Actually cooking organ meats week after week
Deep-fried gizzards and livers have had a special place in my heart for several years, but only recently did I finally recreate them in my kitchen! I had seen a sign advertising this Southern specialty and always wanted to try them. Recently, one of my farmers sent the recipe and another farmer had a windfall of chicken offal available for me. Serendipitously, I was able to make this recipe a couple of times in the span of a few weeks to tweak and perfect it!…
My local, pastured organic farmer has been giving away the gizzards. They would otherwise go to the pigs, and I take them completely unprocessed. First, I have to take out the little bag of rocks from the middle and trim off excess fat and connective tissue. I have more than 20 pounds of them now as the pile in my freezer grows with each slaughter. Despite having a few gizzard favorites, I am often thinking about new recipes to diversity our surplus. Gizzard Risotto with Chanterelles, Parsley and Sorrel is the newest addition to our collection. …
Chicken and Gizzard Meatballs with Dill have been a simple and familiar part of our everyday this winter.
This past week I met a friend at the Art Institute and she guided me to the Noda Tetsuya exhibit. I found such an inspired and beautiful set of prints. An original expression of social media, in layered print. Reflecting his day to day, life and family. Deliberately.
Tetsuya shares his day to day experiences in his work. Some of his most celebrated pieces reflect exceptional days, such as his engagement announcement to his family and future in-laws. However, he makes his everyday beautiful at the same time, with prints of his wife or growing children – a stamp in time. Or as a commentary on a moment or place where he found himself over the years….
What to do with all those odd bits? Make Stuffing with Giblets and share them with the people that you love!
And count your blessings while you do… That you have a turkey that comes with giblets. That you have the resources for using them. And that you will be able to savor the nutrient density of these goodies, all the while enjoying a delicious meal.
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Amino acids are the building blocks to protein. We need all of them, together, to build and restore our body. Many people aren’t getting enough. Deficiency shows up in so many familiar ways, like swelling or insomnia. Gizzard Rillettes are a great source of protein. (Along with a host of vitamins and minerals, and cholesterol to boot.)
Plus, a slow and low braise gives plenty of time to break down this tough organ into the tender goodness it should be. Gizzard Rillettes are easy, delicious, and put so much love back into this humble organ. I hope that you try them this fall, and that you love them as much as I do!
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You know how when you get a chicken, it has all that stuff inside?
Or, wait… does it?
Well, imagine it does for just a moment. All of the giblets (save the liver) can go in the stockpot. The single liver can be sauteed for a single bite of toast. Or you can squirrel them all away to make a collection of each of them.
Of course you know what to do with the liver. And the hearts. But what about the gizzard?!
Even when the chicken is sold in parts, if all the organs are sold out, there is likely to be some gizzards leftover. They are also very likely to be the cheapest. So, where’s the love!?
Technically, the gizzard is the second stomach of the chicken, and along those lines – I say that it deserves as much love as tripe!
Chicken Gizzard Soup is a great way to make new friends with the last giblet holdout….