When I lived in Scotland we used to periodically visit these lovely old castles and manors on estates around the country.  Inevitably I would wander in to a staff kitchen and there would be a sign up over a prep station that read “Waste Not, Want Not.”  I loved this as it was truly how I was raised… by two teachers and on a farm.  We grew our own food, ran around barefoot most of the time and ate our dinner.  I can only remember one or two meals we were not fond of.  My parents raised their own meat.  I don’t remember eating liver because my mom wasn’t a fan but when my autoimmune disease really took it’s toll I did my research and found myself eating nose to tail… and making sure I had some sort of organ meat every day. I am sure it accelerated my healing.

I get my ground chicken from the Basics Market butcher.  I love their small farm, non GMO, humanely raised ethos and they have these wonderful Protein Packs which save you 10%, which when you are striving for Organic, farm and pasture raised foods is very helpful! They’re lovely people and the butcher will work with you for AIP, autoimmune diets (i.e. no nightshades, need organ meat incorporated etc). They also have great organic produce, wines and long cultured cheeses. If you’re local, stop in… if not then head down to your local farmers market and deal with the farmers themselves… it saves you quite a bit and is lovely to know how the food you are eating was grown. 💛

This is a savory sage chicken meatloaf with hints of paté. Liver supercharges this meal with nutrients like Vitamin A, B6, B12, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Copper, Selenium, Niacin. I find if the ratio is 1:4 then no one really notices the flavor or texture of liver.  It’s a funny thing now to think that our grandparents ate liver once per week.  I have prepared liver and onions in the classic way but I have found I prefer to have it ground and blended in with sausages, meatballs and meatloaf.  In nature when animals hunt the leader of the pack or pride consumes the organs as though they are the prize… because they are.  I always appreciated that indigenous cultures ate or used every part of the animal… and it’s something we have lost.  They also believed in the sacrifice the animal made so did not take it for granted in their actions… in using the whole animal they valued them in a way modern western culture does not.  I truly believe in eating nose to tail both for the nutrition and for the “waste not, want not” element.  And I can only attest to how I feel… but I certainly have more energy, emotional stability, more quality sleep and I feel it has helped my skin as well.

I hope you enjoy it!  I certainly do… it’s great on cassava, keto or einkorn sourdough sandwiches but I like it with roasted vegetables or just… eating a slice as is.

Photos above: process left to right, top to bottom.

Bacon Encrusted Chicken & Liver Meatloaf

Brenna May

This is savory sage chicken meatloaf meets hints of paté. Liver supercharges this meal with nutrients like Vitamin A, B6, B12, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Copper, Selenium, Niacin. I find if the ratio is 1:4 then no one really notices the flavor or texture of liver. 

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Course American, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine animal based, keto, paleo, whole30

Servings 6

Equipment

• Cast Iron Loaf Pan
• Food Processor

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 lb pastured chicken livers blended until smooth
• 3 tsp konjac root powder
• 2 lbs ground chicken
• 2 tsp pink salt
• 2 tsp granulated toasted onion blend I used a 3 onion blend
• 1 tsp granulated roasted garlic or 2 cloves 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
• 2 tsp sage
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 8-10 slices uncured bacon

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• In the food processor, blend the liver with konjac root to make “liver eggs”
• In a mixing bowl, add the the blended liver, ground chicken, ghee, salt, pepper and spices.
• Use a hand, wooden spoon or silicone spatula to mix evenly.
• Lay the bacon across the cast iron bread pan in strips.
• Fill with ground chicken mixture.
• Fold the bacon strips over the edges and place in oven and bake at 350°F for 1 1/4 hours.
• Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Take a butter knife and slice around the edge of the pan to loosen the bacon. Place a plate on top upside down and flip it over carefully so the bacon is on top.
• Serve

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!