5 Benefits of Eating Beef Kidney [An Organ Meat Superfood]
5 Benefits of Beef Kidney Beef Heart Intro
The Benefits of Beef Kidney are numerous for both our health, eating habits, and our wallet. When purchased fresh or blast cell frozen [to minus 70 °F over three (3) days], from a reputable meat supplier, Beef Kidney has a clean and fresh taste with a uniquely soft texture plus you are getting real ‘superfood’ level nutrients into your body with this Organ Meat.
Our Top 5 Benefits of Eating Beef Kidney are:
- Nutritional Benefits
- Eating Nose to Tail
- Quick and Easy to Cook
- Delicious When Cooked Right
- Affordability
Let's take a look at each benefit in greater detail.
1. Nutritional Benefits Of Eating Beef Kidney
Organ meats are highly nutritious, so you should consider making them a part of your diet. Like its organ meat big brother Liver, Beef Kidney is also a real superfood, rich in bioavailable vitamins and minerals.
List of Main Nutrients in Beef Kidney
|
Nutrient |
% Daily Value ( RDV) |
|
VITAMIN B 12 |
1146% |
|
RIBOFLAVIN |
168% |
|
VITAMIN A |
47% |
|
VITAMIN B6 |
52% |
|
IRON |
58% |
|
SELENIUM |
202% |
After Beef Liver, Beef Kidney has the most vitamin B12 in the animal kingdom at a staggering 1146% of % DV which is critical for cellular energy production.
Beef Kidney also contains a rare amino acid called Ergothioneine which promotes fertility.
Beef Kidney is low in fat at 3.1g per 100g and 17g of protein per 100g serving.
By virtue of its substantial Omega 3 fatty acid content, Beef Kidney also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Beef Kidney Suet: A Nutrient Bonus!
When you buy Kidney, be sure to buy a whole Beef Kidney.
The underside of a Whole Kidney will have a patch of white-colored material incorrectly called the 'Kidney Membrane' by some but is in fact pure raw Beef Suet.
Beef Suet is rich in fat-soluble bioavailable vitamins A, D, E, K, and B1. You can either eat the suet when cooking your Kidney or separate it and use it as a healthy cooking fat.
2. Eating Beef Kidney Is Nose To Tail
Consuming organ meats like Beef Liver or Kidney reduces food waste and was regularly eaten before industrial farming took over.
Eating nose to tail allows the whole animal to be honored when utilizing all of its parts for our nourishment, even those that seem less desirable or less fashionable.
Eating Beef Kidney and other healthy organ meats gives us a greater connection to our food which we have lost in the past 70+ years.
Unfortunately, organ meats like Beef Kidney have a bad reputation based on their appearance. However, we must remember not to judge a book by its cover because Beef Kidney meat is super tasty!
In this cool video below, by our Nose to Tail friends at Wilderness Cooking, they make an incredible dish with pan-fried Beef Kidney al fresco style!
3. Beef Kidney Is Quick & Easy To Cook
You can prepare Beef Kidneys in myriad ways, from boiling to pan-frying, there are a myriad of ways to prepare simple yet tasty recipe for beef kidney.
Because of its relatively small size when diced, Beef Kidney cooks very quickly indeed. But before you cook your kidney... let's steep a while!
Steep Beef Kidney in Milk or Salted Water Before Cooking
Our own Organic Grass-Fed Beef Kidney is loved by our customers due to its extremely mild taste and clean scent.
However, many meat purveyors do not treat Organ meats with the same care as we do at TruBeef, leading to Organ meats such as Beef Liver and Beef Kidney not being quite as fresh and clean.
This poor handling leaves the Beef Kidney with a pungent flavor and scent hence you will need to steep it.
Steeping Method One: Place the Kidney in a bowl of milk for 1 to 2 hours.
Steeping Method Two: Place the Kidney in a bowl of salted water in a solution of 1 heaped tablespoon of salt to one bowl of water, for 1 to 2 hours before cooking.
Steeping Method Three: Place the Kidney in a bowl of water with 3 tablespoons of vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Just remember, if you do steep, be sure to wash the Beef Kidney in clean water after steeping, then pat-dry the meat with a paper towel before tossing it on a hot frying pan.
A quick and easy meal prep idea is Grilled Kidney Skewers. Just dice up some Beef Kidneys, and alternate on the skewer with onion and mushroom before grilling ~ delicious flavor and amazing textures!
We believe that pan-fried Beef Kidney produces the tastiest and quickest results.
- Place Grass-Fed Butter, Tallow, or Ghee in the pan at medium-high heat.
- Cook the meat until it reaches medium.
- Sprinkle sea salt to taste before serving.
Steak and Kidney Pie is the most famous dish made using this organ meat. The savory pie originated in the United Kingdom. It typically contains diced beef and Kidney meat, onions, and brown gravy inside a crispy, golden-brown crust.
Other famous dishes with Beef Kidney as their centerpiece include:
4. Beef Kidney Is Delicious
Even though organ meats like Beef Kidneys may seem intimidating or grotesque, they are quite delicious. Beef Kidney is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, particularly in China, Vietnam, France, and Mexico.
When Beef Kidney meat is cooked to medium, it will become tender with a soft, almost creamy mouthfeel similar to pan-fried sea scallops.
You may serve it on its own, as a taco filling, or baked into a casserole like the iconic Steak and Kidney pie.
If you are on a Carnivore Diet or some kind of Animal-Based diet, Beef Kidney will make a delicious addition and add some variety to your regular meat intake.
5. Beef Kidney Is Affordable To Buy
Meat prices have skyrocketed recently in response to panic buying, inflation, supply chain problems, and shortages following the Covid-19 pandemic. Luckily, organ meats are significantly cheaper than more desirable cuts like Sirloin Steak or Ribeye Steak.
· Beef Kidney prices often range from $6.50 to $8 per pound at the supermarket for Kidney from conventionally raised beef.
· Grass-Fed Beef Kidney prices range from $9 to $11 per pound.
· Regenerative Organic Grass-Fed Beef Kidney in the price range of $11 to $14 per pound.The extra cost is due to the extra time and extra labor involved in raising cattle this way i.e. 2 years+ vs 1 year for conventionally raised feedlot beef cattle.
When buying any organ meats, including Beef Kidney, it is extremely important to buy from a clean source that treats organ meats as well as the more expensive steak cuts.
What If I Don’t Like Beef Kidney or Organ Meats?
We understand that Beef Kidney is not everyone’s cup of tea and for some, it is just a bridge too far no matter what.
You can, however, still reap the amazing nutrient benefits of Beef Kidney and other organ meats without the taste, through TruBeef Organic Ancestral Blend. We crafted this product with customers like you in mind.
Our Ancestral Blend is a mix of 80% Organic Grass-Fed Ground Beef, 10% Organic Grass-Fed Beef Liver and 10% Organic Grass-Fed Beef Kidney.
We love to make super healthy Ancestral Blend Beef Burgers and meatballs as a way to get the great organ meat nutrients without the taste of organ meats.
TruBeef Ancestral Blend is Certified Organic and Verified Grass-Fed & Grass-Finished. It contains 80% Ground Beef, 10% Beef Liver, and 10% Beef Kidney.
The ground meat boasts a mild flavor, essentially disguising the taste of the organ meats while still providing the same great bioavailable health benefits.
You can use TruBeef Ancestral Blend in place of any ground beef recipe to make nutrient-dense burgers, meatballs, or taco meat!
If you are looking for an organ meat alternative to Kidney, we highly suggest Beef Heart which is extremly nutrient dense yet so mild it eats like a lean steak.
Conclusion
- Beef Kidney is incredibly nutrient-dense organ meat.
- Only Beef Liver has more Vitamin B12 per 100 mg.
- When prepared correctly, Beef Kidney is both delicious and quick to prepare.
- Many cooks prefer to steep Kidney in Milk, Salt Water, or Water and Vinegar for about an hour to help take away any smell.
- Fresh and clean Beef Kidneys should not have any strong scent or taste.
- Pan-fried Kidney with Butter and Salt is a great place to start.
- If you don't like the idea of trying Beef Kidney or Liver, Our Ancestral Blend is mild enough that you don't even taste the organ meats.