How to Devil Kidneys
The notion of devilled kidneys is one that dates back to the Victorians, who couldn’t get enough of them for breakfast. The devilish element to the dish is the tangy, spicy sauce that the kidneys are cooked in. It’s a quick and easy way to cook offal and, here The Organic Butchery, we love the idea of inheriting recipes from previous generations, especially ones that combine good, honest cuts of meat with delicious flavours like traditional Worcestershire sauce. Devilled lamb’s liver was also popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and was apparently a popular dish to enjoy at your gentleman’s club.
How to Devil Kidneys
The notion of devilled kidneys is one that dates back to the Victorians, who couldn’t get enough of them for breakfast. The devilish element to the dish is the tangy, spicy sauce that the kidneys are cooked in. It’s a quick and easy way to cook offal and, here The Organic Butchery, we love the idea of inheriting recipes from previous generations, especially ones that combine good, honest cuts of meat with delicious flavours like traditional Worcestershire sauce. Devilled lamb’s liver was also popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and was apparently a popular dish to enjoy at your gentleman’s club.
- Serves: 2
- Prepare: 5 Minutes
- Cook: 20 Minutes
- Difficulty: medium
WHO ARE THE ORGANIC BUTCHERY?
Starting life as an organic farm in the heart of the West Country, The Organic Butchery is proudly founded on a long history of organic principles. We source the best quality organic grass-fed and wild meats, sustainable fish and organic free-range poultry from trusted local suppliers and like-minded brands to guarantee the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to approach butchery with a whole-carcass perspective, to make the most of every animal that crosses our blocks, which means we offer you cuts that you will never see on the supermarket shelves.
WHAT IS ORGANIC OFFAL?
As we value every animal we rear, we’re big believers in our nose to tail philosophy - making use of the entire carcass. Cuts like liver, kidney and heart are packed full of nutritional goodness and flavour, with the added bonus of being thrifty, too.
Ingredients
- lamb’s kidneys (2 per person)
- worcestershire sauce
- mustard
- butter
- cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper
- plain flour
- curry powder, diced onion and tomato puree are optional
Method
- Prepare the kidneys by rinsing them thoroughly in cold water then patting them dry with kitchen paper. Split each kidney in half longways and cut out and discard the white core – we find using scissors to be the easiest way. Cut each half kidney in half again
- Put a tablespoon of flour and a pinch each of salt and pepper into a plastic food bag or bowl. Add the kidneys and give them a toss until they’re well coated with flour
- Add a generous knob of butter to a hot frying pan and let it melt and turn foamy. If you want to add onion, throw some in at this stage, frying it gently for 3 to 4 minutes until it’s softening and turning golden
- Making sure the butter’s foamy, shake any excess flour off the kidneys and add them to the pan. Let them sizzle for a minute or so per side so they start turning deliciously brown
- Working quickly, add a dollop of mustard to the pan – how much you use will depend on quite how devilish you want your kidneys to be. If you’re using tomato puree, add a squirt at this stage. Follow with about 300ml of boiling water, stirring constantly and letting it bubble with the mustard. Add cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning to taste
- Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens. Make sure you have a taste, adding more Worcestershire sauce, cayenne or seasoning
- Serve immediately on a slice of buttery sourdough toast while the kidney’s piping hot
- Fan of offal? Why not give our recipe for ox liver paté with balsamic onions a try?
WHO ARE THE ORGANIC BUTCHERY?
Starting life as an organic farm in the heart of the West Country, The Organic Butchery is proudly founded on a long history of organic principles. We source the best quality organic grass-fed and wild meats, sustainable fish and organic free-range poultry from trusted local suppliers and like-minded brands to guarantee the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to approach butchery with a whole-carcass perspective, to make the most of every animal that crosses our blocks, which means we offer you cuts that you will never see on the supermarket shelves.
WHAT IS ORGANIC OFFAL?
As we value every animal we rear, we’re big believers in our nose to tail philosophy - making use of the entire carcass. Cuts like liver, kidney and heart are packed full of nutritional goodness and flavour, with the added bonus of being thrifty, too.
Frequently asked questions
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All of our offal is organic, and we value every animal we rear so we're firm believers in eating head to hoof. This is how our grandparents would have eaten – making use of every part of the carcass. Unfortunately, as meat has become an everyday commodity, our collective food culture has lost sight of the nutritional value and deliciousness of some of the parts not considered 'prime'. Cuts like liver, kidney and heart are packed full of goodness and flavour and come with the added bonus of being thrifty. Haven't tasted much offal? Go on, give it try!
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Offal is often cast aside and not considered a ‘prime’ cut, however at The Organic Butchery we value every animal we rear so we're firm believers in eating head to hoof. This is how our grandparents would have eaten – making use of every part of the carcass. Offal cuts include liver, heart, kidneys, and tongue.
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Organic offal includes some of the lesser favoured cuts of meat but cooked well items like heart, liver, kidney and tallow or lard can be humble ingredients that make delicious meals. Because all of our offal comes from organic animals who have been ethically reared to some of the most stringent standards in the world of farming and food production, with animal welfare a top priority, you can be assured you are buying organic offal of the highest quality.