Timber 2 Table - Rustic Wild Turkey Liver Pâté Recipe

This classically styled appetizer is a great way to use the livers from your wild turkeys

Rustic Wild Turkey Liver Pâté Recipe


10 Min

Prep Time


20 Min

Cook Time


5-7

Servings


Easy

Difficulty

At one time, liver pâté was all the rage, showing up on menus at fine-dining restaurants the world over. While it isn't as popular today, pâté is still a great way to use the iron and nutrient-rich livers from your wild turkeys.

Save the livers from your turkeys, vacuum sealed and frozen, until you have enough for the recipe.

This isn't the creamy-smooth pâté of restaurants and fancy dinner parties. In my mind, the chunky, rustic texture compliments the liver from the wild turkey we love to hunt. If you prefer your pâté in the more traditional smooth style, simply transfer the ingredients to a food processor after cooking and process until smooth.

Serve the liver over toast or crackers as an appetizer.

Wild turkey livers are milder than you might think; they're on par with grain-fed chicken livers. Want an even milder pâté? Soak the livers overnight in milk, then rinse and pat them completely dry before continuing with the recipe.

Most of the flavor in the recipe comes from the pan-searing of the liver. Starting with dry livers speeds and improves the browning process.

Brown the livers well and use a wooden spoon to smash them as they cook.

Make this dish at least a couple hours in advance, or even the day before, and chill completely before serving.

We serve the pâté on small pieces of toasted French bread or crackers. Add a slice of jalapeno and a bit of cheese, and you have the makings of a fine lunch in the deer stand or turkey blind.

Ingredients

4 to 5 wild turkey livers, cleaned and soaked overnight in milk, if desired

2 whole shallots, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lard

¼ cup white wine

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon flatleaf parsley, diced

Zest of half a lemon

1 tablespoon capers, chopped

Salt, pepper

Juice from half a lemon

Crackers or toast for serving

Cooking Instructions

Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are soft and translucent, about five minutes. Drain and rinse the turkey livers, then pat dry. Add the livers to the pan, pressing with a wooden spoon as they sauté, until browned and mostly smashed.

Dice the red onion.

Add wine, lemon zest and parsley. Continue cooking and mashing the mixture until the wine has evaporated and the liver has the texture of a coarse pâté .

Zest the lemon directly into the dish.

Add capers and cook for one more minute, then season with salt and pepper and stir in lemon juice just before serving. Serve on toast or crackers.