Cook liver and fat pork until tender. Remove from broth the liver only and grind. Add corn meal, peppers, and sage to taste. Add enough of the broth to soften mixture. Cook in saucepan until meal has cooked, stirring constantly. Put in mold. Press down until cold. Slice and serve cold or broil.


One of North Carolina's best loved breakfast foods is that Poor Boy's Pate', Liver Mush. This delicacy, fried crisp and served with grits and scrambled eggs, is a wonderful way to start the day.

Mr Breakfast would like to thank Mr Breakfast for this recipe.

Recipe number 112. Submitted 4/26/2002.

Overall Average Rating = 5 (out of 5)

Based on 34 votes.

View all 54 comments for this recipe.

From OldMan

Recipe Rating (out of 5):

Buy Mush? There are enough ingredient lists here that one can experiment with. BTW use LARD when cooking... adds an authentic flavor. The best part... you get to eat the results, tune the ingredients and try again... Make it your OWN!! - OldMan

Comment submitted: 5/21/2013 (#15906)



From Ramp man

Recipe Rating (out of 5):

Anybody looking too buy livermush online can do so from Neeses Sausage out of Greensboro NC. They also have liver pudding, scrapple and other various pork products.

Comment submitted: 3/5/2013 (#15310)



From Sammers (Team Breakfast Member)

It would be a lot easier on me if you specified how many pounds, ounces, etc of liver. Also, do you mean pork fat?

Comment submitted: 10/21/2012 (#14698)



From Country gal

I grew up in Wilmington, NC, and used to eat liver "pudding" ALL THE TIME. Since moving to Atlanta I have been unable to find it anywhere, not even in the "international" farmers market that supposedly sells EVERY kind of food u can imagine. Does anyone know where you can buy it in Georgia? I am so desperate! Please help!

Comment submitted: 10/16/2012 (#14663)



From Cornelius

Recipe Rating (out of 5):

Raindog, I am from Cornelius too... maybe we've eaten it in some of the same restaurants there. Livermush is way better than the scrapple that the northerners eat.

Comment submitted: 10/1/2012 (#14481)



From Geneva Girl

My family had a different recipe for Livermush. My Grandmother always made it for us, but never wrote her recipe down. My mother tried to watch her and write it down. Hers is good too, but never as AWESOME as my G'ma made. It is much better than this recipe sounds. Never EVER use beef liver! Only pork. One important thing my family did is to fry it in bacon grease before eating. It is so addictive that I can eat 3/4 of a loaf pan in one sitting by myself! (BTW I am only about 120lbs) I just cannot stop. We do not make it often, so it is a wonderful treat. If you have never tried it, please do.

Comment submitted: 7/31/2012 (#14207)



From pippa

Recipe Rating (out of 5):

This is one way you can get kids to eat liver. Tell them after they eat some though.

Comment submitted: 7/29/2012 (#14200)



From Raindog

Recipe Rating (out of 5):

Country boy from Cornelius, NC, transplanted in Alabama. I stock up everytime that I visit NC. Awesome stuff!

Comment submitted: 5/15/2012 (#13910)



From Jane M.

I agree with one of the posters. I assume you boil the liver and fatty pork in water, but how much? Is this the broth we use later to soften. I love liver mush, but have never made it. Please advise.

Comment submitted: 4/19/2012 (#13825)



From L.M. Junkie

I love liver mush. My friend turned me on to it, she brings it from Drexel N.C. She grew up eating it. Love it fried with mustard. I'm going to try to make it here in Chesapeake, V.A.

Comment submitted: 1/23/2012 (#13461)



From Old Grumpy

Having grew up in the foothills of North Carolina, hog killing time was a culinary treat. Fresh homemade sausage, fresh bacon, pork chops baked in farm fresh apples, smoking the hams, and my favorite Liver mush. Stirring that huge pot with a giant spoon till it was to firm to stir. The air filled with the scent of sage, fresh pork, liver, black and red pepper. Homemade is wonderful and easy to prepare. Even here in Japan, the simple ingredients can be found. Try this recipe, salt and pepper to your taste, you'll love it. And, Yes... I've taken Jenkins Liver Mush on the plane from Charlotte NC to Seattle WA for my family there. It is treat for them. Good eating!

Comment submitted: 1/14/2012 (#13430)



From Sgt Tim

Where is Hogor fresh pork liver available? Does anyone know?

Comment submitted: 10/4/2011 (#12979)



From Pat

Recipe sounds delicious but the instructions are not clear. How do you cook the liver and fatty pork? What broth? Do you grind the fatty pork?

Comment submitted: 5/23/2011 (#12719)



From JimB

Recipe Rating (out of 5):

I was born in Mooresville NC and ate livermush since I was about 4 years old. Mom use to make it when we killed hogs. I've eaten several brands since then; Neese's, Jenkin's, and just had some Hunter's mush from Marion NC and it is the best. It just like Mom made. I do eat scrapple sometimes but NC mush is the best. I sure wish Foodline would sell their mush in GA!!

Comment submitted: 1/12/2011 (#11899)



From Patticake

Can you use beef liver for this recipe?

Comment submitted: 12/3/2010 (#11656)



From Karl

Recipe Rating (out of 5):

From Karl in Minn. - Great breakfast - found the recipe and will make a batch.

Comment submitted: 11/5/2010 (#11505)



From Dan in Missouri

I looked this up out of curiosity after reading Jan Karon's Mitford books. I don't much care for liver by itself, but I do like paté de foie and Braunschweiger sausage, so I may give livermush a try sometime.

Comment submitted: 10/15/2010 (#11395)



From Hunter

I live in Norfolk, Va. Can't buy livermush here but I go to Roanoke Rapids, N.C. and buy it in bulk to bring home. You can freeze livermush if you slice it while fresh, put waxed paper in between the slices and then wrap the whole block twice with tin foil. When you take it out of the freezer you just put a knife in between the slice and hit down on the knife handle. The slices pop right off. Fry brown on one side before turning. Not exactly like fresh but close enough.

Comment submitted: 8/22/2010 (#11114)



From Linda

I just returned from a family reunion in Taylorsville, NC. I missed the livermush from my childhood and had to buy some to bring back to CA. My sister made some for me for breakfast on the first day I stayed with her. I just couldn't bring back enough to satisfy my cravings. I don't know how livermush is made. I just want to eat it. Wish I could buy it here in Beaumont, CA.

Comment submitted: 8/19/2010 (#11093)



From Tarheelbornbred

Recipe Rating (out of 5):

Yep. This is 'bout right. From Drexel, NC. Hunter's in Marion, for store-bought is best, imo; Walsh Market in Valdisease (Valdese) used to make killer - out of business now - could buy it hot before it set up cold; my grandmother, 96, mother, 70's, they all made it - WITH THE FAT - at hog killin' time. I grew up with fried livermush. Moved to NYC and Austin, and not only couldn't get it, couldn't buy DUKES mayo to go that which I couldn't buy. Not sold east of Yadkin River in NC. I used to load coolers of the stuff to take back to less fortunate areas of country - most people liked it - but some had no taste:-) Even people from Eastern NC have never had livermush... well, as a Carolina alum, I did my part in educating the deprived palates of my fellow Tar Heels. Thanks for posting this!

Comment submitted: 8/9/2010 (#11037)



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