Homemade Liverwurst (German-Style)
By Felix Kowalski · Eastern European Cuts Specialist · Updated 2026-05-08
1 lb beef liver + 1 lb pork fat blended into traditional German leberwurst. Salt only, no spices. Spreadable, refrigerator-stable for 1 week.
Carnivore homemade liverwurst is the simplified German leberwurst — 1 pound of beef liver soaked, seared, and ground with 1 pound of slow-rendered pork fat plus 2 teaspoons of salt into a smooth spreadable paste. No marjoram, no allspice, no white pepper, no shallots. The strict carnivore version is closer to a French liver-fat mousse than to commercial liverwurst found in deli cases (which is heavily spiced and often contains starch fillers). A 2-ounce serving delivers 14g protein, 22g fat, and 250 calories. Beef liver costs $5 to $8 per pound; pork leaf fat costs $0 to $2 per pound. The finished liverwurst yields about 1.5 pounds at $4 to $6 in raw cost — a fraction of commercial liverwurst at $14 per pound. Refrigerates 1 week with parchment pressed against the surface to prevent oxidation; freezes 3 months in 2-ounce portions. Spread on cooked meat slices or eat directly with a spoon.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 oz liverwurst (per serving) | 14g | 22g | 250 |
| Salt cure (per serving) | 0g | 0g | 0 |
| Per serving | 14g | 22g | 250 |
Macros per serving (after cooking and any fat draining). Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Instructions
- 1
Soak the beef liver in 4 cups cold water with 1 tbsp salt for 30 minutes to mellow the flavor.
- 2
Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 2-inch pieces.
- 3
Place pork fat cubes in a saucepan over LOW heat. Render slowly for 15 to 20 minutes until the fat is liquid and most cubes have rendered down. Don't brown the cracklings — keep the rendering low and white.
- 4
Once fat is rendered, scoop out the cracklings (save as a topping) and reserve about ¾ cup of the liquid fat.
- 5
In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the rendered fat over medium-high heat. Sear liver pieces 3 minutes per side until the exterior is browned but the interior remains pink.
- 6
Transfer hot liver to a food processor along with ¾ cup of the reserved liquid fat and 2 tsp coarse salt.
- 7
Process for 3 to 4 minutes until completely smooth, scraping the sides twice. The mixture should look like creamy peanut butter.
- 8
Transfer to glass jars or a parchment-lined loaf pan. Press parchment directly against the surface. Refrigerate 4 hours to firm up. Keeps 1 week refrigerated, 3 months frozen.
Nutrition per Serving
Frequently Asked Questions
Liverwurst vs liver pâté?
Different traditions, similar techniques. Liver pâté is French (this site has a separate carnivore version) and uses butter as the fat base. Liverwurst is German and uses pork fat (rendered or cured) plus often a small amount of cured pork meat. Both grind cooked liver smooth with their respective fat. Strict carnivore versions of both skip the spices and aromatics. Pork-fat-based liverwurst has a more savory, mineral flavor; butter-based pâté is creamier and milder.
Can I use beef fat instead of pork fat?
Yes — 1 pound of rendered beef tallow substitutes 1:1 for pork fat. The result is firmer and more pronounced beef-flavored than the pork-fat version. Tallow's higher saturated-fat content makes the spread harder when chilled (less spreadable). For a softer texture, mix half tallow and half lard. For a butter-soft texture, swap entirely to butter (which makes the recipe a beef-liver pâté instead of liverwurst).
How long does it keep?
1 week refrigerated when stored with parchment pressed against the surface. The parchment prevents oxidation, which causes the surface to gray and develop off-flavors before the interior spoils. Vacuum-sealed in 2-ounce portions and frozen, liverwurst holds for 3 months without quality loss. Thaw overnight in the fridge before eating. The texture is identical after freezing if you blended thoroughly initially.
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