Liver is an organ meat. It comes from the bodys largest internal organ, found in the bellies of all animals with backbones. Among hundreds of other functions, the liver filters blood and removes toxins. It also makes bile, a substance that helps digest fats and get rid of waste.
Like all types of liver, beef liver has health benefits but also some drawbacks. Photo Credit: iStock/Getty s
Livers from many different animals are eaten around the world. Your grocery store, butcher shop, or seafood store might have beef, calf, chicken, pork, lamb, goose, and cod livers. Liver has a strong flavor and unique texture that can be polarizing. Some people love it, while others hate it.
There are some big health benefits to eating liver, but you should also think about some problems before you start eating it.
Beef liver. This intensely flavored variety is one of the most widely eaten types of liver in the U. S. Its often used in the classic liver-and-onions dish. It comes from cows that are over a year old.
Calf liver. Also called veal liver, it comes from young cows (under 1 year old). Its similar to beef liver and can be cooked in similar ways. But it has a more tender texture.
Pork liver. This liver comes from pigs, and some people think it tastes more bitter than beef liver. Pork liver is an ingredient in liverwurst in Germany and livermush in the American South. Youll also find it in Chinese cuisine.
Lamb liver. This is the liver of a sheep that is less than 1 year old. In New Zealand and Australia, it is often fried with other organ meats. It is also used in some Indian and Lebanese dishes.
Chicken liver. Â Chopped liver, a traditional Jewish dish, is made from chicken liver. Youll find deep-fried chicken liver in the Southern U. S. Their flavor is considered milder than that of beef or pork liver.
Goose liver. This liver type is best known for being used in the French dish foie gras, which is made from the liver of fattened geese or ducks. You can also prepare it more simply by frying or pan-searing it.
Cod liver. Â Its claim to fame is as the main ingredient in the dietary supplement cod liver oil. You can eat it, too. Cod livers are sold canned, and many Europeans eat them spread on bread or crackers. Â You can cook fresh ones, too. (Even Martha Stewart has a recipe. ).
All types of liver are richer in vitamins and minerals than muscle meats and many fruits and vegetables. They dont have fiber like produce does, though.
Liver contains plenty of protein, iron, and B vitamins. Its also one of the best animal-based sources of vitamin A. One serving of beef liver, for example, provides more than 100% of your daily vitamin A requirement. Getting enough vitamin A has been linked to a lower risk of conditions like cataracts and breast cancer.
Beef liver nutrition. A 3-ounce serving of beef liver (4 ounces or 110 grams uncooked) contains:
Calves liver (veal liver) nutrition. A 112-gram serving of calf liver (about 4 ounces uncooked) contains:
Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Both beef liver and ox liver pack a nutritional punch and offer amazing health benefits. But is ox liver the same as beef liver? Are there any differences between these two types of liver?
At my company, we get this question a lot from our readers. Liver lovers want to know if they can use beef liver and ox liver interchangeably in recipes and meals or if there are unique properties in each type of liver they should be aware of.
In this article, I’ll compare beef liver and ox liver side-by-side. I’ll cover the similarities and differences in taste, texture, nutritional value price and preparation so you can learn if ox liver is the same as beef liver.
Defining Beef Liver and Ox Liver
To start, let’s clarify exactly what beef liver and ox liver are:
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Beef liver comes from – you guessed it – cows. Specifically, beef liver is harvested from steers and heifers slaughtered for beef production.
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Ox liver comes from oxen. Oxen are castrated male cattle used for draft purposes like plowing fields. They are generally slaughtered at an older age than cows raised for beef.
So while both come from cattle, oxen and cows are different animals with different purposes and lifespans. This impacts the characteristics of their livers.
Taste and Texture Differences
There are noticeable differences in taste and texture between beef liver and ox liver.
Beef liver has a milder taste and softer texture. This makes it more appealing to people trying liver for the first time.
Ox liver has a stronger, richer flavor and a firmer texture. This robust flavor comes from the older age of oxen at slaughter compared to cows. The extra years strengthen the taste.
For liver aficionados, ox liver’s intense flavor is a benefit. It provides a heartier liver-eating experience. But for liver newbies, beef liver’s mellower taste and tenderness make it more palatable.
Nutritional Value
Beef liver and ox liver have similar nutritional values as they both come from cattle. But some key differences stem from the age of the animals:
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Vitamin A: Ox liver contains very high levels of vitamin A, about 3 times higher than beef liver. Older oxen store more vitamin A in their livers.
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Vitamin B12: Oxen produce more vitamin B12 as they age, so ox liver packs around 2.5 times more B12 than beef liver.
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Iron: Beef liver has slightly higher iron levels than ox liver, but both are excellent sources.
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Copper: Ox liver contains almost double the amount of copper compared to beef liver.
So while their nutritional profiles are similar, ox liver’s vitamins A, B12, and copper content is higher thanks to oxen’s advanced age. But beef liver provides incredible nutrition as well.
Price Points
Beef liver is more affordable than ox liver. There are a few reasons driving this price difference:
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Supply and demand: There is greater availability of beef liver, as millions more cows are slaughtered for beef annually than oxen. The ample supply keeps beef liver prices down.
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Labor costs: Harvesting ox liver is more labor-intensive given oxen’s larger size. This gets passed along as higher retail costs.
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Prestige pricing: Some view ox liver as superior given its bolder flavor and higher vitamin content. This allows retailers to charge a premium for ox liver.
For shoppers watching their grocery budgets, beef liver provides an economical way to reap the benefits of liver. But for those who favor ox liver’s robustness, the splurge is worthwhile.
Preparation Tips
Preparing ox liver is similar to prepping beef liver, but the firmer texture of ox liver requires some key adaptations:
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Soaking: Soak ox liver longer, about 2 hours versus 1 hour for beef liver. This further tenderizes the meat.
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Portioning: Cut ox liver across the grain into slightly thinner pieces to shorten the muscle fibers. This yields more tenderness.
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Cooking: Quick-cook ox liver using high heat for no more than 2 minutes per side to prevent toughening. Extended cooking intensifies its already-strong flavor.
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Complementary flavors: Balance ox liver’s boldness by pairing it with sweet ingredients like caramelized onions or fruit chutneys.
While their preparation is similar, ox liver benefits from extra steps to optimize its texture and taste qualities relative to beef liver.
Key Takeaways on Liver Differences
To wrap up, here are the main differences between beef liver and ox liver:
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Ox liver has a much stronger, richer taste and firmer texture than the milder beef liver.
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Ox liver provides more vitamin A, vitamin B12, and copper compared to beef liver thanks to oxen’s older slaughter age.
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Beef liver costs less than ox liver due to greater supply and lower production costs.
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Ox liver benefits from special preparation methods like extended soaking, thinner slicing, quick cooking, and flavor balancing.
While they share similarities, there are clear distinctions between ox liver and beef liver in terms of taste, nutrition, price, and preparation. Both deliver tremendous health benefits, so choose the option that best suits your preferences and budget.
Now that you know whether ox liver is the same as beef liver, it’s time to try them both and discover your favorite! Liver is too nutritious to miss out on.
Who Should Avoid Eating Liver?
Even though liver is a great source of many nutrients, some people can get sick after eating it. Talk to your doctor before you add liver to your diet if you:
- Are pregnant. Birth defects have been linked to taking in a lot of vitamin A while you are pregnant.
- Have gout. There are a lot of purines in liver. Purines can raise your uric acid levels and cause gout.
- Have Wilson disease. Because of this, your body can’t get rid of extra copper, and it can quickly reach dangerous levels.
- Have type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. Fatty liver disease may be more likely to happen if you eat liver or other organ meats.
Dangers of Eating Liver
The vitamins and minerals that make liver so healthy can also make things worse for people with certain health problems. Thats why you should check with your doctor before you start eating a lot more of it.
Here are some possible drawbacks of eating large amounts of liver:
High cholesterol. Â Liver is high in dietary cholesterol. There are many healthy people who can eat high-cholesterol foods. However, people who are trying to lower their cholesterol or who take cholesterol-lowering drugs should limit the amount they eat. Getting too much cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.
Vitamin A toxicity.  Its possible, and dangerous, to get too much vitamin A. Vitamin A toxicity can happen if you eat a lot of liver. This happens when your liver can’t get rid of the extra vitamin A fast enough. Most doctors recommend that people without vitamin deficiencies eat just one serving of liver per week.
Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include nausea and vomiting, headache, irritability, and sleepiness. Over time, getting a lot of vitamin A can also weaken your bones and make it more likely that you’ll break them.
Copper toxicity. Beef liver contains more copper than any other food. A 3-ounce serving has 12,400 micrograms or more than 1,300% of your recommended daily intake. Copper is a mineral that your body usually gets rid of quickly, so it’s not common to have too much of it in your body. But it can happen if:
- Over time, you eat a lot of it and take it in.
- Copper gets into your drinking water through the pipes that bring it to you.
- Wilson disease means that your liver stores copper instead of releasing it.
Symptoms of copper toxicity include nausea, belly pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases can cause liver damage and death.
Because it has so much vitamin A and copper, most doctors say that healthy people should only eat one serving of liver a week.
Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Different antibiotics are given to livestock animals to both treat and prevent bacterial infections. Even though there are rules about how they can be used, people can get some of these antibiotics from eating meat or eggs from animals that use them. Since the liver filters and gets rid of substances in the blood, it is more likely that these drugs will build up in this type of meat.
Antibiotics present in food may cause:
- Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis
- Heart problems
- Sensitivity to light
- Developmental issues in unborn babies
Medication interactions. Â Some medications are known to interact with vitamin A. Because it has a lot of vitamin A, people who take orlistat or some psoriasis medicines should talk to their doctor before adding liver to their diet.
Beef Liver vs Lamb Liver vs Chicken Liver WHICH IS BEST?
FAQ
Is ox liver and beef liver the same thing?
What is ox liver good for?
Is ox liver good for dogs?
What is beef liver also known as?
Is ox liver better than beef liver?
Ox liver, on the other hand, contains similar levels of nutrients but may have higher levels of certain vitamins and minerals due to the age of the animal. Price: As mentioned earlier, beef liver is generally less expensive than ox liver due to its availability and lower demand. Beef liver is a superfood that is packed with nutrients and vitamins.
Which is better to ingest, olive oil or cod liver oil?
The two have different properties. Olive oil is monounsaturated fats, omega 9, vitamins E, A and K, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and amino acids, and has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties. Cod liver oil is a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids – in the form of EPA and DHA – and vitamins A and D. Both are healthy and can be present in the same diet.
What is beef liver?
Beef liver is an organ meat from cows. Some people may also refer to it as offal or variety meats. These terms typically refer to the internal organs and entrails of animals that a butcher may discard after preparing them. Offal can also include the heart, kidneys, and tongue.
Is ox liver good for You?
It also contains high levels of vitamin B12, which plays a key role in the formation of red blood cells and maintaining proper brain function. In fact, a 3.5-ounce serving of ox liver can provide up to 3,460% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B12. In addition to these vitamins, ox liver is also a rich source of iron, copper, and zinc.