Turkey Meatballs with Chicken Liver Recipe

January 11, 2022

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I'm Madeleine!

I’m the girlfriend you text when you’re scratching your head reading labels in the grocery store, the confidante you blurt your “I can’t tell anyone else!” bathroom shenanigans to and the handy science nerd who comes through with the best cost-cutting, time-saving health tips you don’t know how you ever lived without.

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Can we talk about liver?

Ugh. The worst, right?! Just thinking of the word liver (aka organ meats) kinda makes me want to gag.

But, the reality is, if I were to pick one food that was actually a “superfood,” it would be liver.

Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available to us. It’s packed with high-quality protein and essential nutrients such as Vitamin B12, folate, iron, and choline.

Not to mention that “ounce per ounce, liver contains up to 200x more vitamin B12 than muscle meat does, such as chicken breast or steak,” shares Lily Nichols. (note: for more information on liver requirements, especially during pregnancy, check out Lily Nichols’s book, Real Food For Pregnancy. She has a whole section in her book and on her blog dedicated to liver and organ meats.)

Do I love liver? No, I don’t.

But, ever since I started my holistic hormone healing journey, I’ve been experimenting with different ways to incorporate this nutrient-packed organ meat into my diet. Why? Because I know just how good it is for my overall well-being. And, if you’re a meat eater, eating nose-to-tail is an additional way to honor an animal in its entirety and a great way to help reduce food waste.

Creating a meatball recipe that I actually love has definitely been a trial and error process. Some of my first attempts at these meatballs were…um…a bit disappointing, ha! They were overpowered by the flavor of liver (not my favorite!). However, I will note that I ate them because I hate wasting food.

How I like to eat liver

I do not eat plain liver. I am not so gung-ho about this organ meat that I can just sear it in a pan with a bit of butter and onion and call it a day. It’s just not going to happen for me. If that’s your jam, more power to you!

The way I’ve learned to consume liver is by “hiding” it in my meatballs and pairing it with pasta and a tomato or pesto sauce of some sort.

Tip: If you’re new to liver, I recommend starting with chicken liver. It’s got less of that pungent liver taste most of us dislike, i.e., it’s a bit milder.

Note: Whenever possible, I recommend sourcing your liver from an organic, pasture-raised meat supplier. It is best to find the best quality meat when it comes to liver.

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