This pate recipe is 100% strict carnivore and uses only beef liver, beef tallow, and bacon.
Without a doubt, beef liver is the superhero of the carnivore diet given its exceptional nutritional profile.
Liver is especially rich in vitamins A and B12 and high in riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), B6, and folate. It is also a good source of many minerals including copper, selenium, phosphorous, zinc, and iron. [1]
Liver is the best natural source of preformed vitamin A, an essential nutrient that is important for healthy vision, cell division, reproduction, growth, development, and immunity. [2, 3]
Beef liver is the best multivitamin that nature has to offer and I personally believe eating beef liver is the best way to boost your nutrient intake. One 3-ounce serving of beef liver provides 50-100% daily value of many essential nutrients.
I’m not aware of any study on the benefits of consuming liver on human health, but an old study on rats found that rats whose food was supplemented with 10% whole liver powder were able to swim in 20°C water for 63 to 120 minutes compared to a mere 13 minutes for rats that were fed a basic diet. [4]
There is indeed something magical about liver.
The other two ingredients in this recipe are beef tallow and bacon.
Beef tallow is the best cooking oil on the carnivore diet with a superior fatty acid profile compared to pork and chicken fat.
Because no spices and seasonings are used in this recipe, a small amount of bacon is used for added flavor. Although commercial bacon is generally not very healthy, if you can get good quality pasture-raised bacon, it’s not bad at all. Pasture-raised bacon can be a bit pricy but if you just use it as flavoring for carnivore dishes, a pound will last you quite a while. Also note that while good quality meat products can be expensive, they can still be a lot cheaper per pound compared to some “healthy snacks” options available on the market.
Beef liver pate is a great way to add organ meat to your carnivore diet if you don’t like the taste of freshly cooked liver or can’t get access to fresh liver regularly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef liver, trimmed and cut into thin slices or small cubes
- 2/3 cup melted beef tallow
- 3 slices pasture-raised bacon, chopped
- tallow for frying
Note:
Only buy liver that is still fresh. Fresh liver should have a shiny deep mahogany red color, not white, grey-white or yellowish. Look for the liver that still has at least 4-5 days till the best-before date.
Once purchased, either cook the liver straight away or store it in the coldest part of the fridge and cook it within a couple of days.
Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the liver. Pat dry with paper towels. Remove all connective tissues and cut the liver into thin slices or small pieces.
Chop the bacon strips into small bits.
Step 2
Heat 3 tbs tallow in a frying pan on high heat till it begins to bubble.
Add the liver slices, stir occasionally, and fry the livers for about 5 minutes or until they are just cooked through. Transfer the livers to a plate.
Add the bacon bits and fry till golden and cooked but not dry.
Note: if you use a small frying pan, fry the liver slices in two batches to make sure that there is enough heat to brown them properly. Because no seasoning is used in this recipe, you need the livers to be well browned and caramelized for added flavor through the Maillard reaction.
Step 3
Add the cooked livers, bacon, and melted tallow into the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Check to make sure that there are no lumpy bits left.
Pour the liver pate into glass jars and chill them in the fridge. The liver pate paste may seem a bit loose but it will set in the fridge after an hour or so.
If you are not dairy sensitive, you can melt a couple of tablespoons of butter and pour on top to seal the pate.
The pate will be good in the fridge for about a week and for around three months in the freezer.
You can eat this liver pate on its own, as a side dish, or with snacks (e.g. pork crackles). One to two tablespoons are already aplenty to boost your nutrient intake.
Other recipes that you may be interested in:
How to Make Your Own Multi-Purpose Cream from Tallow
Super Nutritious Carnivore Meatball Recipe
Carnivore-ish Slow Roasted Lamb Shank Recipe
Carnivore Beef Liver Strip Recipe
Carnivore-ish Braised Pig Trotter (Pork Feet) Recipe
Delicious and Nutritious Carnivore Meatloaf Recipe
Disclaimer: The information in this post is for reference purposes only and is not intended to constitute or replace professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified medical professional before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle. Please check out our disclaimer for more detail.