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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Pork Liver with Gravy (Onion and Bacon Included)

    Published: Jan 22, 2023 · Modified: Mar 20, 2025 by Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs · 6 Comments

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    Want to cook pork liver so that it tastes really good? Try this recipe with brown gravy made on a base of onion and bacon. A quick half-hour meal that goes great with steamed rice!

    Sautéed pork liver with sauce, served with rice.

    Just so you know: The recipe comes from the Czech Republic, where pork is very popular. In the past, the Czechs used to raise pigs and knew very well how to process all their parts, including offal, wasting almost nothing.

    ➜ What to expect from this pork liver recipe

    This is a simple Czech recipe for sautéed pork liver with fried onions and bacon. After a quick fry, the liver is dusted with flour, covered with a light broth, and braised for 15 minutes. As a result, you will get a delicious, rich gravy with a hint of an earthy flavor that complements the liver perfectly.

    Czechs most often call this tasty meal "játra na cibulce."

    MY TIP: Do you like pork? Try out Czech pork goulash; it's so good!

    ➜ Ingredients

    Ingredients for pork liver recipe, inclusive captions.

    To make pork liver with onion, bacon, and gravy from scratch, you will need:

    • Pork liver; fresh
    • All-purpose flour; to thicken the sauce
    • Lard; can be substituted with Canola or Sunflower oil
    • Salt; do not salt the liver before cooking them! (see useful tips later in the recipe)
    • Black pepper; ground
    • Onion; adds a sweet, savory flavor and aroma
    • Smoked bacon; for additional richness and texture. I used smoked, fully cooked bacon with a higher lean meat content, which we call English bacon (Anglicka slanina) in the Czech Republic.
    • Vegetable broth; I use a light vegetable broth that complements the taste of the sauce and does not overpower the liver flavor

    ✅ You will find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, which you can also print out.

    Tip: Try this Czech-style pork kidney stew!

    ➜ How to make pork liver with gravy

    STEP 1: Rinse the liver under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Peel away the thin outer membrane, if there is any. Cut the meat into cubes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in size. Peel the onion and chop finely. Dice the bacon.

    Cubed pork liver, diced bacon and finely chopped onion.

    STEP 2: Heat the lard or cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Put in the chopped onion and bacon. Fry until golden while stirring.

    Fried onions and cubed bacon in a pan with a wooden spoon.

    STEP 3: Add the liver cubes and sauté, constantly stirring, until the liver has a brownish crust on the surface. It takes about 3-5 minutes.

    Fried pork liver in a pan.

    STEP 4: Flour the liver pieces through a sieve to prevent flour lumps from forming. Keep stir-frying for about a minute, but no longer.

    Sprinkling flour over fried pork liver to thicken the sauce.

    STEP 5: Pour in the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a third, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. During cooking, stir the mixture once or twice.

    Pouring vegetable broth in a pan of fried pork liver.

    TIP: While simmering, a slightly thickened sauce will form, and the liver will soften just right.

    STEP 6: Finally, pepper and add salt to taste; stir and serve!

    Seasoning pork liver sauteed in cast iron pan with pepper.

    ➜ Serving

    A classic side dish for sautéed pork liver with sauce is steamed rice. When serving, add finely chopped green spring onions—you'll get a light and healthy meal packed with vitamins and minerals!

    Mashed potatoes are a less common but still delicious accompaniment to liver and sauce.

    Sautéed pork liver with sauce, served with rice.

    ➜ Useful tips

    • Before cooking, do not salt the liver! When salted, the liver hardens and loses softness when sautéed. Only season the sauce at the end of cooking.
    • Serve the liver immediately after you cook it. As the dish cools, the liver stiffens and loses its tenderness. For this reason, the dish is also not suitable for freezing.

    ➜ Do I need to soak the liver in milk first?

    Even though many recipes say to soak the pork liver in milk first, this step is not strictly necessary. If you have fresh pigs liver, you can get by without soaking it in milk beforehand. The purpose for soaking the liver in milk is that it makes the liver softer and reduces its distinct flavor, which may be too strong for some.

    ➜ What does liver taste like

    The liver is a very flavorful, nutty type of meat that is sometimes described as gamey. The texture can vary depending on how it is cooked, but it has a strong and distinctive taste.

    The flavor profiles of liver range from slightly sweet to tart to salty, with earthy and sometimes metallic undertones. It definitely takes some getting used to and can be an acquired taste for many people, but when cooked properly, it makes a delicious meal.

    More pork recipes:

    • Crispy pork knuckle
    • Oven roasted pork belly bites
    • Easy pork meatloaf recipe

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Other readers and I love hearing what you think. Stay in touch by following me on Facebook and Pinterest. For more Czech stuff, subscribe to my newsletter!

    Sautéed pork liver with sauce, served with rice.

    Pork Liver With Gravy

    Author: Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs
    Looking to cook pork liver so that it tastes delicious? Try this recipe featuring a rich gravy made with onions and bacon. It's a quick, half-hour meal that pairs perfectly with steamed rice!
    5 from 2 votes
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    Print recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 25 minutes mins
    Total Time: 30 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 smaller portions

    Tap or hover to scale

    Ingredients 

    • 1 pound pork liver fresh
    • 2 ounces smoked bacon
    • 1 medium onion
    • 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • 1 Tablespoon lard (or sunflower oil/canola)
    • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • salt the amount depends on how salty the used broth is

    Instructions 

    • Rinse 1 pound pork liver under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Peel away the thin outer membrane, if there is any. Cut the meat into cubes about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in size. Peel 1 medium onion and chop finely. Dice 2 ounces smoked bacon.
    • Heat 1 Tablespoon lard in a skillet over medium-high heat. Put in the chopped onion and bacon. Fry while stirring until golden brown.
    • Add the liver cubes and sauté, constantly stirring, until the liver has a brownish crust on the surface. It takes about 3-5 minutes.
    • Dust the liver pieces with 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour sifted through a sieve to prevent flour lumps from forming. Keep stir-frying for about a minute, but no longer.
    • Pour in 1 ½ cups vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a third, cover with a lid, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. During cooking, stir the mixture once or twice.
    • Finally, season with ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper and add salt to taste; stir and serve!

    Notes

    • The basic recipe makes 2 large or up to 4 small servings.
    • SERVING: A classic side dish for sautéed pork liver with brown sauce is steamed rice. When serving, add finely chopped green spring onions—you will get a light and healthy meal packed with vitamins and minerals!
    • Before cooking, do not salt the liver! When salted, the liver hardens and loses softness when sautéed. Only season the sauce at the end of cooking.
    • Serve the liver immediately after you cook it. As the dish cools, the liver stiffens and loses its tenderness. For this reason, the dish is also not suitable for freezing.

    Nutritional estimate pro serving

    Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 348mg | Sodium: 580mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 24740IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 27mg
    Servings: 4 smaller portions
    Calories pro serving: 228
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Pork Recipes
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    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
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    Comments

    1. Mario Stamour says

      November 22, 2023 at 12:42 am

      nice recipes thanks

      Reply
      • Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says

        November 28, 2023 at 3:07 pm

        Thank you so much, Mario!

        Reply
      • Michael says

        January 20, 2024 at 12:24 pm

        5 stars
        have never tried liver and bacon with rice before loved it 👍👍👍

        Reply
    2. Christian says

      March 02, 2025 at 11:51 am

      I have frozen pork liver. Can I do anything with it??

      Reply
    3. kate says

      March 28, 2025 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      I LOVE this recipe, delicious. My son and husband loved it.

      Reply
      • Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs says

        March 31, 2025 at 8:52 pm

        Great! Thank you for the feedback 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I am Petra, a born-and-raised Czech and self-taught cook with 25+ years of experience. I am here to show you that you can cook Czech food—even if you live abroad or never learned it growing up. With clear steps and trusted guidance, Czech cooking becomes simple, joyful, and meaningful, right in your own kitchen.

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