Kidney
Bos taurus · Meat
Top 10 pairings
Kidney is the edible kidney of cattle, sheep or pigs, a firm, dense offal organ with a smoothly lobed surface and a deep, distinctly minerally, faintly ammoniac savour. Beef (ox) kidney is large and multi-lobed; lamb kidney is small, tender and mild; pork kidney sits in between. It is the classic partner to steak in steak-and-kidney pie and the star of French rognons.
Picking a good onedrag
Freshly cut: dark, plump, firmOff: slimy, sour, grey-green
Counter freshEveryday bestSoak the trimmed kidney in cold water, milk or acidulated water to mellow the urea, then cook it through: FSIS puts organ and variety meats at 71°C (160°F).
ColourDark brown, a shade duller under the lights
Surface and feelFirm and moist, springing back from a press
SmellFaintly ammoniac: natural urea, and it soaks out
Core and cut faceCore pale and whole, the faces a shade duller