The Divisive Meat You Won't Find Guy Fieri Eating

Guy Fieri can handle a five-alarm ghost pepper, but liver? That's one of several foods he avoids at all costs. Beef liver might be considered a superfood, packed with vitamins, minerals, and iron, but its cold, brassy taste can linger on your tongue and overstay its welcome — though not nearly as long as that ghost pepper.

This is the same Guy who's downed duck tongue, Rocky Mountain oysters, and gizzards. But diner staples like the nostalgic liver and onions or scrambled eggs, or the Southern comfort food, chitterlings? Those send him packing and headed straight back to Flavortown. "Liver is nasty," he told People. But it's liver and onions that really pushed him over the edge. For him, the smell is earthy, and its rich, red color can be off-putting — especially if you're eating with your eyes and nose before your fork hits the plate. For someone like Fieri, who's tried just about everything once, liver is a bite too far. Dense, metallic, and iron-heavy? Those aren't flavors he's chasing.

Turns out, thought, that not all liver is created equal. While beef liver takes most of the heat, other versions slip onto menus in sneakier ways — and Fieri's tried more of them than you might expect.

Not all liver sends Guy Fieri running. It shows up all the time on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" — ground into fresh sausage, cooked into pâté for a bánh mì, or mixed into a haggis recipe (which Fieri wasn't exactly thrilled to try). Liver might be a hard pass for him as it's become for many Americans, but in some forms, it's easier to swallow — especially when it's the star of a regional cult favorite.

Beef liver tends to hog the spotlight — and catch the most flak — thanks to its bold flavor and buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Milder options, like chicken and pork liver, are more likely to get a fair shot from most eaters. Fieri, however, is still leery. When he found out the scrapple at Harry's Roadhouse didn't contain pork liver, you could see the relief on his face.

That version skips the liver, but its Southern cousin, liver mush, doesn't — in fact, North Carolina law requires it to contain at least 30% pork liver mixed in with the cornmeal and savory spices. Liver mush may not have the most appetizing name, but it's a breakfast staple in the Carolinas. It's often served crisp from the griddle alongside eggs — and who knows, it might just have enough bold flavor to tempt Fieri, as long as those scrambled eggs aren't touching.