Beef Kidneys

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Howdy folks! 😊

So…Beef Kidneys. This dish is definitely an ‘acquired taste’ for many – but from the informal poll I did, there were more Lovers than Haters – so here we are with the recipe. I find Kidneys delicious and their ‘Rubbery’ texture does make for a very interesting mouth-feel. 😋

Like most organ meats, Kidneys have a strong mineral taste and smell. More so because of what they do. And THIS is the main objection folks have to eating them. 🙈 However, there are ways to counter this. 😊 By soaking the Kidneys ahead of cooking in a water & vinegar solution or plain milk, rest assured that any unpleasantness will surely be tamed. ✊🏽

After that, you’re ready to proceed to cook, grill, bake and fry this meat to your heart’s delight! Below is an easy and delicious recipe for what I’d call a Kidney stew, typically served in these parts with Nshima or Rice. I’m sure you’ll find it easy enough – and most importantly, delicious! 😋 Here’s what you’ll need:

Beef Kidneys

Recipe by LubayaCourse: MainDifficulty: Medium
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

2

hours 

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Cuisine

Zambian

Ingredients

  • 1kg Ox Kidneys

  • 1 Green Pepper, diced

  • 1 Red Onion, diced

  • 1 Tomato, chopped

  • 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste

  • 4 Cloves Garlic

  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil

  • 1/2 cup Vinegar

  • 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

  • 1 Tablespoon Bisto or Gravy Thickener

  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

  • Chili, optional

Directions

  • Start by washing the Kidneys thoroughly, under cold running water. 😊
  • Then trim off any excess fat, and remove the tough membranes in the middle. Also, cut the Kidneys into your desired pieces at this stage. I prefer to cut along the natural grooves and ridges, making for interesting odd shapes and sizes, for this recipe. 😊
  • Now, this is the Magic step to get rid of that ‘Mineral’ taste and the famous ‘smell’ everyone complains about. 🙈
    ⛔️ In a large bowl combine 1 and a half litres of water with the vinegar, and soak the kidneys in this solution for at least 2 hours. You can also do this with milk for a shorter soaking time, but I was saving my milk for baking.😉
  • After the soaking time is done, rinse the kidneys and drain off the excess water.
    Heat the oil in a pan, and once hot, add the kidneys. Season with salt and pepper and cook until all the water evaporates and they begin to fry. 👩🏽‍🍳
  • Once sufficiently brown, add to the pan the chopped onions, Garlic and Green pepper. Sauté together for about 5 minutes.
  • Next, add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften before adding the tomato paste, soy sauce and chili (if using).
    Altogether, cook for about 5 minutes. 😊
  • 😊 Next, mix the the gravy thickener in a small bowl with about half a cup of water, and add that mixture to the pan. Stir well and allow the gravy to simmer for about five minutes.
    After this, your dish is ready. 👌🏾
  • Serve as desired with your favorite starch – such as Yellow Butter Rice or Nshima.
    Had mine with Nshima and Veggies, and enjoyed the meal immensely! 😋

4 Comments

  1. When I was a kid my mother used to make kidney Sue and we have it on pancakes it was a white cream gravy so we didn’t have tomatoes and stuff but I’m thinking of trying your recipe for making steak and kidney pie be interesting to see how it comes out thank you Ann

  2. Awesome

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