Liver pate? Yes. Around these parts, it’s no secret that your baby’s first food needs to be iron-rich. But how to make this happen? Most “iron-rich foods” involve some kind of meat, which is a little more intimidating than a slice of avocado or a softened piece of pear.
You might wonder how to prepare meat. What’s okay for your 6 month old baby…and should you puree it?
Enter baby liver pate.
This pate recipe is similar to a gazillion other recipes you’ll find online – there’s liver, some kind of fat, and some herbs. What makes it different is that it’s been adjusted to suit your baby’s developing digestive system and kidneys.
For example, there’s no salt. Garlic, onion, or any other onion-related bulbs aren’t necessary, in case these stir up tummy troubles for your baby.
And if dairy is a problem, it can be easily switched out for coconut oil, bone broth, or breast milk.
If your baby can tolerate garlic, onion, or shallot – add those. Offering tasty food to your baby (that you might actually eat) helps to make for adventurous eating later on.
If you’re dealing with signs of constipation, use pear instead of a green apple.
To make liver pate, follow the steps below.
This one’s a quickie! It might take you around 15 minutes to prep and cook.
Ingredients for baby liver pate recipe
- 1/2 lb liver, clean out sinewy bits and cut into cubes – get responsibly farmed liver here
- 1 sour green apple, peeled and sliced – if constipation is an issue, use pear
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
- 4 tablespoons of tallow, lard, olive oil, or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons of raw cream or bone broth
- *optional 2 cloves garlic
- *optional 1 small shallot
Instructions for how to prepare baby liver pate recipe
- Place 2 tablespoons of ghee or coconut oil into a pan on medium heat. Sprinkle apples with allspice and cook until soft. If using garlic / shallot, cook with apple.
- Add liver, thyme, and 2 more tablespoons of ghee to the pan. Cook until liver is pink inside and no longer raw.
- Pour everything into a blender.
- Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons of raw cream or bone broth. If using chilled breast milk, quickly warm.
- Add to blender, along with liver and apples. Blend until smooth. Store in small jars or freeze in a silicone tray and store until ready for use.
- Store in small jars or freeze in a silicone tray and store until ready for use.
Serving size
Offer 1 ounce (equal to two tablespoons) every few days. For babies just beginning solids, this can mean 1 – 3 teaspoons with every meal.
Got any liver recipes you love? I wanna hear about them! Share in the comments below.
What type of liver do you suggest?
Hey Laura!
Anything that’s high-quality. Meaning grass-fed, free-range, or from a wild animal.
I personally use beef, lamb, and elk liver. I haven’t really used chicken liver much — although I hear it’s more mild + less gamey than liver from a larger animal.
Let me know how the pate goes for you!! <3
Megan
Hehe. Thanks Megan! Just found a source of some wild liver bit also a local butcher who carries buffalo liver which I hear is sweet and delicious. Xo
What type of liver do you suggest?
Hi Megan, I’ve been a pescatarian for 18 years and while pregnant and breast feeding – I’m all for this recipe and following your advice for what’s best for my little girl. Just wondering if she will have any problem digesting meat if I haven’t been intaking it. I do eat eggs and salmon etc just curious about the liver, etc.
Hey Jill,
Digestion of red meat and liver probably won’t be an issue. However, it’s possible that she has a higher risk for an *immune response* to meat – this is true for any food that mama avoids. The most hypoallergenic meat is lamb, so I always recommend starting there.
xxo!!
My 5.5 old is so ready for solids and I’m totes making this for his first meal today!! I’ve had this book marked for the momentous occasion. Thanks, Megan!
Yay, I love hearing this! I hope he loves it.
xo!
How much does this yield, what is a serving size and how much should you feed to a 7 month old?
Hey Elisabeth,
I usually recommend that babies eat liver a few times a week. When making pate, the easiest thing to do is freeze it into 1.5 ounce portions ( you could use a silicone tray like this: http://amzn.to/2fIYMoY ) and offer either morning or mid-day.
Let me know how it goes! xo!!
Megan
Be very careful about giving baby liver more than once a week. Liver is extremely high in VitaminA which is toxic in high doses. Most professionals (and sites alike) recommend giving baby liver only once a week to ensure VitaminA levels are not too high.
Hi Meagan! I’m confused about adding raw cream in the liver pate recipe. Don’t dairy products block the absorption of iron?
Hey Jennifer,
Great point! Fortunately, dairy doesn’t block absorption 100% — if iron deficiency or anemia is a problem, you could definitely use bone broth or breast milk instead of dairy.
Thanks for your awesome question, xo!
Megan
Thanks, Megan!
Hi!
Three things
1. This is exactly what I have been looking for as a chef! We have our own home grown free range antibiotic free grass fed organic goat liver and rabbit liver in our freezer from last spring that should do nicely for this
2. It is my understanding that babies under 1 year of age have issues digesting dairy from another animal so I question the use of cream. (I use breast milk so it is irrelevant for me personally but wanted to mention/inquire)
3. Should we test out the spices , herbs and garlic on baby in another food she has had first to make sure there aren’t any adverse side effects?
Hey Briana,
Homegrown goat and rabbit liver sound amazing!! It’s always good to know where your food comes from (:
If your baby has shown no signs of intolerance to dairy (via your diet) while breastfeeding, it’s actually BEST to introduce dairy sooner rather than later to protect against the development of allergies. If baby does have a response, it’s usually to the proteins in dairy. So in that case, you would want to begin with *fermented* dairy before one year…again, to lower the risk of allergies.
Leafy herbs (like thyme) and most baking spices aren’t likely to cause a problem. If your baby was colicky or had reflux or if you’ve had to avoid garlic / onion while breastfeeding, I would definitely proceed with caution when cooking with these.
xo!
Babies are able to digest goat’s milk without issue. It is often used when baby cannot, for whatever reason, have breast milk and you don’t want to use formula (which I didn’t with my child, as infant formula is made of all the dregs leftover from all the products made from industrial dairy products).
Hi Sigrid,
I don’t recommend using goat milk or cow milk in the place of formula. This has been found to lead to nutrient deficiencies that impact baby’s brain development. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
What about formula? That is cows milk or goats milk 99% of the time.
Hey Claire,
I’m not clear on what you’re asking here xxo!!
Made this last night and served to my LO this morning for her first intro to solids! Total success! I used ingredients I had at home already – pastured chicken livers, gala apples, coconut oil, rosemary and chicken bone broth. Both her dad and I have serious allergies to dairy, and she didn’t even tolerate ghee in my breastmilk, so opted out of butter! What a delicious recipe – even for us!!
YAY! I know we had similar issues with our babies and reflux. I’m so happy to hear that you all loved it xxo!!
So this is ok to start as a first food even though it’s more than one ingredient? My 5 month old is showing interest and I want to start with something like this!
Hey Jen,
YAY liver is the best first food! If your baby hasn’t had any signs of food intolerances or sensitivities (mucus in stool, reflux, eczema) then you can give baby more than one ingredient when starting solids.
I sometimes recommend that mamas start slow if they suspect allergies. For example, my first foods program has a month long plan starting with JUST lamb liver and then we introduce other foods a few days at a time, but it’s definitely not necessary and totally depends on your baby. Trigger foods generally contain allergenic proteins (like cow’s milk) or they’re high in histamine (like banana).
xxo!!
Hi Megan!
We fed this to our 6.5 month old and his initial reaction was hilarious (he made a face and spit it back out) but with some encouragement and a few more tastes, he loved it!
We got our beef liver from Whole Foods. It was frozen, but everything else about it was up to snuf (organic, grass fed, no hormones, no antibiotics, etc..). We got 2 lbs of it and made the whole batch. (One of our Whole Foods also has lamb liver, so we will be trying that in the future as well.)
We fed him 1.5 oz and I made patty’s out of the rest by layering parchment paper between each patty and froze them for future (the 2lb batch made 17 1 heaping tablespoon patty’s). They will be super easy to reheat that way in a small saucepan. I used a 1 tablespoon scooper and made each patty 1 heaping tabespoon. (And what the baby doesn’t eat, the dogs will be more than happy to!)
Thank you for all your wonderful and informative blog posts about baby food! <3
-Meaghan
Hey Meaghan,
I love the idea of frozen patties! That makes so much sense – gonna have to try it once my little starts solids 😉
xo!
Megan
How do you serve this to baby then, cold? Warm?
Hey Alex,
I would serve room temp or chilled. As any meat stays out, histamine levels do increase. So this may be something to keep in mind if baby has a history of response to food or environment. Hope this helps xxo!!
Thank you for this!! Just so I’m clear on serving size…. Is one (1) ounce, the same as 2 tablespoons? Feed 2 tablespoons of pate every few days? thank you!
Hey Lindsay,
Yes! Two tablespoons = one ounce. So if your baby eats less than an ounce, offer pate more frequently.
Thanks for the great question, xxo!!
Hi! I’m super excited to try this! It’s ok to introduce a mixture of foods at once for baby’s first meal? I had thought it was safest to introduce one isolated food at a time in order to monitor reactions? Thanks for your advice!!
Hey Jennifer!
It really depends on your baby. If you suspect there may be an issue with dairy (like a sensitivity to dairy in your diet while breastfeeding or a family history of dairy allergies) then you may want to *just* introduce liver.
Cow milk is one of the most common triggers for babies, so it totally warrants attention. But not all babies are sensitive. Also, if it works for you and your baby, you want to regularly get allergens (like cow dairy) into baby’s diet during the first year.
xxo!
Megan
Thank you!
How exactly would I feed pate to a 6 month old using baby fed weaning instead of using a spoon? A newbie! Thanks so much
Hey Allison,
So there are a couple of ways to go about this:
– Pre-load your baby’s spoon and let him or her self-feed. You may have to show your baby what this looks like.
– Put about a tablespoon in front of your baby (in a baby-safe bowl or directly on your high chair’s tray) and let baby go to town. Pate is pretty thick, especially when chilled. So it’s easy for baby to dip his fingers into and eat.
Also, even when practicing BLW, it’s okay to mix things up and sometimes spoonfeed. Spoon feeding can even be helpful for more nutrient-rich foods. And your baby will still get the benefits of BLW, like adventurous eating and self-regulation 😉
xxo!!
Hi Megan,
My daughter is 5 months old this week. She is showing signs that she is ready for solids, so I want to try some. I really like the idea of giving her nutrient dense food rather than vegetables for her first meals, but is 5 months too young for liver? If it is, what do you recommend for the next month?
Thanks!!
Hey Julia,
Five months isn’t too early for liver and other meaty foods. Plant foods can actually be harder on digestion (young and old) because they’re full of prebiotic fiber (which can = gas) and other compounds that get in the way of absorption like phytate and tannins (in many seeds + grains) and oxalates (in lots of green leafy foods). For the next month, work with one food at a time. Some of my favorite *very first* foods for baby are liver, steamed salmon, and roasted bone marrow fat (https://megangarcia.com/bone-marrow-recipes-for-baby-6-months/). With bone marrow, you can make a mash rich in heme iron by adding it to sweet potato or pears. To cook starchy foods, try cubing and steaming them. Or baking them. Let me know how things go xxo!!
This recipe sounds yummy and much simpler than the one I have done for my littles in the past! In the past I’ve made one that has roasted blueberries and some basalmic vinegar and my oldest calls it cake hehe. I can’t wait to try this one out 🙂
YUM, that sounds amazing. I’m googling bluebs and liver now 😉 My kids are obsessed with balsamic vinegar.
LMK how this recipe works for you, xxo!!
Omg this recipe is good! My 2 year old was begging me to let her have more and more!! Thanks for sharing this 😊
YAY!! 🤗
Hi Megan! My 13mo had been enjoying your recipe for months! Always the first thing he goes for on his plate! I’ve followed the amount you suggest serving, but wondering if more is ok now that he’s older? He’d love it if I upped his serving size!
YAAAY, this makes me so happy! You can definitely give him more – up to 2 or 2 1/2 ounces if he’ll take it. Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you! He’s going to be pumped for more pate! ☺️
Hi Megan, How do you feel about using pastured pig lard in this recipe? Thanks so much!
Hey Robyn,
Pastured pig lard is a great source of vitamin D3 – it’s perfect, go for it 😉
Made this last night and my 8 month old baby LOVES it! Thanks for the recipe! Wondering how much is okay to give him? He’ll happily eat a whole jar!
YAY!! That’s such good news. You could do 1 – 3 teaspoons (up to a tablespoon) every day. While it’s not necessary to give baby liver every day, with the spectrum of nutrients in liver – it’s ideal.
Hi Megan,
How long do you think this will last in the refrigerator? And sorry stupid question, but how do you defrost single servings from the silicone freezer tray?
Thank you!!
-Evan
Hey Evan,
Up to 3 days in the refrigerator. For single servings, just pop one out of the silicone tray and place it in an airtight container (little baby food storage jars are great for this, like the Wean Green glass cubes: https://amzn.to/2KhQmFq and then defrost in the refrigerator.
Thanks for the great questions, xxo!!
Hey Megan,
Do you know of anywhere I can buy this or something close pre-made? Thanks!
Hey Mica,
Your local butcher shop may have pate or you can check in with US Wellness Meats. They have a few ready-made items with liver, including liverwurst. There is added salt, so definitely mix it up with other animal protein, like beef, lamb, chicken thighs, and seafood.
xxo!!
Is it ok to give the liverwurst from US Wellness meats with the added salt to my 7 month old?
Hey! A lot of mamas do. If baby is eating it regularly, I would just make sure that other foods aren’t salted xxo!!
So our son LOVES this pâté! In fact, it was his first real food when he turned 6 months and gobbled it down like a kid with birthday cake.
We’re big into the Weston A Price philosophies and I’d love for him to be on fermented cod liver oil daily, especially for immunity as we travel often. The question is, can he have both liver pate and CLO on the same days? How would you suggest navigating around this?
I have a whole silicone tray of pâté in the freezer and CLO in the fridge…should I alternative one week with pâté (1 tbsp every couple days), and then 1/4 tsp CLO daily the following week?
Thanks so much for everything you do! Really appreciate your work.
Hey Madileine!
I would do them together since liver isn’t a good source of long chain omega 3s, like DHA or EPA. And babies really need these brain-building nutrients. If you’re breastfeeding and supplementing, then you can be more lax on getting in fish oil every day.
That said, I spent some time looking into fermented cod liver oil last year. Because there is absolutely no research on fermented cod liver oil and there’s a lack of transparency within the company itself, I’m not so sure that it’s providing baby with DHA – a very delicate oil that can break down when exposed to heat, light, and air. So, there’s that too.
Right now, I give my kids either Vital Choice salmon oil (this is great during pregnancy if you’re eating plenty of liver or taking a prenatal with high levels of preformed vitamin A because it’s only an omega 3 supplement) or Rosita Real Foods cod liver oil. And then just the other day I purchased Nordic Naturals because we ran out. I think it’s worth mentioning that all the well-researched benefits that we know about cod liver oil and fish oil were carried with *standard oils.* Not fermented. Not extra virgin.
Food is the best place to get long chain omega 3s. But most folks don’t eat fish frequently, so if that’s the case, both mama and baby definitely want to get in supplemental oils in. Hope this helps xxo!!
Hey there,
My now 8 month old baby LOVES liver. She started eating it as a first food a few months back and she is very healthy. I just wanted to add that I have read from several sources not to cook breastmilk. It can be warmed but not actually cooked. Nor re-frozen. I usually just mix it in right before she eats after I’ve thawed her serving for the day. Just a heads up!
Hey Chey,
I agree, no need to cook breast milk. I can see how that might have been confusing in the directions. Thanks for pointing it out, xxo!!
I know this is mostly based on prefrence, but would you serve this warmed up or cold? Going to try this soon as a first food. Been trying to incorprate more liver into our food and have settled on just eating it as a meal rather than hiding it in food. It’s what works the best so far. It’s not my favorite meal, but I don’t mind it once a week. We use organic chicken liver from whole foods. Cook with mushroom, onions, white wine, hot sauce and bacon. It’s not a good reheated option though- yuck!
Thanks for the first foods ebook!
Hey Marit,
You liver recipe sounds delicious! Pate is often served chilled. Overcooking (or reheating) liver can make it taste mealy.
xxo!!
Wow! I can’t beleive I like it! Now to see about my daughter…but seriously, I would eat this, and I will! Thanks for the recipe 😊
YAY! Thanks for letting me know xxo!!
Chicken liver pate is my 12-month-old’s favorite food! He been eating it almost daily since he was 8-months-old. Our pediatrician said we can give him as much liver as he wants, some weeks he eats up to four ounces daily. Now I’m reading about hypervitaminosis A and I’m thinking the doctor gave us bad advice. How much liver is too much?
Hey Cynthia,
I usually recommend an ounce every other day. It sounds like he’s doing wonderfully with what he’s eating but if you want to mix things up, you definitely can. A wide range of foods is also good for baby! Other organ meats (like tongue and heart), different sources of red meat, poultry, and seafood all have a unique nutritional profile.
Hi there!
I am just wondering if there is any concern with allspice? I read an article that it is “antinutrient” but I’m not sure the truth behind that as the article was lacking evidence. I made this tonight for my 6 month old son. I did a triple batch because the liver came in a larger bag. I did use allspice then read that article after the fact … now of course I’m worried about it lol. And left with a whole lot of liver… Any concerns?
Hey Danielle,
Great question! Many plant-based foods (including spices!) have anti-nutrients. But it’s about balance because many of these foods are also therapeutic. For example, turmeric is really high in oxalate which is an anti-nutrient (binds to minerals) and can increase the risk of kidney stones.
I have a blog post on spices for baby here: https://megangarcia.com/safe-spices-for-baby-curry-powder-recipe/
In general, I am fan of using spices because the range of flavor supports adventurous eating xxo!!
Thank you so much!! He LOVES this liver recipe. Happily gobbles it right up! I won’t shy away from using spices, thanks for the article!
Hi! My son loves your liver pate recipe, that and whipped bone marrow! My husband went deer hunting and saved the deer livers for me. Would those be safe to use in this recipe for my 10 month old?
YES. Wild animals have more exposure to sun and wild forage, this is great from a nutrition perspective. And so thoughtful that he saved them!!
I might have missed this somewhere but do you serve it warm or cold? Or is it good either way?
Hey Ashely,
Pate is usually serve chilled – but you can definitely warm it up. I like using mini cast iron pans for warming up purees since an ounce is such a tiny amount xxo!!
Hey Megan,
Greetings from the Netherlands!
Can you explain to me why salt is bad for babies kidneys? We only use Keltic Seasalt, and according to Sally Fallon from the Weston A. Price Foundation babies need salt for different reasons.
Hope to hear from you ☺️
Hey Esther,
The last time that I looked at the researched referenced by the WAPF (over a year ago) it was on premature babies need for sodium *before* beginning solids – which is well documented because premature babies and low birth weight babies have greater sodium loss. Just like a baby’s nutritional needs are different than an adult, a premature baby has different nutritional needs than a baby born at term.
Besides that, the general consensus is baby’s kidneys aren’t quite mature enough for added salt 😉
I usually advise that parents avoid deliberately salting baby’s food and feed homemade foods as much as possible – but also not to stress over salt that’s in food. Just don’t make a point of adding extra.
For a little lift in flavor, I love using dulse and my first foods program has a dulse and mushroom powder recipe that gives all sorts of umami + minerals besides sodium. Hope this answers your Q xxo!!
Would organic kelp granules be a good option? Has a good taste and high in iron. I heard it can be contaminated with lead though. Have you used it before?
Hi Megan,
Is it possible to add more explanation and possibly photos of each step? I’ve never eaten liver and I rarely cook for myself.. but I’ve been trying to make healthy baby food. I have no idea how to clean them or how to tell when they are done. Thanks!
Hey Ashley,
That’s a great idea! I will definitely add to my to-do list. In the meantime, make sure you’re following my IG account. I repost liver and bone marrow photos from mamas in the community and it’s a great resource.
xxo!!
Hi!We suspect baby had some food allergy, likely to dairy when she was about a month old (mucus in stool), so I cut it out for a month but since then I’ve been eating dairy and nursing her and we have had no issues to my knowledge, would you suggest I could use the cream, herbs, spices in this recipe right away as her very first food?
Hey Elizabeth!
It sounds like she’s doing fine with dairy at this point but you may want to introduce it as a single food first.
xxo!!
Two questions:
1. Thoughts on feeding salmon roe to baby?
2. Would opening up a liver capsule and adding bits to breast milk in a bottle be ok to help boost iron?
Hey Meagan,
Salmon roe can be great! Keep in mind the salt content; low salt roe is generally better quality. And I wouldn’t offer too much at one time, it can be “cold” from a Chinese medicine perspective and affect baby’s digestion.
And liver caps is a good work-around if liver pate etc isn’t an option.
xxo!!
Hi,
Absolutely love liver for baby. Just wondering how much I can give my baby per week?
Thank you for all your amazing work
Hey Ceclilie,
It doesn’t need to be daily but I like to offer at least a few times a week.
It’s high in vitamin A, so if you’re doing cod liver oil, you may want occasionally mix things up with a fish oil supplement.
xxo!!
Hi Megan! I was about to make this recipe and then realized I bought beef kidney instead of liver 🙁 What do you think about giving little ones kidney? Any recommendations for preparing it? I’d hate it to go to waste.
Hey Sarah,
I haven’t cooked with kidney before! If you went ahead and made it, let me know how it turned out xxo!!
Hi Megan,
Why do you recommend against adding salt to baby’s first foods? I thought it was absolutely essential for brain development.
Thanks.
Hey Kassia,
The WAPF recommends adding salt, but they base this suggestion on premature newborn babies need for sodium – not babies at 6 months starting solids.
If you into the World Health Organization or the American Academy of Pediatrics, parents are advised NOT to offer baby food with added salt or sugar. Hope this helps xxo!!
Hey there, I’ve been reading up on Vit A toxicity and wonder if you have anything to say for serving sizes of liver for toddlers in order to avoid too much vit A bit still get enough to reap the benefits!???
Hi Megan,
I have a 9 month old and just started feeding liver at this age. I really haven’t been feeding foods high in iron, except for some meat once in a while as my pediatrician said meat needed to be started at 9 months, so now I’m concern she hasn’t been getting enough iron and zinc in her diet. Some studies suggest a decrease in IQ later in life with infant iron deficiencies. Is my baby still on time to reverse the statistic of a low IQ due to iron deficiency? She’s 9 months and breastfed.
Also, how much and how often can I giver her liver?
Thanks from a worried mom
Hey Fabiana,
I would focus on choline – like egg yolks – because it acts as a buffer if there is iron deficiency. And yes, even if you don’t know her iron status, it’s a good idea to start working in liver and meat daily.
xxo!!
Hi Megan, do you have a recommendation for a brand of liver capsule I could give my 10 month old and how many times per week? She’s refusing to eat liver or any solids recently. She’s teething and going through a growth spurt so I think the refusal may be more developmental that anything but I’m concerned for her iron status. Thanks!
Ancestral supplements! Spleen is higher in heme iron than liver. With liver supplements you’re getting choline as well, so that can be good if eggs are an issue.
xxo!!
Hey Megan,
I purchased your first foods and beyond PFF and absolutely love it. We will be using the 28 day plan and I can’t wait to make this pate. I was wondering how you would cook the lamb liver if you weren’t adding any other ingredients as a first introduction? I’ll be mixing it with breastmilk to create a purée but every recipe I find online has other ingredients added and this will be my first time cooking lamb liver. Thank you!!
Hey Amanda,
I find it easiest to sear the liver. It cooks up quickly and you don’t want to overcook it, so for me personally that is easiest. You could use coconut oil if you do the pan method, since it’s a pretty good source MCT which the body doesn’t have to work as hard to digest.
You can also boil the liver – for just liver and no additional fat – and how long it’s boiled depends on what size pieces your working with. In both cases, you would want to aim for liver that’s slightly blushed inside otherwise it takes on a mealy consistency.
xxo!!
Hello Ms. Megan,
Thanks for the recipe share. Can I offer this to my 4 month old? He seems to have signs of “readiness” he can sit with support, good head & neck control, and lost the reflux of pushing food out of mouth with tongue.. I know every baby is different, my 1st baby didn’t seem this ready until closer to 6 months. My baby seems eager and interested in the food I am eating and I want to do baby led weaning, as I did with my 1st. I was vegan with my 1st which I SORELY regret, missing out on important nutrients with my 1st, but fortunately realised the importance of animal based nutrition right around the time he turned 6 months, eating solids. I would love to share this with my 4 month old as one of his 1st foods though! (I have let him gnaw on an organic, freshly picked sliced peach- which is how I know he is not using his tongue to instinctively push out the food from his mouth)
Hey Josie,
Right! Every baby is different. In my experience, I see a lot of babies “ready” at 5 – 7 months. If you do start solids now, I would start with just liver + breastmilk if you’re breastfeeding. My whipped bone marrow recipe is another popular one for littles.
I was vegan for many years, so I get it! We’re all learning as we go.
xxo!!
Hi, Megan! Thank you for this recipe! Before we found yours, my dad, who has worked at a gourmet restaurant for 37 years, used his liver pate recipe instead and we have a huge batch. He kept the apples because baby has had apples and seems fine with it, left out the salt, and did half of the garlic and onion that his recipe calls for (kept some because baby has been exposed through my breast milk and hasn’t had any ill effects). The only thing is that my dad’s recipe calls for brandy and he put it in because in his mind, the alcohol cooks out, so it’s fine. Well, now we have this 2 month batch of liver pate and I don’t know if we can use it. Help, please!
Made this today, my baby absolutely loved it! Thank you so much xo
YAAAY!! Thanks for letting me know!
I’ve never heard of apple in pate before! What is the purpose of adding it? Does it just make it more delicious? My baby is just about 6 months old and I can’t wait to try liver with her!!! I’ve only given her little tastes of whipped bone marrow so far. Thank you for these recipes!!
Hi, I have frozen some chicken liver pate in ice cubes moulds for my 7mo (who has loved it so far!)
What’s the best way to defrost a cube? Can I microwave or is it better to leave overnight in fridge? I also read too much is dangerous; what’s a safe amount per week? Thanks!!!
Hey Lisa!
If there’s no eczema or reflux, I would defrost overnight in the fridge xxo!!
What if there is eczema? What’s the best way to heat?
Hey!
In this case (when you want to watch histamine) the best thing to do is freeze and small portions that defrost quickly in the fridge and reheat.
1 tbsp or 1/2 ounce in the baby food trays is a good place to start.
xxo!!
This recipe sounds great. However I wanted to point out that I read beef liver actually has a lot of vitamin A which can be toxic to babies so you should only serve a small amount (1 teaspoon) 1 or 2 times max per week. And it has less iron than chicken liver. So actually chicken liver is a better choice for babies until they can tolerate more Vitamin A. It’s good for variety tho. I’m not sure about other livers (ie lamb, buffalo, goat, etc).
Yes! I talk about this in my first foods class and on Instagram. This recipe uses lamb liver.
Vitamin A isn’t toxic and is really important for a robust immune response. However it can build up, so we do want to make sure we’re aware of pre formed vitamin A in baby’s food.
Thanks for the amazing comment!
Hi, does the apples help with making it taste better? I’m hesitant to give my daughter liver because I tried eating it as it’s on the Weston A Price list of recommended foods to eat for women pregnant or breastfeeding, but it tasted absolutely horrible. I even soaked it in milk before too. In San Diego I’ve only been able to find beef liver in an organic grocery store. Thanks
Hey Daniela,
Yes! Apple improves taste.
ALSO baby’s taste preferences are forming and things like liver or sardines, which may taste less than amazing to most of us, are kinda neutral to baby.
If baby is breastfed, they are naturally exposed to more flavor variety.
I would also start with lamb liver. White Oaks Pasture is very high quality (you can use my code IRON20 for discount) or there’s also US Wellness Meats. I lived in LA for about 20 years, there are some good spots in southern CA 😆 hope this helps!!