Cooking shocker with Jonny69 - Kidney in lamb stew

Jonny69 · 04-02-2007, 20:52

Tonight's dinner is lamb stew in which I tried to add a little extra. A few weeks ago I did a Lancashire hotpot and made it with about 1/3 lamb liver with the lamb. It was absolutely fantastic and added a lot of lovely flavour to it. I actually meant to buy kidney having sampled many steak and kidney pies over the years but got liver by mistake. No worries, it was fine.

So today I tackled kidneys, I've never done kidneys before. They come frozen from the supermarket and are dead cheap, the perfect offal really... Well that's what I thought until I defrosted them. Ok it looked like there was a lot of liquid in there which I tipped down the sink and then found out that kidneys are literally like slime. They are hard to cut and there's a line of gristle inside them. No worries, that didn't put me off. Into the frying pan to brown some of them off. Oooooo there's suddenly a horrible smell of sheep and sheep piss in the kitchen, a REALLY horrible smell.

Veggie girlfriend leaves at this point.

Phonecall to mum. Help. Soak them in milk first. Half hour in milk and I have brown milky goo that smells like sheep pee, strongly of pee. Gave them a serious rinse and they start to disintegrate. Gross. Really horrible. And then threw them in the stew.

So in about half an hour I can tell you what it tastes like. The gravy tastes fantastic, if a little strong. It probably didn't need anywhere near as much stock as usual because of the kidney but I think it's ok.

Here's the recipe:

500g cubed lamb
Half again of lamb kidney but I strongly suggest leave that out

2 onions, sliced
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 beef stock cube, crumbled
1 large carrot, sliced
Handful of pearl barley
Handful of pasta (optional)
2 teaspoons of flour
Boiling water

Brown the meat and transfer to a large pot. Brown the onions and garlic and transfer to same pot. Add stock cube, flour, pearl barley and carrot, stir it all together and cover it with boiling water. Add plenty of pepper, but not too much salt because the stock cube is quite salty. Bung on a lid and pop it in a 180 degree oven for 2 hours or more. About 30 minutes before you want to serve throw in the pasta if you like pasta in your stew.

Serve up with crispy roasties

BBx · 04-02-2007, 21:01

I can't stomach offal sorry Jonny

sure it tastes good though!

BB x

leowyatt · 04-02-2007, 21:08

Ack, Liver/Kidneys horrid stuff. But glad you enjoyed your tea mate, it's not something I'd touch. Well actually the Lamb Stew sounds nice, just not with kidneys.

Jonny69 · 04-02-2007, 22:04

Was quite nice. Probably won't put as much kidney in next time. In fact I'll use liver as it's not quite so gross to handle and my hands don't smell like wee afterwards

Will · 04-02-2007, 22:05

Mmmmm Kidneys... Mmmmmmm Liver.... mmmmm sounds good Jonny

Feek · 04-02-2007, 22:17

I wish Fray Bentos would make a kidney pudding without the steak!

Jonny69 · 04-02-2007, 23:27

Aw mate Fray Bentos pies rock. I love them!

Pebs · 05-02-2007, 10:27

The best way to chop kidneys is with a pair of scissors. You should be able to see a bit of the gristly membrane bit out of the top of the kidney, if you hold onto that bit you can snip the nice bits off around it with minimum mess and fuss

04-02-2007, 20:52	#1
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Cooking shocker with Jonny69 - Kidney in lamb stew Tonight's dinner is lamb stew in which I tried to add a little extra. A few weeks ago I did a Lancashire hotpot and made it with about 1/3 lamb liver with the lamb. It was absolutely fantastic and added a lot of lovely flavour to it. I actually meant to buy kidney having sampled many steak and kidney pies over the years but got liver by mistake. No worries, it was fine. So today I tackled kidneys, I've never done kidneys before. They come frozen from the supermarket and are dead cheap, the perfect offal really... Well that's what I thought until I defrosted them. Ok it looked like there was a lot of liquid in there which I tipped down the sink and then found out that kidneys are literally like slime. They are hard to cut and there's a line of gristle inside them. No worries, that didn't put me off. Into the frying pan to brown some of them off. Oooooo there's suddenly a horrible smell of sheep and sheep piss in the kitchen, a REALLY horrible smell. Veggie girlfriend leaves at this point. Phonecall to mum. Help. Soak them in milk first. Half hour in milk and I have brown milky goo that smells like sheep pee, strongly of pee. Gave them a serious rinse and they start to disintegrate. Gross. Really horrible. And then threw them in the stew. So in about half an hour I can tell you what it tastes like. The gravy tastes fantastic, if a little strong. It probably didn't need anywhere near as much stock as usual because of the kidney but I think it's ok. Here's the recipe: 500g cubed lamb Half again of lamb kidney but I strongly suggest leave that out 2 onions, sliced 1 clove of garlic, chopped 1 beef stock cube, crumbled 1 large carrot, sliced Handful of pearl barley Handful of pasta (optional) 2 teaspoons of flour Boiling water Brown the meat and transfer to a large pot. Brown the onions and garlic and transfer to same pot. Add stock cube, flour, pearl barley and carrot, stir it all together and cover it with boiling water. Add plenty of pepper, but not too much salt because the stock cube is quite salty. Bung on a lid and pop it in a 180 degree oven for 2 hours or more. About 30 minutes before you want to serve throw in the pasta if you like pasta in your stew. Serve up with crispy roasties __________________

04-02-2007, 21:08	#3
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	Ack, Liver/Kidneys horrid stuff. But glad you enjoyed your tea mate, it's not something I'd touch. Well actually the Lamb Stew sounds nice, just not with kidneys. __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

04-02-2007, 22:04	#4
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Was quite nice. Probably won't put as much kidney in next time. In fact I'll use liver as it's not quite so gross to handle and my hands don't smell like wee afterwards __________________

04-02-2007, 22:05	#5
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Mmmmm Kidneys... Mmmmmmm Liver.... mmmmm sounds good Jonny __________________ *No No!*

04-02-2007, 22:17	#6
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	I wish Fray Bentos would make a kidney pudding without the steak! __________________

04-02-2007, 21:01	#2
BBx Reverse SuBo Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: London Posts: 8,673	I can't stomach offal sorry Jonny sure it tastes good though! BB x

04-02-2007, 23:27	#7
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Aw mate Fray Bentos pies rock. I love them! __________________

05-02-2007, 10:27	#8
Pebs Easymouth Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 6,716	The best way to chop kidneys is with a pair of scissors. You should be able to see a bit of the gristly membrane bit out of the top of the kidney, if you hold onto that bit you can snip the nice bits off around it with minimum mess and fuss