Gizzards, Heart and Liver

[Jeni78]

I've decided I want to give these a try - grass fed, free range, no antibiotics/hormones chicken so I'm feel adventurous.

How do I cook these? Cooks Illustrated did me wrong (have to "upgrade" to see the receipe) and I'm not finding anything I feel is reliable...mixed reviews.

I've never made organ meat of any kind. I've never even had liver.

Thank you

 

[Andy M.]

If you want to eat them on their own, you can toss them in the roasting pan with the chicken.

You can also use the heart and gizzard to make stock along with the bones from your roast chicken.

You can quickly saute the liver in a skillet. Careful, it spatters alot.

 

[Jeni78]

I'd like to try them on their own so I can see how they taste.

Should I throw in right away? I'm starting @ 375 for the first 15 minutes and then turning up to 450 for the last 45. Seems like a long time for such little things.

BTW how does that cooking time/temps sound? I'm starting breast side down. Then flipping when I crank the heat.

 

[Andy M.]

Depends on the size of the chicken. It could work. Just make sure the temp. is right. minimum 161 F.

The parts will cook in 10-15 minutes.

 

[Jeni78]

Sorry, 4lb chicken.

Should I put the organs in with it right away?

 

[CharlieD]

I would not bother eating hart or gizzard on it's own, unless you grew up with it. It really is an aquaried taste. Liver though might be nice, if cooked right. I'd preheat some butter in the pan, quicly fry liver on both sides just with a little bit of salt, it should be somewhere betveen rear and medium rear when done. add some sliced or diced onion sauteed serve hot with a good old world piece of bread.

 

[GrillingFool]

Breaded and fried.
I like to marinate my hearts and gizzards overnight in red wine, with a few crushed garlic cloves thrown in. I also like to cut the gizzards into 2 lobes, just so I get more, LOL!

THen I bread them in a spicy breader (House of Autry Medium Hot is the brand name), and fry them in shallow oil.
GREAT finger food!

Chewy, but delicious!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I like to dice up the cooked heart and gizzards. These can then be combined with a host of other things, such as salad greens, or in savory dressing/stuffing, or even made into a chicken salad for sandwiches.

The livers, I eat plain, fried in a bit of butter, with a little salt. Or, I have a friend that love liver pate'. For her, I steam the livers until cooked through. I then grind them with my food processor with salt, onion, and garlic powder, and either butter or bacon fat (the bacon fat gives a slightly smokey flavor. When all is blended and silky smooth, I test it and correct the seasoning if needed with a little salt. Chicken liver pate' can be amazing with a little care. Serve with water crackers, or a buttery cracker such as Townhouse, or Ritz.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[ReKop]

Liver is delicious. Most people overlook it because of it's name. My Dad cooks it up for him and I from time to time. He usually just throws it in a skillet on the stove for about 10 minutes. Then we mix it up with some turkey gravy and eat it over white rice or on top of toasted bread. It's always good.

 

[mcnerd]

I often keep them stored in the freezer until I'm ready to cook them. They are tough so long cooking times are needed. Also have a strong flavor so I love putting them in a gravy all chopped up. They are very good for you but not as a regular diet.

Giblets (How to simmer) Microwave

1 set giblets and neck from whole poultry
1 cup water for giblets from chicken, duck, or goose
2 cups water for giblets from turkey
1 pinch poultry seasoning

1. Remove giblets and neck from packaging. Rinse and place in a 1- to 2-quart glass measure or casserole; add water and seasoning. Pierce each giblet with a fork to prevent popping and splattering. Cover the utensil with vented plastic wrap or a glass lid.

2. Microwave on high 3 minutes, or until water simmers. Then microwave on medium (50 percent) 20 minutes, or until giblets are fork-tender. Cool; skim off fat. Yields 1 to 2 cups broth plus giblets.

 

[n2cookin]

We raised chickens when I was young. The gizzard, heart and liver usually just got cooked up with the rest of the chicken pieces. If not it was put cut up small and cooked with a dressing. I never ate them on their own only in dressing. So I am not any help on how they taste. However, the rest of the family did and there was always a fight for who gets the heart.

 

[Andy M.]

Especially at Thanksgiving, my sister and I would fight over the gizzard and heart. Mom would cook them, along with the neck, to make stock for the meal. They were simmered to death. A little salt and they were fantastic. Sis and I shared the gizzard and heart, Mom ate the neck.

 

[Kayelle]

Especially at Thanksgiving, my sister and I would fight over the gizzard and heart. Mom would cook them, along with the neck, to make stock for the meal. They were simmered to death. A little salt and they were fantastic. Sis and I shared the gizzard and heart, Mom ate the neck.

You're mom got the best deal Andy. I love turkey necks. Around the holidays I buy them by the package and boil them up. Ohhhhhh the flavor is just outstanding, and can make a whole meal with the meat from them piled high on top of leftover dressing or mashed potatoes, and drizzled with turkey gravy made from the broth.
Dang, wish I could find some turkey necks this time of year!!

 

[Andy M.]

You're mom got the best deal Andy. I love turkey necks. Around the holidays I buy them by the package and boil them up. Ohhhhhh the flavor is just outstanding, and can make a whole meal with the meat from them piled high on top of leftover dressing or mashed potatoes, and drizzled with turkey gravy made from the broth.
Dang, wish I could find some turkey necks this time of year!!

I agree! Now when I cook a turkey, I get the neck because no one else wants it!

 

[justplainbill]

I've decided I want to give these a try - grass fed, free range, no antibiotics/hormones chicken so I'm feel adventurous.

How do I cook these? Cooks Illustrated did me wrong (have to "upgrade" to see the receipe) and I'm not finding anything I feel is reliable...mixed reviews.

I've never made organ meat of any kind. I've never even had liver.

Thank you

Grass fed chickens?
I'm disappointed CharlieD didn't recommend a chopped chicken liver recipe.
IMHO next best thing is chicken livers fried in a little chicken fat with perhaps a little diced onion.
You might want to soak hearts in a little salt water and squeeze out any residual blood / blood clots. Stomachs should be washed and inspected to insure all of the lining has been removed. Stomachs and hearts can be simmered for 1/2 to 3/4 hours with some soup greens to make a broth. The meat can be eaten hot or refrigerated and eaten cold.

 

[Jeni78]

Thank you everyone! I think by the time I get home from work tonight I'll be hungry enough to give this a try!

Wish me luck in my little adventure.

 

[justplainbill]

Should be a walk in the park compared to Lutefisk.

 

[luvs]

we poach, then dice organ meats for bread stuffing when making roast chix.

 

[CharlieD]

Oh, Bill, I can recommend a lot of things using gizzards, but all of them are unhealthy.

Though I have to say, taste really good if cooked properly. Completely of topic here. I was in NY last week and went to ethnic Uzbek restaurant. I was served a calf liver on a stick so do speak, kind of like a kebab. The pieces of liver with pieces of fat on a skewer grilled directly on hot coals. I have to say it was awesome. I did not eat fat, but what it did it gave out his moisture to liver and made it really tender. Wow.
I’d be more than happy to post chopped liver recipe if anybody is interested.

 

[GrillingFool]

Bring on the unhealthy gizzard recipes, CharlieD!