Recipe
Perfect Prep! Super Easy Sweet and Savory Simmered Pork Liver! Delicious & Healthy
Ingredients
- Porkliver: 250g (or 800g as used in the video)
- Sesameoil: 2 tbsp
- Whitesesame seeds: 1 tbsp
- Ichimichili powder: to taste
- Milk:100–200 ml
- Sake:2 tbsp (for prep) + 2 tsp (for prep)
- Soysauce: 1/4 cup (50 ml)
- Sake:1/4 cup (50 ml) (for sauce)
- Mirin:1/4 cup (50 ml)
- Sugar:2 tsp
About "Sweet and Savory Simmered Pork Liver"
This sweet and savory simmered pork liver features a crucial prep step of soaking the pork liver in milk to completely remove any odor. Simmered over high heat in a golden ratio sauce of equal parts soy sauce, sake, and mirin, it brings out the fragrant aroma of sesame oil. Finished with white sesame seeds and ichimi chili powder, this is a healthy, iron-rich dish.
Introduction to ケン爺ホルモン焼きチャンネル →
Tips for Making "Sweet and Savory Simmered Pork Liver"
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Prep
- Soaking the pork liver in milk for 10 minutes removes its unique odor, making it easy to eat even for those who dislike liver.
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Prep
- Rinsing, splashing with sake, and thoroughly drying the liver with paper towels prevents the final dish from becoming watery.
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Seasoning
- Combining equal parts (1/4 cup each) of soy sauce, sake, and mirin creates a perfectly balanced sweet and savory sauce.
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Heat control
- Searing the liver for 2 minutes per side in sesame oil and reducing the sauce over high heat for 3 minutes concentrates the rich flavors.
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Prep
- Dicing the pork liver into bite-sized cubes ensures even cooking and a tender, plump texture.
Ingredients for "Sweet and Savory Simmered Pork Liver"
10 items* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon
How to Make "Sweet and Savory Simmered Pork Liver"
- 1
Dice the pork liver
Cut the prepared pork liver in half, then dice it into bite-sized cubes. It is important to keep the pieces uniform in size so they cook evenly; if they are too large, they won't cook through properly.
- 2
Soak in milk to remove odor
Place the diced pork liver in a bowl and pour in enough milk to fully submerge it. Gently massage it by hand to combine, then let it sit for 10 minutes. This step beautifully removes any gamey odor.
- 3
Mix the sauce ingredients
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup sake, and 1/4 cup mirin. Add 2 tsp sugar and stir well with a spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- 4
Final prep with sake and drying
Drain the soaked pork liver in a colander and rinse lightly under running water to wash away any blood or residue. Return to the bowl, sprinkle with 2 tsp sake, and massage gently. Spread out paper towels, arrange the liver pieces in a single layer without overlapping, place another paper towel on top, and press gently with both hands to thoroughly absorb all surface moisture.
- 5
Sear both sides in sesame oil
Heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil in a frying pan. Carefully add the dried liver pieces one by one and sear for about 2 minutes. Flip them over and sear the other side for another 2 minutes until both sides are beautifully browned.
- 6
Simmer and reduce with the sauce
Pour the mixed sauce into the pan with the seared liver all at once. Reduce the sauce over high heat for about 3 minutes. Cut one piece of liver in half during the process to ensure it is fully cooked through.
- 7
Add white sesame seeds to finish
Once fully cooked, sprinkle in 1 tbsp of white sesame seeds, turn off the heat, and toss to coat the liver evenly with the sauce and sesame seeds.
- 8
Plate and serve
Arrange shiso leaves in a circle on a plate, and mound the freshly cooked sweet and savory pork liver high in the center. Pour the remaining delicious sauce from the pan generously over the top, and sprinkle with ichimi chili powder to taste. Serve with a dollop of mayonnaise on the side to complete the dish.
Food Science
Combining the umami component 'inosinic acid' abundant in pork liver with the 'glutamic acid' in soy sauce creates an umami synergy, resulting in a deep, rich flavor. Additionally, the saltiness and umami of the soy sauce, the sweetness of the sugar and mirin, and the spiciness of the finishing ichimi chili powder balance the five basic tastes. This tempers the unique gaminess of the liver while bringing out a satisfying flavor that you won't tire of.
Detailed Commentary on "Sweet and Savory Simmered Pork Liver"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
Dicing the pork liver into bite-sized pieces
Today, we are making a healthy and super easy sweet and savory simmered pork liver. We have a magnificent piece of pork liver weighing 800g in total. Fresh out of the package, it is glossy and incredibly fresh. First, slice it right down the middle. Looking at the cross-section, you can see it has a beautiful, uniform color throughout, showing just how fresh it is. Next, cut the pork liver into bite-sized pieces. If the pieces are too large, they won't cook through easily, so the trick is to cut them into manageable cubes. Slide your knife rhythmically to slice through. Once everything is cut to a uniform size, the cutting step is complete.
Soaking in milk for 10 minutes to remove odor
Transfer the cut pork liver to a bowl to begin the crucial prep work. To remove any gamey odor, pour milk into the bowl. Use enough milk to completely submerge the pork liver. Once added, gently massage the liver by hand to distribute the milk. Be careful not to massage too hard—just a light touch is perfect. Once well combined, let it sit as-is for 10 minutes. Taking this extra step to soak the liver in milk beautifully removes its unique odor, resulting in a dish that even those who usually dislike liver can thoroughly enjoy.
Special sweet and savory golden ratio sauce
While the pork liver is soaking in the milk, prepare the sauce that will define the flavor. Grab a small bowl and pour in 1/4 cup of soy sauce. Next, add the same amount, 1/4 cup, of sake, followed by another 1/4 cup of mirin. Combining equal parts of soy sauce, sake, and mirin at 1/4 cup each makes this recipe incredibly simple and easy to remember. To add sweetness, stir in 2 tsp of sugar (or a slightly generous amount). Once all the ingredients are in the bowl, mix thoroughly with a spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved. This creates a delicious, glossy sauce that will coat the liver perfectly.
Rinsing and final prep with sake and drying
After 10 minutes of soaking in the milk, drain the pork liver in a colander and rinse it lightly under running water. Once the milk and any released blood are washed away, drain well and return the liver to the bowl. To further eliminate odor and add flavor, sprinkle about 2 tsp of sake over it. Massage gently to distribute the sake, and then move on to thoroughly removing the moisture. Spread out some paper towels and arrange the pork liver pieces one by one in a single layer without overlapping. Place another paper towel on top and press down gently with both hands to absorb all surface moisture. Getting rid of this excess water is key to preventing the final dish from becoming watery.
Searing in sesame oil and reducing the sauce
Heat a frying pan and add a generous 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the dried pork liver pieces in one by one. Sear the first side for about 2 minutes, then flip them over and sear the other side for another 2 minutes. Once both sides have a beautiful golden-brown color, pour in the pre-mixed special sauce all at once. From here, reduce the sauce rapidly over high heat. In the video, after reducing for about 3 minutes, a piece of liver is cut in half to confirm it is perfectly cooked through. Once fully cooked, sprinkle in about 1 tbsp of white sesame seeds, turn off the heat, and toss everything together to coat the liver in the sauce and sesame seeds.
Plating with shiso and enjoying with drinks
Arrange vibrant green shiso leaves in a circle on a plate, and mound the freshly cooked sweet and savory pork liver high in the center. Pour the remaining rich sauce from the pan generously over the top, and sprinkle with ichimi chili powder to taste. Add a small dollop of mayonnaise on the side of the plate for a restaurant-quality presentation. Lifting a piece with chopsticks, the liver glistens beautifully with the glossy sauce! One bite will make you exclaim, 'Delicious!' The balance of the sweet-savory sauce and the rich flavor of the liver is outstanding, making it a perfect match for sake or beer. It is the ultimate companion for sipping sake on a relaxing evening. Dipping it in mayonnaise for a change of flavor is also exceptionally delicious.
About ケン爺ホルモン焼きチャンネル
ケン爺ホルモン焼きチャンネル
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