You’ve been there, I’ve been there, we’ve all been there: The steak on your plate looks tender, juicy, and delicious. You grab your fork and bite in. But instead of that beefy, buttery, caramely flavor you know and love, your stake tastes like … liver?!

Yuck. “What a waste of perfectly good meat,” you think to yourself. The good news is, there’s a science behind it, and there are definitely ways to prevent (or at least minimize) it.

The Culprit? It’s Called Myoglobin

That liver-like flavor comes from myoglobin, the protein responsible for meat’s red color. People falsely think that rare steak is still bloody when cooked. It isn’t; that pink(ish) juice is actually water with myoglobin.

As cattle age, the myoglobin levels in their muscles increase, which can create stronger — sometimes metallic and/or livery — flavors that many find off-putting. These are not old wives’ tales; research from Utah State University confirms this relationship between cattle age and taste intensity.

But when it comes to your steak’s taste, age isn’t the only factor. The animal’s breed, diet, and how the meat itself was handled after processing all have their impact on the final flavor. Even the best cut can develop unwanted smells or tastes if not stored or prepared properly.

Getting Rid of the Taste of Liver in Your Steak

So, how do you make steak not taste like liver?

It starts at the meat counter. Whenever possible, choose beef from younger cattle. It generally has a cleaner, more “beefy” flavor. Look for bright red meat with good marbling (those little streaks of white fat that add flavor and tenderness). Avoid cuts that look dark or have any off-putting smells.

Dry-brining is your next defense. Salt your steak liberally on both sides (kosher salt, with its flaky texture, works best) and refrigerate it for an hour before cooking.

The salt first draws moisture out, then dissolves to create a natural brine that’s reabsorbed, seasoning the meat from within. These two processes are called osmosis (when the steak draws the juices from the meat) and diffusion (when the salt mixed with those juices and gets reabsorbed by the protein).

Finally, the cooking method. Take your steak out of the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking to let it come closer to room temperature. This helps it cook more evenly.

Use medium-high heat to develop a beautiful crust, but be careful not to overcook it. A little charing is fine, but once the steak starts to blacken, the delicious flavors produced by browning, the result of what’s known as the Maillard reaction, are going to get cooked off by the heat.

Resist the urge to slice into the steak immediately after cooking. Instead, let your steak rest for a good 5-10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful steak.

The Takeaway

While myoglobin content largely determines whether your steak might taste like liver, proper selection and preparation can help avoid this issue.

Choose wisely at the butcher’s counter, dry-brine before cooking, and pay attention to temperature and timing. Your reward? A steak that tastes exactly as it should — rich, beefy, and downright irresistible.