The Nasty Bits: Deviled Kidneys Recipe (2024)

Lamb
Stovetop
Pork

Chichi Wang

Chichi Wang wrote a variety of columns for Serious Eats including The Butcher's Cuts, in addition to other stories. Born in Shanghai and raised in New Mexico, Chichi took her degree in philosophy but decided that writing about food would be more fun than writing about Plato.

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Updated March 26, 2019

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The Nasty Bits: Deviled Kidneys Recipe (2)

"There is nothing quite like them--that feral taste combined with a mouthfeel not quite as tender and fatty as liver, nor as chewy as gizzards."

Of all the nasty bits on earth, liver and kidneys must be some of the nastiest. Their function--to process and disperse toxins from the diet--makes for a risky undertaking for the offal cook. Truly foul, these organs are a real treat when you can find them fresh.

Given the nature of their function, livers and kidneys are a direct reflection of the life of the animal, a tell-tale sign of its diet and treatment. Naturally exposed to toxins, livers and kidneys are far more likely than muscle tissue to develop stress and disease-related damage such as cysts and tumors. This is especially so for the kidneys, which filter the animal's urine.

The kidneys' main function is to purify the blood by removing nitrogen-rich waste and funneling the waste into the urine. At their worst, kidneys possess an "off" taste, the likes of which I could never quite identify until I learned the nature of the organ. If you've ever worked with less than impeccable kidneys, you've probably smelled them before you've tasted them--that acrid, pungent scent of animal waste.

Look for kidneys from a butcher who will leave the natural layer of fat around the organs. Keeping kidneys intact will almost always be better than buying the cut-up alternative.

The Nasty Bits: Deviled Kidneys Recipe (3)

If you're looking for them at an ethnic market, calves' or lambs' kidneys will have the highest probability of tasting clean, while pigs' kidneys will invariably reflect their varied, sometimes more questionable diets. Beef kidneys are the largest and toughest of all and require a longer stewing to be tasty.

The Nasty Bits: Deviled Kidneys Recipe (4)

When properly prepared, kidneys are a unique experience. There is nothing quite like them--that feral taste combined with a mouthfeel not quite as tender and fatty as liver, nor as chewy as gizzards. If you're hesitant to cook kidneys because you've had too many tough and rubbery memories at restaurants, know that kidneys are only tough when they're overcooked. In Chinese and Vietnamese preparations, kidney slices are frequently fried or stir-fried, tossed with spicy chilies to offset the pungent taste.

When I'm in the mood for a homier preparation, I cut kidneys into smaller, bite-sized chunks for a quick preparation in the pan. Gleaned from The River Cottage Meat Book, this kidney dish is called "deviled" due to the amount of cayenne pepper spicing up the sauce, yet there are also notes of sweetness and tartness.

Sauteed in fat, the kidneys are simmered briefly in a mixture of wine, jam, vinegar, mustard, and cayenne pepper. You may never think to add jam to a kidney dish, but the hint of fruit--a little tart and slightly sweet--works well with the cayenne's heat. The dish is finished with a very generous splashing of Worcestershire sauce. When it comes to kidneys, there can never be too much Worcestershire.

If you buy the kidneys whole, be sure to remove the gristly white center of the organ before proceeding with the recipe. As always, saute the chopped kidneys in a bit of fat for a rounder, meatier taste.

Deviled Kidneys

Adapted from The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Recipe Details

The Nasty Bits: Deviled Kidneys Recipe

Prep10 mins

Cook5 mins

Total15 mins

Serves2 servings

Ingredients

4 lamb's kidneys or 2 pig's
1 tablespoon lard or olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoonred wine or sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon red currant jelly, or any other jelly of your choice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley, to garnish

Directions

To prep the kidneys: Cut kidneys in half and carefully remove the gristly white centers with a paring knife. For lamb's kidneys, quarter them. For pig's kidneys, cut into bite-size chunks, approximately 1-inch across.
Heat a little fat in a frying pat and add the kidneys, sauteing for just a brief minute to brown. Add the wine and let it bubble for 30 seconds. Add the vinegar and simmer for 10 to 20 seconds.
Add the jelly, mustard, and cayenne pepper, stirring the kidneys to mix all of the elements together. Add the Worcestershire sauce, and let the liquid simmer for 20 seconds until it is slightly reduced. Taste for balance. Depending on your taste for kidneys, you may want to add more sour or spicy elements.
Finish by taking the pan off the heat and adding in the heavy cream, stirring to mix.
Serve with toast or rice, garnishing with parsley if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
283	Calories
13g	Fat
10g	Carbs
24g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	283
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g	17%
Saturated Fat 4g	20%
Cholesterol 573mg	191%
Sodium 438mg	19%
Total Carbohydrate 10g	4%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 15mg	77%
Calcium 36mg	3%
Iron 13mg	72%
Potassium 263mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)