Smoked Liver Pate (Smoked Liver, Bread Spread)

[Pork Belly]

This recipe is based on approximate amounts, vary to suit your tastes.

1.5 Pints Chicken Livers, rinsed.
2 cups water
3 tablespoons Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon pink salt
2 cloves Garlic
One half a small sweet onion sliced thin.
!/2 cup heavy cream (or more)
Additional salt and pepper to taste.

Dissolve salts and sugar in the water and chill it. Add the livers and brine for 30 minutes. Spread the livers on a perforated pan or seafood rack. Slice garlic cloves in half the distribute the garlic and onion slices around the liver. Smoke at 200 for one hour. Remove from smoker and quickly sear in very hot heavy skillet until brown on edges. Remove from skillet to food processor, process in pulses with heavy cream until smooth.

Fresh herbs can be minced and added I used tarragon, chives and thyme. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Chill in the refrigerator in an air tight container. Serve on crusty bread or crackers.

If you do not like liver this wont likely convert you. If you enjoy liver you should love this. I used a 1.7oz piece of sugar maple that was barley consumed during the smoke, but the meat had a wonderful smoky flavor.

 

[Walt]

You, my friend, are an interesting fellow.  I love it!  My wife is not a fan of organ meat but loves the pate @ the Besh restaurants.  Fresh pate done properly is hard to beat.

 

[Pork Belly]

Give it a try Walt, this batch is half gone already. One hint, I did open the smoker a few times to insure I wasn't overcooking or drying the liver. I pulled it just when it was barley done. The sear in the scalding skillet was as much for color as to insure cooking through. A few pieces had a little too much pink when I pulled them but the majority were done through. Also I think chips would have been better since the cook time was so short. Smoke didn't start until I cranked the heat for a few minutes.