# How to get rid of urine smell when cooking kidneys? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2015, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255 "2015-08-29T06:31:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/1 "2015-08-29T06:31:48Z")
My local groceries sometimes have pork kidneys, and they are amazingly cheap. Being both an adventurous eater and cheapskate I had to try them, and they aren’t bad at all a bit like very mild liver in both taste and texture. But there is an issue in that I have almost no sense of smell, my wife does though and she was going crazy searching the house because she thought our five year old had peed in a corner or something. Eventually she realized the odor was from the “filth” I was cooking and she said it was so strong she felt to vomit. I did not notice any urine taste to the pork kidneys, but is there any way to cut the smell? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/2 "2015-08-29T07:47:32Z")
> [@grude](#): > > My local groceries sometimes have pork kidneys, and they are amazingly cheap. > > Being both an adventurous eater and cheapskate I had to try them, and they aren’t bad at all a bit like very mild liver in both taste and texture. > > But there is an issue in that I have almost no sense of smell, my wife does though and she was going crazy searching the house because she thought our five year old had peed in a corner or something. Eventually she realized the odor was from the “filth” I was cooking and she said it was so strong she felt to vomit. > > I did not notice any urine taste to the pork kidneys, but is there any way to cut the smell? I’ve never tried it, but I have heard of soaking the kidneys in milk for an hour or so before cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/3 "2015-08-29T08:06:57Z")
Worst thread title-ever. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/4 "2015-08-29T11:44:36Z")
**grude** , seriously, if we can ever meetup I’ll take you, the missus, and grude jr out for a nice dinner. We’ll be in St Martin in January. Kayak over, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/5 "2015-08-29T12:51:02Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Worst thread title-ever. “How to enhance urine smell when cooking kidneys?” would be worse. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/6 "2015-08-29T13:46:53Z")
The fact that you said you have almost no sense of smell tells me that kidneys _taste_ like urine too and now I can never eat anything ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/7 "2015-08-29T14:51:17Z")
If you don’t care for the delicate aroma and rich flavor of pig urine, why the fuck are you cooking pork kidneys? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/8 "2015-08-29T15:00:21Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Worst thread title-ever. > [@DonLogan](#): > > “How to enhance urine smell when cooking kidneys?” would be worse. “I’m pan-frying body fluids. Need recipes fast.” ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/9 "2015-08-29T18:01:56Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > I’ve never tried it, but I have heard of soaking the kidneys in milk for an hour or so before cooking. That could get expensive with the price of milk around here, does the milk need to be disposed of or can you use it in the recipe? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/10 "2015-08-29T18:03:23Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > The fact that you said you have almost no sense of smell tells me that kidneys _taste_ like urine too and now I can never eat anything ever again. Wellllllllll… I’ll tell you something here I read online and told my wife that she says will change her diet forever, which is that pork kidneys are a common ingredient of pork sausage. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/11 "2015-08-29T18:04:25Z")
You really have to clean the piss out of 'em! ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/12 "2015-08-29T18:07:20Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Wellllllllll… > > I’ll tell you something here I read online and told my wife that she says will change her diet forever, which is that pork kidneys are a common ingredient of pork sausage. > > Sorry. S’okay, I don’t eat sausage (or hot dogs or bologna etc). 😛 ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/13 "2015-08-29T18:07:48Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > **grude** , seriously, if we can ever meetup I’ll take you, the missus, and grude jr out for a nice dinner. We’ll be in St Martin in January. Kayak over, maybe? LOL I’m not eating them out of poverty or anything, ok the real story is I wanted to make or attempt to make British steak and kidney pie which is usually made with cow kidneys but having no source for those thought I’d try pork kidneys instead. But not wanting to waste time and beef if it tasted like shit I figured I’d see what pork kidneys tasted like by themselves first. My food “experiments” are just a source of amusement for me, I’ll try anything EXCEPT feces, and yes there are some native foods from the far north of the globe that have animal feces in them. EDIT:My wife has no place to complain really, her culturally loved foods include chicken foot souse and cowheel soup(don’t care for chicken feet, LOVE a good cowheel soup). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/14 "2015-08-29T18:19:21Z")
Okay, I am NEVER eating kidneys. Never. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/15 "2015-08-29T18:23:21Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Wellllllllll… > > I’ll tell you something here I read online and told my wife that she says will change her diet forever, which is that pork kidneys are a common ingredient of pork sausage. > > Sorry. That might depend on where you get them. In the US, we have a lot of rules that actually prevent the use of offal, and then a whole lot of products that voluntarily omit it. Personally, I think it’s a shame, but that’s kind of a tangent. It’s also kind of a tangent to ask why you antagonize your wife like this. Your other posts make it clear that you should be able to anticipate these kinds of conflicts at this point. Lord knows all of us knew how this would end. Anyway… to the original question: everything I’ve read about eating kidneys says that you do not ever get rid of the smell (or taste) of urine/ammonia entirely. Pork kidneys are supposed to be worse in this regard than beef, and an older animal should be worse than a younger one. (So, calf kidneys might taste better, but would not be as cheap). Soaking them seems to be standard. Milk is the go-to for all kinds of things with strong flavors, from anchovies to liver, perhaps because it has more capability than water to dissolve fats, or maybe because of enzymatic reactions. Anyway, the urine flavors you want to get rid of are soluble in water, so using water should work to some extent. I saw a cooking show use water with vinegar. Wine would probably work nicely (adding flavor in the meantime) but I suppose that goes back to being expensive. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/16 "2015-08-29T18:37:49Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > It’s also kind of a tangent to ask why you antagonize your wife like this. Your other posts make it clear that you should be able to anticipate these kinds of conflicts at this point. Lord knows all of us knew how this would end. > > * * * > > Anyway, the urine flavors you want to get rid of are soluble in water, so using water should work to some extent. I saw a cooking show use water with vinegar. Wine would probably work nicely (adding flavor in the meantime) but I suppose that goes back to being expensive. Well I honestly did not think there would be enough residual urine in kidneys to effect the taste or smell, I remember reading that urine doesn’t even take on its distinctive stink until it has been evacuated from the body for a time and the urea breaks down to ammonia anyway. I did not expect a house full of stink honestly. The water and vinegar trick sounds good, thanks. There is more humor in this than it sounds typed out, my wife was initially repulsed by sushi or ceviche years ago and I have caught her eating it currently, she said it turns out she likes it and had a craving for it. So yea. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/17 "2015-08-29T19:26:08Z")
Perhaps instead of trying to mask the foul odor, you could just cook something normal, and thus less foul? Reminds me of my ex who would sometimes buy and cook some of the more “exotic” organs / cuts of “meat” and I literally would have to evacuate the apartment during that time or I’d have choked to death on the fumes. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/18 "2015-08-29T20:16:29Z")
> [@grude](#): > > That could get expensive with the price of milk around here, does the milk need to be disposed of or can you use it in the recipe? Do you like urine smell in your milk? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/19 "2015-08-30T02:34:38Z")
> [@DonLogan](#): > > “How to enhance urine smell when cooking kidneys?” would be worse. “How to enhance urine smell when cooking human kidneys?” might beat it. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-rid-of-urine-smell-when-cooking-kidneys/729255/20 "2015-08-30T02:46:04Z")
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