Why is it Forbidden to Roast Liver with Meat? Liver Roasting - Practical Halacha

A. Liver - whether from an animal or poultry - contains a substantial amount of blood. Therefore, it can only be prepared for consumption by roasting over fire, and salting alone is insufficient. It is permissible to keep liver for 72 hours without preparation if it will be eaten roasted, however, it should not be cooked after roasting.

B. Frozen liver - some authorities maintain that it must be thawed before roasting, while others are lenient. However, under no circumstances should one thaw it by placing it in boiling water or in a microwave oven.

Do not roast liver wrapped in aluminum foil or any covering, even if it is perforated.

C. The liver should be thoroughly rinsed with water, though according to Sephardic tradition, rinsing is not required unless one intends to cook it afterward. Wait a moment for the water to dry, and it is customary to sprinkle a little salt on the liver just before beginning to roast it.

D. Those who are prohibited from consuming salt for health reasons may roast the liver without salting it, as stated by the Ben Ish Chai (Parashat Acharei Mot).

E. Liver should be roasted over a medium flame or glowing coals (grill), with the liver placed on a grate or skewered on a spit. However, it is forbidden to roast liver in a microwave oven. When roasting beef liver, be careful to place it with the cut side facing down.

F. Care should be taken not to roast liver together with meat, because liver releases more blood which could be absorbed by the meat that has already released its blood. Therefore, they should not be roasted on the same skewer. However, in retrospect, even if the liver was already roasted on top of the meat, the meat is not prohibited.

G. It is permissible to roast a large quantity of liver at once, though it is preferable not to stack pieces of liver on top of each other. It is also permissible to turn the liver occasionally so it roasts evenly on all sides. However, it should not be turned too quickly, to allow time for the blood to drain from it.

Do not place additional uncooked liver on top of liver that is already roasting.

H. According to Ashkenazi custom, one should not cut roasted liver with a knife that was used to cut raw liver, and even after the liver has been removed from the fire, as long as it is hot, special utensils should be dedicated for roasting liver. However, according to Sephardic custom, this is permitted, as explained in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah, section 76), and even the knife does not become prohibited. Therefore, it is permissible to remove the skewer with the liver during roasting to check if it is properly roasted or to adjust the fire. For Ashkenazim, this should not be permitted initially.

I. Liver should be roasted over fire until it is suitable for consumption due to the roasting, and also dried on its outer surface, without the need for it to be charred or blackened.

J. After roasting, remove the liver from the skewer or grate. For Ashkenazim - the liver should be rinsed in water three times. However, for Sephardim - if the liver is eaten roasted, no rinsing is necessary. According to Ashkenazi custom, the skewer, and some say the grate used for roasting the liver, requires purging by fire before being used again. However, Sephardim do not need to do this.

Rabbi Shai Amar is a rabbi in the Halacha department of Hidabroot

Questions for the rabbi: 054-8448909