There are many places where you can buy liver both in-person and online. It may take a few days of researching, calling local ranchers, and asking around but the first step is to start looking. Availability will vary depending on where you are located in the world.
Organ meats are actually quite delicious and the nutritional benefits of organ meats are pretty impressive too.
10 years ago I couldn’t have told you the difference between beef and lamb liver or what exactly a liver pate is but after being pushed by circumstances to learn about the importance and necessity of animal-based foods I have become fully fluent in the offal language of nose to tail eating.
My self-published cookbooks are like gastronomic portfolios documenting my food journey. 4 years ago The Ketogenic Edge was released which teaches how to make simple, homemade meals for a keto diet with a focus on nutrient-density, animal protein, and nose-to-tail eating. 1 year ago announced The Carnivore Cookbook with over 100 recipes made exclusively from animal foods. Both have entire chapters with 20+ recipes in each book dedicated to organ meats.
They aren’t necessary for everyone to eat but across the board, we do see marked improvements from healing long-term chronic injuries to breaking plateaus and eliminating pain to recovering after long periods of vegan degeneration once the amount of animal foods are increased in a person diet.
Table of Contents (click to view)
Of all the Organs, Try Liver First
When it comes to organs, liver is usually the one people go for first. There are many health benefits of liver. It is widely recognized as, the most nutrient-dense food on the planet.
With attention like that who wouldn’t want to try it at least once?
Because I love creating helpful resources for people seeking the get their health back I sat down to write this guide on buying liver online and in person. I hope everyone who is willing to try a keto carnivore approach can benefit from the same health improvements my family has experienced.
How to Buy Liver
Liver from ruminant animals like beef, lamb, and bison is most commonly sold by the pound as is pork liver. I usually see it presented in one single piece but sometimes it is also offered pre-sliced. Certainly, if you purchase from a butcher in-person it would be easy enough to ask them nicely to cut it any way you want.
Ground liver can be quite handy. There are a few ways to make this happen. You may purchase it whole, then cut or slice it, add it to a blender or food processor and combine until you achieve a “ground” texture. Ground liver is totally different than ground beef, it is a slippery, sticky, gooey texture.
Now hear me out, once you have the goopy meat it is effortless to mix into any kind of ground beef. I follow a 25/75 ratio of ¼ pound ground liver to ¾ pound ground beef. This combination is really my favorite way to work with liver.
Ground or sliced liver may be used to make liver chips.
I encourage you to ask your butcher to make this combo for you. I know of some killer deals online too. This blend of muscle meat with beef kidney, liver, and heart is a serious score! It would be perfect for some of my favorite carnivore diet recipes like Carnivore Meatballs and Organ Meat Pie.
Chicken and Pork Liver
Chicken livers are very small and come by the pound. These are best for pan-frying or making pate. Typically more mild than beef liver, they are worth trying, especially for beginners. Take a deeper dive into beef liver vs. chicken liver and give each a taste test to find your favorite.
I would like to add that I only have experience with ruminant and chicken livers. I’ve never tried to grind a pork liver, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work. I do recommend cooking pork liver and personally would not eat it raw or make dehydrated chips from it.
Where to Buy Liver in Person
If you live in an area with active beef production do all that you can to connect with a local rancher and support their hard work of raising quality meat!
Eat Wild is an excellent directory for farms and ranches in US and Canada. Select your area and you’ll see listings with description, what they offer, and contact information. International choices are limited, if you have one to recommend write into EatWild with the details and suggest that they include it also.
Due to the rising demand for liver and other organ meats over the last few years, many grocery stores and butcher shops now regularly stock liver. If your local place doesn’t, ask them to! Make a special order. Once the owner sees your interest, it’s possible they will put it in the display case for others too.
It also won’t hurt to check Craigslist and search for opportunities to buy from small scale producers. When small family farms butcher a cow they often add it to craigslist. These people are great to meet, you may find an offer for organs and beef in bulk. Search terms like “beef” “grass fed beef” would be good ones to start with.
If Only Conventional Liver is Available…
You can make the choice if you want to eat conventionally raised animal organs or not. Some people eat them without problems, however, I prefer to source grass-fed parts because I know the meat will be hormones and antibiotic-free. If you can’t find grass-fed liver near you, try shopping online instead.
Where to Buy Beef and Other Livers Online
Since 2000, the family farms of US Wellness Meats have been producing the highest quality grass-fed and pasture-raised meats and other animal foods for customers in the US and Canada.
They’ve been around long enough to know quality when they see it. By working with farms that follow rotational grazing practices, US Wellness introduces customers to delicious, tender meat raised in ways that are good for the planet, cattle, and you!
Their business functions on the belief that animals don’t need antibiotics or growth hormones to grow big and healthy. They also say land doesn’t need pesticides or artificial irrigation systems to develop rich, fertile biodiversity.
“Every family in the US Wellness Meats network is committed to sustainable, humane farming practices. We take care of our land and our animals with a simple mission: to produce delicious, healthy meat dairy and other products that our customers love.”
US Wellness is an animal lover’s ideal place to shop.
You know the kind of animal lover I’m talking about too. I don’t mean the kind that carries a peacock onto an airplane for emotional support.
Here I’m talking about the one who appreciates the life of an animal, seeks to support farmers who take good care of their stock, and enjoys quality meats, often.
The US Wellness shop has just about everything you can think of from grass-fed, grass-finished beef, lamb, bison, goat, rabbit, elk and venison to free-ranged organic chicken, duck, and turkey to pastured pork and wild-caught seafood.
US Wellness has been selling organ meats since before it was cool. Which, according to Farm and Dairy organ meats are now officially “cool” after being one of 2019’s top trends for farmers.
Already in 2020 nose to tail eating had an entire month, called “Organuary” dedicated in celebration of the health and environmental benefits of organ meats. The original Paleo movement brought a lot of attention to organ meats, liver in particular, and now keto and carnivore dieters are building upon the momentum.
Enter to win FREE grass-fed beef liver!
Recently, US Wellness featured me as their featured chef. We made an interview together and teamed up on an EPIC GIVEAWAY worth over $150 USD!
This pack includes many of my favorite options like tri-tip, filet mignon, 55% lean ground beef, sirloin, lamb, suet and grass-fed butter. The prize wouldn’t be complete without organ meats so we added in grass-fed beef liver, liverwurst, and Braunschweiger just for fun.
Are you excited yet?
One lucky person will also win a copy of The
Enter to win below. Contest runs until Feb 12, 2020.
Sometimes US Wellness is sold out of their beef liver. While it’s great to see people lovin’ on liver, it’s not the best if you want to buy some yourself. So, like any good mom, I have a backup plan.
More places to buy grass fed liver online
White Oak Pastures – Beef, goat, lamb, chicken, duck, goose, guinea, pork, rabbit, turkey livers
Will Harris from White Oak Pastures went from being a “conventional” feedlot beef producer to producing grass-fed beef using regenerative grazing methods to improve soil quality. Learn about his journey and why these choices make better quality meat in our podcast together.
Where to Buy Liver Powder and Supplements
Say you’re not so sure about bringing home an animal’s liver just yet. I can relate, it took me a long time of reading about the benefits of organ meats before I had enough courage to break out of the cultural disconnect from where our food really comes from and go get me some liver.
As far as ease and convenience go, nothing is better than the nutrient-dense liver powder supplements from Ancestral Supplements.
They are great if you are still getting accustomed to the idea of eating organ meats or if you travel often and want to ensure you get quality nutrition on the go. Ancestral Supplements offers a large selection of formulas including Beef Organ, Adrenal, and Thyroid blends in addition to Beef Liver. You can read about my experience in this Ancestral Supplements review.
Where to Buy Liver Pate and Liver Sausage
The best place to buy a premade liver pate is probably going to be your local health food store or farmer’s market. I haven’t found a good source online yet, if you know of one please leave the information in a comment below.
I do recommend buying live pate if you come across it at a store. It’s nice to try someone else’s if you are not yet inspired to make your own. Do review the label and make sure there aren’t any funny ingredients hidden in the pate. As a general rule, if there is an ingredient listed that you can’t pronounce, put it back on the shelf.
Bring home your new find, give it a taste and you’ll soon realize it’s not quite as odd as you may have first believed. Liver pate pairs well with celery sticks, cucumber rounds, 1-ingredient cheese crackers, crispy bacon, and parmesan crisps. My personal favorite is “à la louche” or by the spoon!
Liverwurst and Braunschweiger are two kinds of liver sausages available for purchase in local butcher shops and online. US Wellness sells both of these made with grass-fed, grass-finished ingredients.
They have a great blog post that describes what liver sausage is as well as how to use and store it. Both of these sausages are soft and spreadable, similar to pate. They are equally delicious and either one would be a great addition to any diet (low-carb or otherwise!).
Are you ready to make your own pate?
Start with these recipes!
Liver Pate Recipes
Dazzle your dinner guests with a Classic Beef Liver Pate appetizer. It's easy to make and super nutritious!
This dairy free liver pate with ox liver recipe is an amazing side dish sure to wow dinner guests as well as your own taste buds!
This easy keto chicken liver pate recipe with no alcohol is ultra-smooth and creamy. Every bite is packed with flavor and great nutrition! Make this as an appetizer when you really want to wow your guests!
Low-Carb Keto Carnivore Diet Liver Recipes
Now you know where to buy liver, what do you do with it once you bring it home?
Pates are great for beginners, read All You Need to Know about Liver Pate and make some today!
A classic beef liver pate recipe is a good place to start.
In addition to pate, there are many low-carb recipes with liver that are easy and delicious!
If you follow a carnivore diet, eating nose to tail is a great way to add variety and a range of taste and texture.
Easy and Delicious Liver Recipes
This is the perfect way to cook liver without flour. With only 5 ingredients, all of which are dairy-free and gluten-free, you can't go wrong! This recipe is suitable for keto, carnivore, paleo, and AIP styles diets. Add it to your meal prep today!
Organ meats are some of the most affordable meats and happen to also be some of the most nutritious parts too. This nourishing combination of ground beef, liver and heart baked into a meat pie is simple and satiating.
Thin crunchy low-carb chips made from grass-fed beef liver are perfectly dippable for all your favorite dips but come with a super nutritional boost!
Homemade pemmican is the ultimate protein bar! Made in the traditional style of multiple North American Indian tribes, pemmican is extremely nutrient-dense, lightweight, and shelf-stable.
Enjoy this Asian inspired one pan skillet meal with pan-fried cabbage noodles and ground beef. Add "hidden liver" for extra nutrient density and no one will know it's there!
More Keto Carnivore Diet Buying Guides
Download our free carnivore diet shopping list, a 3-page printable pdf with a grocery list, a tutorial for sourcing from local/regional producers, and suggested places for quality animal proteins, fats, and organ meats.
Connect with local farmers, source sustainably produced products, and learn how to find quality foods near you in the Primal Edge Health Guide to Meats, Dairy, and Produce.
Looking to save money on grass-fed beef? This Guide to Buying Grass Fed Beef in Bulk will teach you how to buy in bulk and save money.
Once you learn how to save money on organic food, you will be able to feed your family healthier without totally destroying your food budget.
Labels can be very confusing while shopping at the grocery store and it takes a bit of education to become a savvy shopper. Use this guide on Understanding Nutrition Facts and Labels when choosing healthy food.
Looking for a quality raw dog food. Like a combination of different organs, from different animals. Would like it all ground together.
Is this possible from your business?
Hi Jackie, I’m sorry but we don’t sell dog food. However, I can recommend [eafl id="55226" name="pet products" text="White Oak Pastures"] for pet food, chews, and treats. I hope that helps!
is there a significant difference from a nutrition point of view between liver from different animals? which one is the best? if we cook the liver instead of eat the liver almost raw, is there a lose of nutrients?thank you
Hi Esther! Ruminant animals are always going to be a better nutritional choice than others. I do notice a difference once meat and organs have been frozen for 3+ months, they just aren’t as good. However, I don’t think cooking causes a significant loss of nutrients. It’s fine to eat raw liver if you want to, but not necessary. I hope that clears up all your questions! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I love the idea to add the liver to a food processor. This would be a great thing to blend in with other meats for those who don’t love the flavor and a great way to eat it overal!
Exactly! This method makes eating liver so practical. I highly recommend it 🙂
I have pork liver sitting in my freezer right now. I never thought of grinding it up and adding it to meatballs (I tried dicing one up and adding it to meatballs and it was NOT good). Thanks for all the ideas!
I hope grinding works better for you!
Thank you for this helpful guide!
I do like liver when it’s cooked right! In a way where it’s not super dry or if you fry it (can’t help it I grew up in the South!)
Yup, it’s got to be cooked right!
I’ve never incorporated liver into my diet, but this seems fascinating! Thanks for sharing easy tips!
Once you get the hang of it, nothing is difficult. If you’re interested, I would recommend giving it a try!
what an interesting article, I didn’t know anything about liver. I’ve seen it in the supermarket but have always been too scared to cook it. Thanks for all the great information, you may have changed my mind!
Don’t be scared!! You can do it!
This is such an informative and helpful post! I love all the details you shared.
Thanks Jamie, I hope you learned something new.
My husband loves liver and I don’t make it nearly often enough to suit him, so this article is extremely helpful, now I know where to buy it!
I’m so glad you have the right resources now! Happy cooking Pam!
We used to eat it a lot when I was a kid. I don’t think I have had it since though.
I actually have a liver recipe I’ve been meaning to try, so this guide is super helpful! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you found it helpful. Thanks for stopping by Jessica!