How to Make Liver Powder
Updated: Nov 19, 2020
I know, I know, liver--ewww. I get it and I feel the same way. As someone who has struggled with anemia off and on for the past 7 years, my research has led me back, time and again, to liver...sigh. Liver is one of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat, and according to this article, “it’s nature’s most potent superfood.” I know I should eat it; I know it will benefit me; I’ve tried, really hard, several times and failed. I don’t like the taste, texture, or smell of liver. In fact, I started to build quite a collection of beef livers in my freezer a few years ago telling myself that I was going to get it together and find the perfect way for me to get this much needed superfood. I tried cutting it into small pill sized pieces and then freezing it so that I could take them like “pills” and I’ve tried a few different recipes for cooking liver that guaranteed I’d love it. Both methods were complete failures for me. Beyond that, I know that eating liver is good for my family too, not just me. So, after much experimentation and thought, I found 2 ways that have worked well for me and my family. I’m going to share both of them with you today in hopes that this might help you too.
The first method I tried and has helped is making my own liver pills. I’ve been using this method for a few years and it’s been a great option for me when I unintentionally miss a meal, am really stressed and need a boost, if I’ve been sick, or just had a baby. It is, however, time consuming and that is the only downside I’ve found to this method thus far. The second method of preparing liver is a bit more practical, surprisingly less repulsive, more convenient, and benefits the whole family: liver powder!
What you'll need:
Food dehydrator
Food processor
Coffee grinder
Sieve/mesh strainer
Size 00 empty capsules, if you're making the liver pills
Pint- and quart-sized wide mouth mason jar with lid
Preparing the liver:
Place one thawed,* sliced liver onto a food dehydrator tray. Depending on how big your tray is, you may need to use multiple trays. Be sure to leave enough space between the liver slices for the air to dry out each one completely.
Plug in your dehydrator* and set it for 155 degrees and between 24-26 hours.
The liver is fully dried when it is tough in the middle and slightly crispy around the edges. Place the dried liver slices in the food processor and pulse until the pieces no bigger than the size of dimes.
Empty the dried liver pieces into a quart mason jar or freezer bag, seal it and place it in the freezer until you're ready to make powder or capsules.*
To make liver powder:
Plug in your coffee grinder and set your sieve/strainer on the rim of a medium sized bowl (to catch the powder).
Fill the bowl of your coffee grinder with the liver pieces, make sure not to over-fill.
Grind the liver pieces until they are powder form or are small enough to pass through the sieve/strainer.
You may need to repeat the grinding process for any pieces that are too large to be sifted through the strainer.
Pour the powder from the bowl into a pint-sized mason jar.
Continue making the powder until the mason jar is full.
Seal the jar, label it and place it in the freezer.
I add 1 tablespoon of liver powder per pound of ground beef to everything from hamburgers to chili. That way, my whole family gets the benefits of eating liver.
To make the pills:
Take the jar of liver powder out of the freezer, grab a shallow bowl and a handful of size 00 capsules and take a seat because it can take a while depending on how many you’re trying to make. I like to do this while watching a show or listening to a podcast.
Into the shallow bowl, place 2-3 tablespoons of liver powder.
Open the vegetarian capsules and use the larger portion of the capsule to scoop up the liver powder into the capsule until it's mostly full. Take the smaller portion of the capsule and scoop some of the powder until it's partially full. Close the capsule together and place it into an empty mason jar or a ziploc baggie.
Repeat the process until you’ve either filled the jar/baggie or you’ve gotten enough to hold you over until you get another chance to make some more.
I typically take 2-4 capsules whenever I need to, such as after having been sick, if I’ve missed a meal, feeling stressed, or for the first few months postpartum.
Notes:
*If the liver isn’t sliced already, it’s best to slice your liver while it’s still partially frozen.
*I’ve found it best to put my dehydrator in a place where it doesn’t stink up the house. The garage has worked well for us.
*Your liver pieces don’t need to be frozen before making the powder or pills. I’m just never been able to do all of this in one day, so I put them in the freezer until I can get back to it.
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