Beef, variety meats and by-products, kidneys, raw

Beef kidney is an organ meat with a firm, dense texture and a distinctive, mildly mineral flavor that mellows considerably with proper preparation, typically soaking in cold water, milk, or a vinegar solution for an hour or more before cooking to draw out any strong odor. Classic preparations include kidney sauteed with onions and mustard, braised into steak and kidney pie, or sliced thin and stewed with wine and herbs, techniques that use assertive seasoning and longer cooking to soften the texture and mellow the flavor. It pairs naturally with strong partners like mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, bacon, and caramelized onions, which balance its rich, slightly metallic taste.

Fresh beef kidney is highly perishable and should be cooked within a day or two of purchase, kept well chilled in the coldest part of the refrigerator, or frozen if it will not be used quickly. At only 99 calories per 100 grams (about 28 calories in a 28 gram ounce), it is a lean way to add protein to a meal, offering 35% of the Daily Value and 17.4 grams of protein per 100 grams. It is also notably rich in vitamin A, at 47% of the Daily Value, and provides 26% of the Daily Value for iron, making a small serving of well-prepared kidney a concentrated source of both nutrients relative to its modest calorie count.