Best Rumaki Recipe | Holiday Appetizer

A delicious Rumaki recipe is a perfect appetizer for any party or gathering. It's made with chicken liver and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon that can be baked or grilled to perfection!

The simplest of appetizers is made delicious. Once you have one, you'll be hooked for life. Our Rumaki recipe is spot-on the best.

Enjoy a beautiful substitution list of options to try for those that do not enjoy chicken livers. Looking to have the best appetizers at the party? Try our Chile con Queso, Bacon Pepperoni Sticks With Homemade Buttermilk Ranch or Texas Guacamole Recipe

What Is Rumaki?

Rumaki is usually known as a special occasion appetizer. It often shows up around Christmas, yet it is lovely any time of year.

The texture, from the crispy bacon to the perfectly roasted chicken liver, with a piece of water chestnut right in the middle, all rolled up into a ball of perfection.

If chicken livers aren't your thing, you could still make this appetizer by replacing the chicken livers with a different protein or something like dates. I have an alternative idea below for you besides chicken livers:)

Rumaki Recipe History

Rumaki or Rumake is an hors-d'oeuvre of mock-Polynesian origin. It was popularly served at Trader Vic's and other Polynesian restaurants in the 1950s and 1960s. Its ingredients and preparation method vary, but it usually consists of water chestnuts and pieces of chicken liver wrapped in bacon and marinated in soy sauce with either ginger or brown sugar. It is also popular within the Hawaiian Islands.

Ingredients

• 24 livers Chicken Livers
• Bacon - Thin Strips Cut in half lengthwise
• 24 sliced Water Chestnuts

Rumaki Marinade

• 1 cup Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• ½ Tablespoon Minced Ginger
• 1 teaspoon Chopped Garlic

Rumaki Substitution

• Daikon Radish Sliced
• Beef Tenderloin cubed
• Cantaloupe cubed
• Honeydew Melon cubed
• Dates whole
• Pickled Watermelon cubed

Glaze Options - Pick One

• ½ cup Teriyaki Sauce
• ½ cup Hoisin Sauce
• ½ cup Grape Jelly w/ Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
• ½ cup BBQ Sauce
• ½ cup Maple Syrup

How To Make Rumaki

First, clean the chicken livers. I like to cut them in half if they are large and remove anything that doesn't look like pure protein/meat.

Next, place the chicken livers into ½ cup of soy sauce, add 2 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of minced ginger, and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and allow the chicken livers to marinate for one hour.

The Bacon takes one strip of bacon and cuts it in half lengthwise. Try to purchase thin strips of bacon; this helps with the cooking of the bacon, so it doesn't end up being chewy. #crispybacon.

Then add one piece of sliced water chestnut. If you don't like water chestnuts, you could try using daikon radish. Next, add one piece of chicken liver or pickled watermelon. Wrap the bacon over the top, over and over, and secure with a toothpick.

Rumaki Without Liver - Variations

Not everyone loves chicken livers, below are rumaki without liver options.

Beef Tenderloin

Our top substitution suggestion. The bacon cooking time is right on with the beef's cooking time.

Dates

Excellent choice; the tender, sweet dates and the salty bite of the bacon are pure culinary perfection.

Figs

Figs are in season over the holiday months, sweet bite, but not too sweet. A very exquisite choice. I suggest wrapping in prosciutto.

Cantaloupe & Honeydew Melon

• Cantaloupe/Honeydew Melon wrapped in prosciutto is a French classic. It is not much of a stretch of the imagination to turn it into a rumaki recipe.

Pickled Watermelon

Simple Pickling Recipe for Watermelon Pickles:

If you're not into chicken livers, I have an exciting alternative: watermelon. What, watermelon? Yes, you can use watermelon rinds by making pickles out of them. I've had watermelon pickles, which were incredible and possibly better than ones made from cucumbers. Cucumbers are what the pickles in your refrigerator are made from.
If you want to make watermelon pickles, start by removing the green exterior of the watermelon. Then slice the exposed layer into the desired size and place it into a mason jelly jar with a pickling solution. It takes about a week, and you'll have pickles.

Rumaki Using WaterMelon Pickles

• 2 cups of water.
• Add 3 tablespoon of mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon of Peppercorns, 1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 tablespoon of salt, and ½ cup of Sugar.
• Bring it to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce the heat and allow the flavors to get happy together.
• Recipe Mix up: Add sliced jalapenos; so good this way.
• Chill in the refrigerator overnight, one week is better.

In the rumaki recipe, just replace the chicken livers with the pickled watermelon pickles...

Cooking the Rumaki

Many ways you could choose:

• Deep Frying
• Baking on a cookie sheet
• Baking on a wire rack
• Sous Vid then finishes on a hot grill

I like roasting rumaki in a 375-degree oven for about 20 minutes on a wire rack...This assures even cooking and a crispy bottom as well.

Bacon Prep For Rumaki

Cutting the bacon in half lengthwise will do two things.

1. The bacon will go much further, doubling the amount of Rumaki you can make
2. Cutting the bacon in half will help with the wrapping of the Rumaki. #tighterwrapping
3. The number one reason, the bacon will cook more evenly when cut thin

Tip: Do not use thick-cut bacon, as it will increase the oven cooking time. This will risk the chicken livers becoming overcooked by the time the bacon is fully cooked.

Rumaki Recipe Glaze / Sauce Holiday Appetizer

Once the rumaki comes out of the oven or fryer.

Adding a glaze with a paintbrush can take this recipe over the top.

Here are a few sauces you could use:

• Teriyaki
• Hoisin sauce
• It might sound odd, but grape jelly with chipotle in adobo sauce added
• Favorite BBQ sauce
• Maple Syrup

Place them back into a hot oven to caramelize the sauce ( 2-to-5 minutes)

Serve with creamy ranch or tartar sauce

Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

• 1 cup Soy Sauce
• ½ cup of Sake
• ½ cup of Mirin
• ½ cup Pineapple Juice
• 2 tablespoons of Honey
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of Brown Sugar
• grated fresh Ginger ( 1 ½ teaspoon)
• add Water as needed

There you have it, you know how to make Rumaki now.

Please give us a shout-out with your holiday cheer 🙂

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