the same as my gravy but it will be delicious!
Serving Suggestions
Alongside the onion and bacon gravy, I have served my pan-fried calves liver with swede and carrot mash and some simply cooked runner beans in these pictures.
If swede is not your “thing” then you could opt for some buttery mashed potato or even a nutty celeriac mash instead.
Mash is always quite indulgent and it can be a little “heavy”, you can light this meal by adding something like my roasted crushed new potatoes or Parmentier potatoes.
You can be equally free to choose from a host of options when it comes to greens.
Roasted tenderstem broccoli is always good, as is something like my air fryer asparagus or even buttered savoy cabbage.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- 25cm or 10″ frying pan.
- 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
Pan-Fried Calves Liver Recipe with Onions, Bacon and Sage
Calves liver is often considered the finest and here it is quickly pan-fried in butter and served with a gravy made from Marsala wine, beef stock, onions and bacon and then finished with crispy sage leaves.
Ingredients
For the Onion and Bacon Gravy:
- 1 Medium-Large (150g) Onion
- 100g (3-4 Rashers) Smoked Streaky Bacon
- 75ml (⅓ Cup) Marsala Wine
- 125ml (½ Cup) Beef Stock
- 25g (2 Tbsp) Butter
- Pinch of Salt (to taste, this may not be required depending on your stock)
For the Liver:
- 350-375g (12oz) Calves Liver (1cm, just under ½" thick)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 15g (1 Tbsp) Butter
- 2 Tbsp Flour
- ½ Tsp Salt
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
For the Crispy Sage Leaves:
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 10-12 Sage Leaves
Instructions
- Cut the onion in half, peel it and then slice it as thinly as you can.
- Slice the bacon into thin batons.
- Heat a 25cm (10") frying pan over a medium heat and add the bacon and cook until it begins to become golden and starts to leach some fat. Don't be tempted to do this over a high heat, it is important that the fat renders out gently, it will take between 6 and 8 minutes.
- Add the butter followed by the onions and cook without colouring for 15 minutes. You are not aiming to caramelise the onions but to soften them gently in the butter.
- Turn the heat up to high and when the onions begin to sizzle pour in the marsala wine and cook until it has reduced by half.
- Add the beef stock and the salt (to taste), reduce the heat to low and allow the gravy to simmer whilst you cook the liver and sage.
- Dry the liver on some kitchen paper then season it with salt and pepper.
- Heat a 30cm (12") frying pan over a high heat and add the butter and oil, once the butter begins to foam dredge the liver with the flour and cook it in the oil for 60-90 seconds on each side, remove it from the pan and allow it to rest.
- Add the cooking oil for the crispy sage leaves to the pan that you cooked the liver in, and fry the sage leaves for 10-20 seconds then transfer them to some kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil.
- Serve the liver on a "bed" of the onion and bacon gravy and top with the crispy sage leaves.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 757Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 1148mgSodium: 2054mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 66g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.