Beef Liver Tastes Like Manure: Should We Discard It?

Beef liver is a delicious organ cut that is often overlooked.

Many people think that beef liver tastes like manure, is it the truth?

Keep reading to find out what causes the manure-like taste in your beef liver and how to fix it.

Why does my beef liver taste like manure?

Beef liver is often considered to be unappetizing, but it is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available.

The beef liver can be a healthy and delicious addition to spice up your diet as long as it doesn’t come with a bad smell or taste.

Many people find beef liver to have a taste that is similar to manure, or poop.

So what are the reasons?

Your beef liver has been spoiled

If your beef liver is spoiled, chances are it will deliver a bad smell and taste like manure.

It is harder to store organ meat, and in case the beef liver has been frozen for a long time in an improper way, the bacteria will develop and make your beef liver stink.

Beef liver hasn’t been processed properly

Another reason that can explain the manure taste in your beef liver is that it hasn’t been processed properly.

The liver is already a cut of organ meat that has a strong odor and taste.

Therefore, it requires more effort to process the cut and result in the best taste when cooked.

If the butcher (or you) doesn’t trim off the fat edges, it can make your beef liver smellier.

Or if you don’t wash and rinse the beef liver correctly and completely, it will not taste good when cooked either.

Beef liver hasn’t been fully cooked

The last possibility for the manure taste of beef liver is that it hasn’t been fully cooked.

It doesn’t mean that you have to cook it completely and make it become dry.

The liver should still be juicy but cooked thoroughly instead of rare or raw.

Is it safe to eat beef liver that tastes like manure?

The short answer can be not, it is typically not safe to eat beef liver that tastes like manure.

The poop-like taste is not supposed in our food, and if your beef liver has this flavor, it should be taken a closer look to figure out the reason, which can be either one of the three aforementioned causes.

In most cases, it is a sign of spoilage and you better discard your beef liver instead of consuming it. 

How to get rid of the manure taste from beef liver?

If you want to give the beef liver a shot for your next recipes, it is better to learn how to get rid of the strong odor and manure taste from this organ cut.

The following methods can also help people who have experienced the poop-like taste in their beef liver dishes before:

Buy fresh beef liver and use it immediately for your recipes

The easiest way to get rid of the manure taste from the beef liver is to opt for a good liver at the beginning.

You should shop for beef liver from a reputable butcher shop.

And it is best to purchase fresh beef liver instead of its frozen counterpart.

The frozen beef liver can be much cheaper, but it is definitely not as tasty or nutritious as the fresh one, especially when the liver is not properly stored.

Trim the beef liver and soak it in milk for hours before cooking

As already mentioned, if your beef liver is processed improperly, chances are it will deliver a taste like manure.

Therefore, just trim any fat edge around the liver.

Wash it in cool water completely, and soak the beef liver in milk for hours before cooking or even overnight.

Milk can help ease the strong odor of beef liver, making it more tender, juicier, and taste better when cooked.

So this method will not only prevent your beef liver from tasting like poop but also provide it with a better texture and taste.

The bottom line

The beef liver turns out to be very tasty and nutritious if properly processed and cooked.

In case your beef liver tastes like manure, it must refer to a problem that needs you to take action.

The spoiled beef liver can cause foodborne illnesses and obviously, your dish will be ruined and taste terrible.

So make sure to buy beef liver from a reputable butcher shop and properly store, process, and cook this organ cut to have the best dish from beef liver without any weird taste.