Lamb kidney

Lamb kidneys, raised without hormones or antibiotics on our farm in Huntingdon. $25.89/kg, in pieces of roughly 90 to 110 g. This is offal for people who know it: nothing else tastes like it, and nothing cooks faster.

What is a lamb kidney?

A small, firm kidney, markedly milder than beef and finer than pork. They sell by the piece, each about the size of an egg, which makes portioning easy: two or three per person as a main course, one in a starter or a pan dish.

Natural Québec lamb

Our lambs are raised without hormones or antibiotics on our family farm in Huntingdon, Montérégie. As with all offal, provenance decides it: you are buying an organ, so you are buying a way of farming.

Taste and nutrition

A clean, mineral flavour, far milder than the reputation of kidneys suggests. Very high in iron, zinc, selenium and vitamin B12, with very little fat and few calories. Dense, cheap protein.

Preparation: trimming and soaking

Preparation makes the difference and takes five minutes. Halve each kidney through its thickness and cut out the white core with the tip of a knife — that is what carries the bitterness. Then soak 20 to 30 minutes in cold water with a little vinegar, or in milk, and dry them very thoroughly. A wet kidney steams instead of searing.

How to cook lamb kidneys

Hot and brief: 2 to 3 minutes a side in a very hot pan with butter, to 71 °C (160 °F) throughout, keeping the centre pink. Overcooked they turn rubbery — that is irreversible, and it is the only real mistake available. Salt at the end, never before.

Lamb kidneys in mustard sauce

Trim and dry 8 kidneys. Sear them 2 to 3 minutes a side in hot butter and keep them warm. In the same pan soften 1 sliced shallot, deglaze with 60 ml white wine and reduce. Add 100 ml cream and 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, let it thicken for two minutes, then return the kidneys and their juices just to warm through. Parsley, pepper, and serve with rice or toast.

Lamb kidney price and ordering

• Regular price: $25.89/kg
• Weight: pieces of roughly 90 to 110 g [to confirm — the current listing is wrong]
• Sold by weight: the final price at checkout reflects the actual weight
• Product number: 1131235
• Sold frozen
• Lamb raised without hormones or antibiotics in Huntingdon, Québec
• Availability: please call 450-264-4061 to confirm availability before ordering
• Where to buy: delivery across Québec and Montréal by refrigerated truck, free from $225. Farm pickup at 62 York Street, Huntingdon.