Southern Pan-Fried Liver and Onions

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef liver, sliced
• 2 medium yellow onions
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the liver slices dry with paper towels—this helps them brown instead of steam when they hit the hot pan.

2. 2

   Peel the onions, then cut each one in half from root to tip, then turn the flat side down and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide rings.

3. 3

   Pour the flour into a shallow bowl or plate, then add the salt and pepper and stir with a fork until mixed evenly.

4. 4

   Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and pour in 2 tablespoons of oil, then wait until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan.

5. 5

   Working with 3–4 liver slices at a time, lay each slice in the flour mixture, press gently so both sides get a light coating, then tap off excess flour.

6. 6

   Lay the coated liver slices in the hot oil in a single layer—they should sizzle immediately—and cook without moving them for 2 minutes until the underside is golden-brown.

7. 7

   Flip each liver slice over and cook the other side for 90 seconds until the outside is browned but the center still feels slightly soft when pressed with a finger.

8. 8

   Transfer the cooked liver slices to a clean plate, then repeat steps 5–7 with the remaining liver slices using the same hot oil.

9. 9

   Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same skillet, then tip in all the onion slices and stir with a wooden spoon to coat them.

10. 10

    Cook the onions over medium heat, stirring once every 2 minutes, for 12–15 minutes until they turn dark golden brown and feel completely soft when poked with a fork.

11. 11

    Nestle all the cooked liver slices back into the skillet on top of the caramelized onions, then toss gently to combine and warm the liver through, about 1 minute.

Tools you’ll need

• paper towels
• cutting board
• knife
• shallow bowl or plate
• fork
• 12-inch skillet
• wooden spoon
• tongs or spatula
• clean plate

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