There is no unambiguous attitude towards eating offal. For gourmets and connoisseurs of fine and delicious dishes, offal is a real culinary delicacy. Most people consider them to be second-rate food and include only certain types in their diet, for example, liver and heart. Pork kidneys are a rarely used product. Although in fact, kidneys are very useful. You can prepare delicious dishes from them. Pork kidneys are especially tender in taste when cooked correctly.
Useful properties of the product
Pig kidneys are a low-calorie by-product (100 kcal per 100 g), containing vitamins, macro- and microelements that are vital for humans. The universal combination of their constituent chemicals, when used regularly, increases immunity and improves hematopoietic function.
The nutritional value:
- Fats - 3.25 g;
- Proteins - 16.46 g;
- Carbohydrates - 0.00 g;
- Water - 80.06 g.
100 g of pork kidneys contain 22% of the daily protein requirement.
To burn calories from eating 100 g of pork kidneys, you need to dance for 25 minutes, run for 8 minutes or sleep for 1 hour and 35 minutes.
The vitamins that make up pork kidneys are represented by fat-soluble (vitamin A) and water-soluble (C, B1, B2, B3 (PP), B5, B6, B9 and B12) groups. 100 g of product contains 353.8% of the daily value of vitamin B12, which helps the development of red blood cells, and 130.5% of the daily value of vitamin B2, which has a positive effect on visual acuity and protects the nervous system from constant stress.
The mineral composition of the product includes alkaline earth metals (Ca, Mg), alkali metals (K, Na, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn) and minerals (P, Se). The largest percentage of the daily intake in the kidneys is copper (69%), iron (49%) and selenium (345.5%).
The by-product contains 18 amino acids. Of these, leucine (1.477 g per 100 g of product), isoleucine (0.879 g) and valine (0.948 g) are isolated. They are essential amino acids.
Kidneys are a useful product for athletes. Of the three amino acids included in their composition (glycine (1.043 g), arginine (1.011 g) and methionine (0.353 g)), the body independently synthesizes creatine. This is an essential substance for bodybuilders and powerlifters.
The product has no flaws. It is useful to include it in the diet of people who have problems with the circulatory and excretory systems, suffer from thrombophlebitis, and are on a diet. It is not recommended to include it in the menu for children under two years of age.
The occurrence of allergic reactions is observed only in cases of individual intolerance to the product.
From all of the above, we can conclude that kidneys should be included in the diet to boost immunity and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular and digestive systems.
With vegetables
Many gourmets like pork kidneys (cooking recipes in a frying pan are suitable for a full meal) with vegetables, and you can choose the composition of the dish yourself.
Composition of ingredients
Product set:
- pork kidneys – 3 pcs. (approximately 400 g);
- potatoes - 4 tubers;
- pickled cucumbers – 2 pcs.;
- onions – 1 pc.;
- tomato paste – 3 tbsp. l.;
- sour cream – 1 tbsp. l.;
- meat broth - 1.5 tbsp;
- bay leaf – 3 pcs.;
- vegetable oil – 3 tbsp. l.;
- salt and black pepper - to taste.
| Calorie content per 100 g | Squirrels | Fats | Carbohydrates |
| 75.7 kcal | 5.5 g | 3.5 g | 5.5 g |
What can be added and changed in the composition
The taste and aroma of the dish can be enhanced by adding spices, herbs and a little garlic. It is also allowed to replace pickles with fresh vegetables.
Step-by-step cooking process
Detailed description of the recipe:
- Pork offal must be thoroughly washed under the tap, cut in half and all ureters with fat removed, and the film removed.
- Next, you need to soak them in water diluted with baking soda, hold them there for 30 minutes, and then, after changing the liquid, put them on fire.
- After boiling, you need to change the water again, and when boiling, remove all the foam from the surface and cook the kidneys for about 1 hour over low heat.
- The finished offal must be cooled slightly, cut into bars, fried in a hot frying pan with the addition of vegetable oil until golden brown and transferred to a cauldron.
- In the same fat, you need to sauté onions, diced onions, and grated carrots in turn.
- The potatoes should be peeled, cut into slices and fried last over high heat until golden brown.
- All prepared products must also be placed in a cauldron, hot broth added there and placed on the stove.
- Having brought the mixture to a boil, you need to put tomato paste, sour cream, bay leaf into the cauldron, and also add salt and pepper to the stew.
- All that remains is to simmer the dish over low heat after boiling for 10-15 minutes. and set aside for the same time, letting it brew.
Decoration and serving rules
The stew should be served in deep plates, distributing vegetables with offal and aromatic broth in equal quantities. Place a bowl of chopped herbs on the table so that each guest can independently add the required amount to their bowl.
How to choose the right product?
Kidneys belong to the by-products of the first category. Outwardly, they resemble beans. The kidneys of one pig weigh no more than 150 grams. They have a smooth and even surface. The color of a quality product is light brown or brown. The offal of a young pig is light in color, and the offal of an older animal is dark. Those buds that have been lying on the counter for more than a day also darken.
Sometimes, when examining the surface of the product, you may notice green or yellow spots. They are formed as a result of a careless puncture of the spleen and gall bladder when cutting a carcass, but do not in any way affect the quality of the kidneys.
Important! The presence of cuts, cracks, tears and dark spots indicates low quality of the product.
The kidneys are an organ that cleanses the animal’s body of toxic and harmful substances. When purchasing a product on the market, you should pay attention to the quality of the animal’s meat and ask what kind of food the pig ate. Kidneys and meat from unscrupulous suppliers may contain toxic substances.
Products sold in stores and supermarkets are tested for toxicity.
Soaking Pork Kidneys
The main reason why such a useful and inexpensive product is not popular on the home table is hidden in its smell. Indeed, fresh buds smell like urine, and this smell is quite unpleasant. In addition, when cooking them, there will also be an ammonia stench in the kitchen, so it is better to open a window or turn on the hood. Also, for preliminary preparation of the product (soaking and boiling), it is recommended to use separate dishes, for example, a pan in which eggs are painted for Easter.
Before soaking, the product should be washed, freed from the fat capsule, films, ureters, capillaries removed, and a cut made in the middle.
Using a sharp knife, you can make a fine mesh on the surface of the product, then odors will be removed even faster.
There are many effective methods for soaking buds, let’s look at the main ones.
Boiling:
- Clean the product and soak in cold water for 2-12 hours depending on the age of the animal.
- Place the product in a saucepan, add cold water and put on high gas, bringing to a boil.
- Drain the water, rinse the offal, add water again and boil again until clean water is formed. If after the second time the water remains dirty, the procedure should be repeated. You can add lemon to the water.
Using Vinegar:
- Prepare the product.
- Pour 1.5-2 cups of vinegar into a kitchen container and add 30 g of salt.
- Rinse the product thoroughly in the prepared solution.
- After the liquid acquires a dark color, place a stream of cold water in the container with the offal.
- Rinse for 20 minutes.
Soaking in milk:
- Pour cleaned and washed offal with warm milk.
- After three hours, pour out the milk and rinse the product with cold water.
Grill, barbecue and shish kebab
Maxim Tarusin:
“Quick frying - grilling, grilling - is a great way to show off the best that the kidneys are capable of. As soon as the kidneys have been soaked and everything unnecessary has been removed, you can immediately fry them. Or, if you are still in doubt, boil it first. But I like it right away, without ceremony. Cut into large pieces (small lamb kidneys can be cut into halves, they are beautiful), roll in starch and place on a wire rack, then the crust will turn out like in the picture, light and crispy, and the kidneys will be springy, but chewy at the same time. The main thing is not to miss the moment and remove them from the grill before they jam and become hard. You can check readiness by making an incision on the kidney: if there is no blood in the pulp, remove it immediately.
Another great thing is Karski-style shish kebab; it can’t be cooked without kidneys. There the entire internal history of the ram is told - the kidneys, lungs, brains, plus the kidney part, that is, the flesh of the back part of the carcass, which is directly adjacent to the kidneys; it also has a characteristic subtle “liver” flavor. All this is cut into pieces and placed on a skewer, alternating with tomatoes and onions.
Fried kidneys themselves look appetizing, but you can beat them with homemade adjika, make some Thai sauce based on sweet chili or tom yum paste. Or make a quick, simple cream and garlic sauce. Or you can create Neapolitano sauce in a couple of minutes - chop tomatoes, onions, garlic and mix with olive oil and oregano.”
Prolonged soaking of buds
Many housewives and people with a keen sense of smell try to achieve a complete absence of unpleasant odor in the product. For them, a long soaking procedure is suitable, which requires a lot of time, but gives an excellent effect.
First option:
- Clean the offal.
- Rinse under the tap.
- Pour in water or warm milk (optional).
- Soak for four hours, changing water or milk every hour.
Second option:
- Prepare the offal.
- Fill with cold water.
- Leave for 12 hours.
- Do not change the water.
- For further processing, use the boiling method described above.
A quick method to get rid of odor
You need to use baking soda and vinegar. Let's consider a step-by-step algorithm of actions:
- Wash the by-product, clean it, cut it in half, add baking soda in the proportion of 0.5 tsp per 100 grams of product. soda Leave to react for 30 minutes to an hour depending on the age of the animal. The baking soda will begin to foam, eliminating the pungent odor.
- Next, wash the soda, divide the kidney halves into 3 parts and soak for half an hour in a solution of vinegar and water (a glass of vinegar per 2 liters of water).
- Boil the offal for 3-5 minutes in a saucepan, immersing it in cold water and bringing to a boil.
Baked offal with onions
We prepare the following components for the dish:
- Half a kilo of offal;
- 300 grams of onion;
- Potatoes – 4 pieces;
- 200 ml cream;
- A little salt;
- Spices to taste.
Preparation:
- Boiled kidneys should be cut into strips;
- Place the straws in a baking dish and add a small amount of water;
- Cut the onion into half rings and place the offal on top;
- Peel the potatoes, wash them and cut them into circles. Place a layer of onions on top;
- Salt everything, add spices;
- Fill everything with cream and cover with foil;
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place the mold with all the ingredients there;
- Bake everything from an hour to an hour and a half.
Kidney dishes contain a high level of nutrients that are necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. Treats with this product turn out very tasty and aromatic. So don’t be lazy and prepare them at home. Your family will love these dishes the first time!
Features of cooking kidneys in a slow cooker
In a slow cooker, cook pork kidneys using the “Stew” mode for 30 minutes.
Cooking process:
- Prepare the offal, clean, soak, cut into small pieces.
- Stew onions, carrots, tomato paste.
- Place the offal in the multicooker bowl, cover with vegetable dressing, add spices.
- Simmer until done.
Pork kidneys can be cooked in the microwave, oven, or in pots. The main thing is to buy a high-quality offal and soak it properly to get rid of the unpleasant odor.
