Liver cheese, pork

Liver cheese is a spreadable-to-sliceable pork liver sausage, similar in style to liverwurst but firmer and formed into a loaf that slices cleanly, popular in German-American and Pennsylvania Dutch delis. It has a smooth, dense texture and a rich, mineral, savory flavor typical of liver-based sausages, and it's most commonly served cold, sliced for sandwiches with mustard and onion, or pan-fried in slices until the edges crisp and brown. It pairs well with tangy condiments like mustard or pickles that cut through its richness, and is sometimes set out sliced thin as part of a cold cuts or charcuterie spread.

Because it's a deli meat, it should be kept refrigerated and used within the time frame on the package once opened, and it doesn't freeze as well as whole cuts since the texture can become grainy. At 304 calories and 15.2 g of protein per 100 g (a 28 g ounce serving), it's calorie-dense for a deli meat, and it stands out sharply for vitamin A, at 583% of the Daily Value per 100 g, along with iron at 60%, both reflecting the liver content; it also carries 1,220 mg of sodium per 100 g, characteristic of cured and processed deli meats generally.