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The Turkish pantry

Lamb liver

Raw lamb liver for a finely cut savory filling. Remove tough tissue, keep the pieces cold and follow the full cooking method for the assembled dish.

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Raw lamb liver, separate from calf or mature beef liver. The reference describes liver alone, without rice, caul fat or added oil.

Glossy dark red raw lamb liver slices on a green-rimmed cream plate.

Types & forms

Whole or sliced liver

Trim the outer membrane and visible tough ducts before cutting.

Small pieces for stuffing

Cut evenly so the liver distributes through the rice filling without large chewy pieces.

What to look for when buying

  • Ask specifically for lamb liver from a chilled display. Confirm the meat identity rather than treating every liver as the same ingredient.
  • Buy close to the day of cooking and transport it cold in a separate bag.

Prepare & cook

  • Trim and cut as the recipe requires. Keep the prepared liver refrigerated while assembling other ingredients.
  • Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat food and wash hands and utensils after handling. Cook organ meat to at least 160°F, checked with a food thermometer; color alone is not a safety check.

Store it well

  • Keep in a leak-proof container at 40°F or below. Cook within 1–2 days or freeze; follow any earlier date on the pack.
  • Thaw in the refrigerator, separate from ready-to-eat food. Refrigerate cooked portions promptly in shallow containers; reheat leftovers to 165°F.

Substitutions depend on the dish

Calf liver

Different flavor and composition; use only when the recipe permits that alternative.

Lamb meat

Muscle meat is not equivalent to liver and changes both texture and cooking.

Nutrition

Raw lamb liver [1]

Per 100 g edible portion
NutrientAmount
Energy139 kcal
Protein20.4 g
Total fat5.02 g
Saturated fat1.94 g
Carbohydrate1.78 g
Dietary fiber0 g
Total sugarsNot reported
Sodium70 mg
Cholesterol371 mg
Calcium7 mg
Iron7.37 mg
Potassium313 mg
Vitamin DNot reported

USDA reference per 100 g of raw lamb liver. Not calf liver or cooked Ciğer Sarma containing rice, caul fat and oil. Values are rounded for readability; “not reported” does not mean zero. A “<” value is below the source’s measurement limit.

[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Lamb, variety meats and by-products, liver, raw

Nutrition values come from the reference source named above. They are published reference values, not our own measurements. Actual products and cooking methods may change the values.

At the Turkish table

Ciğer Sarma combines lamb liver with seasoned rice inside caul fat. The liver’s small pieces are part of a filling, rather than the larger flour-coated pieces used for Arnavut Ciğeri.

Cook with Lamb liver

A browned caul-wrapped liver and rice parcel cut open to show herbs, currants and pine nuts
Edirne style

Thracian Caul-Wrapped Liver and Rice

Lamb liver and rice with currants, pine nuts and herbs, wrapped in caul fat and baked. Ciğer sarma is associated with Edirne and the wider Thracian/Rumelian repertoire. This herb-and-spice adaptation keeps its lamb liver, rice and caul structure. Buy cleaned food-grade caul from a butcher.