RCBaughn
TVWBB Super Fan
Well, as most of you guys know I am a big proponent of eating the "whole" animal and my next foray is going to be some pork brains that I found at my local grocery store in the freezer section packed in a plastic container that looks like a chicken liver container. But yesterday, I took the plunge into kidneys and used the recipe for a traditional British steak and Kidney pie since that was pretty much the only preparations that seemed to be on the internet other than Asian stir fry's, and I had no interest in trying the kidneys with that little of flavorings since I've heard they can smell like a, well, you know, a kidney. Let's remember what this organ does I guess. I ROUGHLY used this recipe here for the base and changed it up a bit and didn't add any flour for the thickening and just cooked it down with the lid off till it was thick.
Steak and Kidney Pie Recipe
From everything I read on blogs too was that the kidney really needed to be soaked in a 1:3 vinegar and water bath for overnight, so that is why the kidney is lighter in the outside. It cooked partially thanks to the acid in the vinegar. Kidney ceviche anyone?! LOL. I will say though, the smell was strong even though it was in a very airtight container and the whole fridge smelled like it. I rinsed them well and the smell subsided a bit but it was still there no doubt. I diced them up a bit smaller and also diced the beef stewing meat I got at Publix (also where I got the kidneys). Here's a picture I took with all the meat ready to go.
Nervous I was at this point. Diced up the veggies, browned everything in an enameled dutch oven on the Performer to get some smokey flavor, chunked in the beef broth to deglaze the bottom, covered it with the lid and set it on the indirect side for a long slow stewing.
When it was all ready and stewed down I took the puff pastry out of the fridge and to my horror I had bought puff pastry shells and not sheets of puff pastry so I baked them up and just ladled in the filling and popped it back in the oven to let it all meld. I have never tried baking anything really on the Weber so I didn't want to give that a go since I was already shaky on the filling. Made some mashed potatoes to go along with it since that seemed to be the typical accompaniment with it in Britain.
Let me say, this was a one time dish. Even though the taste was milder than a thought, there was something of an acidic tang that you knew wasn't just beef. It smelled a bit like liver but with more of a punch that I can't place. I had to eat about 3:1 mashed taters to pie. I kinda wish I would've just left the kidney out, but I truly am trying to find ways to enjoy every edible part of the animal. Sadly though, there is just no way that kidney can be palatable I am afraid. I guess that will be my one piece of offal that won't make it into my kitchen again. Here's the final dish though! It sure looked pretty.
Steak and Kidney Pie Recipe
From everything I read on blogs too was that the kidney really needed to be soaked in a 1:3 vinegar and water bath for overnight, so that is why the kidney is lighter in the outside. It cooked partially thanks to the acid in the vinegar. Kidney ceviche anyone?! LOL. I will say though, the smell was strong even though it was in a very airtight container and the whole fridge smelled like it. I rinsed them well and the smell subsided a bit but it was still there no doubt. I diced them up a bit smaller and also diced the beef stewing meat I got at Publix (also where I got the kidneys). Here's a picture I took with all the meat ready to go.
Nervous I was at this point. Diced up the veggies, browned everything in an enameled dutch oven on the Performer to get some smokey flavor, chunked in the beef broth to deglaze the bottom, covered it with the lid and set it on the indirect side for a long slow stewing.
When it was all ready and stewed down I took the puff pastry out of the fridge and to my horror I had bought puff pastry shells and not sheets of puff pastry so I baked them up and just ladled in the filling and popped it back in the oven to let it all meld. I have never tried baking anything really on the Weber so I didn't want to give that a go since I was already shaky on the filling. Made some mashed potatoes to go along with it since that seemed to be the typical accompaniment with it in Britain.
Let me say, this was a one time dish. Even though the taste was milder than a thought, there was something of an acidic tang that you knew wasn't just beef. It smelled a bit like liver but with more of a punch that I can't place. I had to eat about 3:1 mashed taters to pie. I kinda wish I would've just left the kidney out, but I truly am trying to find ways to enjoy every edible part of the animal. Sadly though, there is just no way that kidney can be palatable I am afraid. I guess that will be my one piece of offal that won't make it into my kitchen again. Here's the final dish though! It sure looked pretty.
