Gizzard Glut

I just broke down a whole bunch of beautiful chickens (thanks C&D and Meadowblend Farm), and I've got hearts, livers, and gizzards aplenty. I've got good ideas for the hearts and livers. No problem. But, what to do with these dang gizzards? I usually just throw them into the stock pot with the backs and necks, but this batch just looks too terrific to do that to them.

I've done a quick web search, and the most common preparation seems to be breading and frying. *Yawn* There's some stewing going on, and I even found a curry, but I thought I'd reach out to my LTH brethren for ideas.

So, does anyone have any glorious gizzard gastronomy gimmicks to share?

Much obliged,
--Rich

Hey Rich - I'm curious what you are planning for the hearts. I usually either give them to the dog or use them for sauce/stock.

Darren72 wrote:Hey Rich - I'm curious what you are planning for the hearts. I usually either give them to the dog or use them for sauce/stock.

I've really enjoyed chicken hearts yakitori style, though I haven't tried it at home. I am just planning to use a simple, soy/ginger marinade, and then skewer and charcoal grill the suckers.

As far as the overall hearts, liver, gizzards question, I just found this fairly helpful chowhound thread on the subject. The gizzard confit, dirty rice, and gizzard pasta sauce ideas are all intriguing. Anyway, they are in the freezer now, so this is a project for another day. I'll report back.

--Rich

A long time ago I had a gizzard preparation at Frontera Grill. All I can recall is that the gizzards were in a spicy serrano sauce, they were sliced lengthwise, and very tender. I tried to recreate something like it, but the gizzards turned out very unpleasant and "crunchy." Yuck. The trick is to figure out how to get them tender.

Serious Eats has done a few pieces recently on gizzards that you might pull some ideas from. One on duck gizzard confit , one on turkey gizzards - confit, red braised and rillettes, and how to clean and process chicken gizzards.

-Dan

I'd forgotten where I saw that article on uncleaned gizzards, Dan, thanks for the reminder!

I wonder what a stock made solely from gizzards would be like - they have so much cartilage, I'd imagine it would be thick and rich. It would take a lot of gizzards, though - and the confit idea sounds like a winner.

HI,

At Isaac and Moishe's Deli in Highwood, they often feature gizzards in their hot food selection. They are braised for quite a while until tender. They have had them in a range of sauces, which means choose a sauce you like and braise away.

An early Frugal Gourmet newspaper article was about his life at school. He and his wife would make a headcheese type dish from chicken gizzards. If I find it, I'll post it. I suspect it may be in one of his books.

Regards,

You can pickle them. According to this recipe you can do half hearts and half gizzards.
http://www.therecipebox.com/box/hd/hod0114.htm

CM2772 wrote:You can pickle them. According to this recipe you can do half hearts and half gizzards.
http://www.therecipebox.com/box/hd/hod0114.htm

I wonder if someone might make a batch for the picnic.

Regards,

CM2772 wrote:You can pickle them. According to this recipe you can do half hearts and half gizzards.
http://www.therecipebox.com/box/hd/hod0114.htm

Bought of jar of turkey gizzards at Woodman's a few years back. Good eating. Might have been this Wisconsin brand but the memory is hazy.

http://www.wisconsinmade.com/gift-ideas ... -1655.aspx

The reason I knew you could pickle them is that this was a staple bar/college food for Mr.CM2772. He went to a small midwestern school and the local bar had turkey gizzards in a jar as bar snacks. Mr. CM2772 says they are tasty. I can't concur as I didn't have the stones to try them.

Hi,

For pickling the gizzards, I don't see why they need a week. To brine a corned beef is a week, but there is a lot of density there. Gizzards are pretty small. I think they may be suitably pickled after 24 hours.

You may want to pickle them, then taste one per day to see how it evolves from day to day.

Regards,

I've heard the key to tender gizzards is to pressure cook them.

Here's an NYT article on gizzards. The comments are esp. useful. Note the mention of the Thai gizzard curry. I used to make it with some regularity, but since I'm on the road [in Brisbane, as a matter of fact ] I don't have access to my recipe. As I remember it, it's pretty simple: sauté some onions, shallots, and garlic in red curry paste to soften them. Add the gizzards, halfed longitudinally, and get them sautéd a bit in the curry paste. (I always add a few slices of fresh galangal at this point.) Add a cup or maybe two of good cocoanut milk, and simmer gently for an hour or so. You can add some additional curry paste and chopped cilantro when the sauce has broken and the gizzards are tender. Serve over rice, or, if the sauce is thick enough, over noodles.

This is classic upcountry curry. Really flavorful and rich.

Geo

I smoke them (in a smoker) and then keep them in a jar in the fridge in vegetable oil and lots of seasoned salt. My family loves snacking on them.