Reba

The beef's liver, rich in iron and vitamins. When fresh it carries little odor, with a smooth texture and a distinctive flavor that mixes gentle bitterness with richness. Its cross-section is smooth, and cutting into it reveals a dense, almost sticky texture. Fresh liver is said to have a glossy surface, and its firmness underfoot the finger is one way to judge freshness. It's a substantial organ, said to weigh several kilograms in a single animal.

Its texture is said to change greatly with how it's trimmed and cooked; searing the surface hard over high heat while leaving the center close to rare is a favored approach. It was once eaten raw but is now cooked before serving. Soaking it in water to draw out blood is said to shape the flavor considerably, with careful prep translating directly into less odor. Soaking it in milk to soften its odor is also a well-known home technique, with a thorough pat-dry before grilling recommended.

As an organ with a rich flavor and distinctive texture, it's often discussed as the opposite of firmer-textured offal like mino. Even now that it's cooked before serving, it holds an essential place on the yakiniku menu as a source of iron. It carries an echo of the era when it was commonly eaten raw, while today's cooking techniques are what draw its flavor out instead. Cutting it thick and searing just the surface over high heat, in a style reminiscent of raw liver, is said to remain a favored way to eat it.