Chicken Kidneys

[liuzhou]

 

I'm not entirely sure why, but I picked up a load of chicken kidneys at the market today. An impulse buy. I often do chicken livers but never kidneys as a dish.

 

Any suggestions on recipes or tips? Mr. Google is surprisingly reticent about revealing his secrets.

[rotuts]

are these gizzards ?

[Simon Lewinson]

I too think that they are gizzards. They look too muscular and light to be kidneys.

As for how to cook them - I have no idea.

Simon

[Simon Lewinson]

Lord Google seems to confirm the view that these are gizzards. They are an extremely dense ball of muscle that grinds up the chicken's food..

My thoughts are braise or sous vide to tenderize and to retain the flavour.

Simon

[dcarch]

Gizzards. They don't function as kidneys in chickens.

 

Pressure cook them first, then use in stir fries.

 

They make wonderful stock.

 

 

dcarch

.

[weinoo]

Also - confit.

[rotuts]

BBQ   just trim out that white thin tendon first :

 

http://www.google.com/search?q=chicken+gizzards+bbq&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=q2RzU5meMY2tyATx6YCwBg&ved=0CCcQsAQ&biw=1183&bih=1057

[weinoo]

BBQ   just trim out that white thin tendon first :

 

http://www.google.com/search?q=chicken+gizzards+bbq&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=q2RzU5meMY2tyATx6YCwBg&ved=0CCcQsAQ&biw=1183&bih=1057

Yes - these are often served in izakaya places, simply salted and grilled on a skewer.

[huiray]

Gizzards. They don't function as kidneys in chickens.

 

Pressure cook them first, then use in stir fries.

 

They make wonderful stock.

 

 

dcarch

.

 

Ditto to all, except I don't do pressure-cooking.  I don't think I've (personally) ever seen chicken kidneys offered for sale anywhere.  I might sometimes find them still nestled on the interior against the backbone in whole chickens I buy.

 

Also, sometimes I chop them up finely and add to chicken liver sauces that I make.  Or toss them (sliced up) back into the stock when I make chicken soup or Hainanese Chicken &etc. 

[liuzhou]

They are NOT gizzards. I cook and eat gizzards often, These are kidneys. Very tender, unlike gizzard. 

The kidneys are nestling inside what you see. I'll trim them out in the morning and take a picture. Too late now. 

Edited May 14, 2014 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

Thank you so kindly. As I have pointed out, I know what chicken gizzards are and look like.

 

(By the way, do you know how Google image search works? It is very unreliable. It will return any image on any page which includes the text "chicken gizzards". If I post a picture on my website saying "these are not chicken gizzards", that picture will turn up in the chicken gizzard search. Really useful.) 

 

In the meantime, supposing I have dreamed up these kidneys from nowhere, which I know I haven't; please just one for one minute imagine that I really have bought chicken kidneys. And if you did so, too, how would you cook them?

[weinoo]

I'd cook them (kidneys) like gizzards.

[weinoo]

Well, from the sound of them, why not cook them on a skewer till just done? 

[dcarch]

Chicken parts:

 

http://preymodelraw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/chicken-giblets.jpg

 

Gizzards have texture like heart, except tougher, that's why I pressure cook them first.

 

Kidneys have texture like liver, except softer. I think if you have a quantity, I would try to make a pate.

 

dcarch

[Smithy]

A pate possibly, or use them to thicken a sauce that would go with, say, vegetables and rice. I remember this from some of Paula Wolfert's work; I think it's a Moroccan technique. I'll post more when I get a chance, but it will be much later today (tomorrow for you, liuzhou). You might try going to her website for inspiration.

[Chris Hennes]

How do chicken kidneys compare to lamb kidneys in taste and texture? In The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating Henderson has a quick sauté of lamb's kidneys that he serves on toast, so maybe something like that?

[Franci]

How do chicken kidneys compare to lamb kidneys in taste and texture? In The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating Henderson has a quick sauté of lamb's kidneys that he serves on toast, so maybe something like that?

 

lamb kidneys are not that soft...I just love a recipe from Hugh F Whittingstall of spicy lentils and lamb kidneys, very tasty, maybe it would work here.

[SobaAddict70]

I imagine you could probably sub chicken kidneys for the pork kidneys called for here: http://ediblyasian.info/recipes/szechuan-pork-kidneys

I'm trying to recall exactly where I saw kidneys on a menu. That I can't suggests to me that it was some time ago. All I know is that it was some flavor of Chinese, but I can't remember when that was. Sorry to be of no help.

[Duvel]

Liuzhou,

You will need to clean the kidneys and soak them in salted water for around 30 min (you may add a slice of ginger). After that pat dry and fry over high heat in clarified butter with garlic and persil for about two minutes. Alternatively, with ginger and finely sliced scallions in neutral oil and add a tiny bit of Zhenjiang vinegar at the end. Anything longer than two minutes will result in a rather "al dente" experience ...

[liuzhou]

This morning I was finishing off my translation of the contents of the Bite of China recipe book. As I turned yet another page, I was delighted to find a recipe for a Chicken Kidney soup.

 

The ingredients are Carrot, Water Chestnut, Chicken Kidney, Chinese Yam, Goji Berries, Dangshen, Yellow Bamboo Skin, Ginger Salt and Cooking Wine.

 

This encouraged me to do what I should have done in the first place - interrogate Mr Google in Chinese. Sure enough a whole load of recipes are there. I'm off to read them.

[Smithy]

Congratulations!  Please tell us more as you find it out.  I'll be interested to hear what you do with your purchase.