It is smooth and flat, shaped like a classic kidney bean, except far larger of course.
The younger the pig it is from, the more tender it will be and the milder the taste.
Ones from young pigs will be a pale reddish brown; ones from older pigs a dark reddish brown.
Pork kidney is stronger tasting than lamb kidney or veal kidney, but a bit less strong tasting than beef kidney.
Cooking Tips
Allow 1 per person
Trim off the outer membrane, if the butcher hasn’t already. Cut in half lengthwise. In the centre, you will see a white piece of fat — extract and discard this.
Soak for an hour before using in something acidic, such as buttermilk or water with some vinegar or lemon juice in it. This will help to make the taste a bit milder, by leeching uric acid out of it.
Pork Kidney can be cooked with dry heat, but usually cooked more successfully with a slow, moist heat.
It will become tough if overcooked.