You may have thrown them out in the past because you did not know what to do with turkey giblets, but you will soon enough. The offal meat is invaluable.
As holiday time approaches, so do ideas of abundant turkey dinners and giblets. Yes, the offal meat, packaged and stuffed into the cavity of the bird that you forgot to remove at least once in your life, is a bundle of special ingredients. The problem is that a lot of people do not know what to do with turkey giblets or don’t care to cook with them because they are not very appealing. That said, once you give them a try and experience the depth of flavor they add, you may find yourself requesting some from your local butcher.
As mentioned, giblets are offal meat, a term used for edible internal organs and nonmuscular meat parts of animals that people regularly consume. The giblets often included in the package found in the turkey cavity include the heart, the liver, and the gizzard (a muscular organ that grinds up food for digestion). Hearts have a lot of complexity, turkey livers are very nutrient-dense, and gizzards have a complex, earthy flavor. According to the USDA the neck of the bird is not a “giblet” but since the neck boasts dark, flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth meat, we include it in our uses below.
Innards refers to the all the internal organs while giblets refers to certain specific internal organs, the heart, liver, and gizzard. Examples of turkey innards that are not giblets include the gall bladder, lungs, kidneys, and trachea. Some are dangerous to consume (gall bladder) while others just may be too small (lungs) to consume, have a tougher texture (kidneys) or are undesirable to eat for most people (testicles).
Turkey giblets – which include the neck, heart, gizzard and liver – may not be the most glamorous parts of the bird, but they can add great flavor to your Thanksgiving dishes. Here are 10 delicious ways to use up these under-appreciated turkey parts.
Make Giblet Gravy
Adding chopped giblets to your Thanksgiving gravy is a no-brainer way to boost flavor Simmer the neck, heart and gizzard in water or broth to make a rich giblet stock. Strain and use the stock as the base for your gravy Then dice the cooked giblets and stir them into the finished gravy for an extra meaty component. The liver is often left out since it can become bitter when boiled.
Use in Stuffing or Dressing
Sauteed giblets are a classic addition to stuffing, lending a savory, meaty note to the bread base. You can also simmer them in stock or broth first to impart even more flavor. Chop the neck, heart, gizzard and liver finely before mixing into your favorite stuffing recipe
Make Giblet Snacks
If you’re feeling adventurous, the heart and liver can be quickly pan-fried in butter as an appetizer or cook’s treat. Soak them in buttermilk or a flavorful brine first to impart extra flavor. Cook until just pink inside and serve while hot.
Add to Green Bean Casserole
Diced, cooked giblets make a nice addition to green bean casserole, providing a boost of poultry flavor to complement the beans, mushrooms and fried onions. Saute them first with mushrooms and onion for extra complexity.
Fold into Mashed Potatoes
For a turkey-licious twist on mashed potatoes, fold some finely minced cooked giblets into your spuds. The neck and heart work particularly well. You can also use the giblet cooking liquid to boil the potatoes.
Make Turkey Giblet Pot Pie
Transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into a hearty pot pie by using chopped giblets in the filling. Cook them first in broth with veggies like celery, carrot and onion. Use the strained broth as the base for your creamy pie filling Top with flaky pie crust and bake until golden.
Blend into Creamy Soup
Add pureed cooked giblets to any creamy Turkey Day soup like turkey and wild rice or turkey and corn chowder. The puree will dissolve seamlessly into the soup for a subtle boost of flavor. Just avoid using the liver which can become bitter.
Whip up Dog Treats
While not appealing to humans in their whole form, hearts, gizzards and livers make nutritious treats for Rover. Simmer them until cooked through, then finely chop and mix with browned ground turkey, whole wheat flour, egg and broth. Scoop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until firm.
Make Turkey Giblet Burgers
If you’re really looking to transform the oft-discarded giblets, grind them together with ground turkey to make unique turkey giblet burgers. Mix in chopped onion, herbs and spices along with an egg and breadcrumbs to bind. Form into patties and grill or pan-fry until cooked through. Top with traditional burger fixings.
Craft Giblet Pet Food Topper
Cook giblets and turkey scraps into a homemade wet food topper for pets. Simmer the parts in water with veggies until tender. Puree in a food processor along with turkey broth for a smooth, gravy-like consistency. Pour over kibble to add flavor and entice picky eaters. Refrigerate leftovers.
So instead of tossing the bag of giblets straight into the trash, put them to delicious use with these creative recipes. They may look unappealing in their raw form, but cooked up right, giblets can be a tasty source of extra turkey flavor on the holiday table and beyond.
Add to Stuffing for Sausage Stuffing
Giblets add an immensely flavorful, savory meatiness to stuffing. If you make stock, everything except the liver will be cooked, so all you have to do is remove the meat from the neck, finely chop the heart and gizzards, then sauté the livers before chopping those up as well. Once done, everything goes into the stuffing, which goes into a casserole dish, where it is baked until golden brown. In case you didn’t prepare turkey giblet stock beforehand, boil the giblets with water and broth, as well as aromatic vegetables, until cooked through.
Turn turkey giblets into a tasty appetizer to serve before the turkey dinner alongside crackers or crostini. This option calls for the liver, which you should never boil since doing so results in an unpleasant bitter flavor. To make it:
- Pat the raw liver dry with a paper towel and cut the liver into uniform slices.
- Sauté the liver over medium heat with olive oil and butter along with onions. Take the liver off the heat once the slices brown. Turkey liver only needs 3-4 minutes to cook.
- Add the liver to a food processor with whatever else you would like to include in the pâté, such as herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, sherry, and cream. There are several directions to go in.
- Transfer to a serving platter alongside crackers or spread on crostini, then serve.
Turkey Giblet Stock
The best turkey dinners start with a turkey giblet stock. Generally, when you prep a turkey in advance for roasting (whether you brine it, apply butter under the skin and season, or apply a marinade), the giblets come out and should go directly into a stock pot (except the liver) with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and water, then simmered for hours. The neck, in particular, has quite an impact, as it is the key to a rich, almost gelatinous stock that can be used to make anything from gravy to various soups and stews.
As mentioned, turkey giblet stock can be used to make gravy, but good giblet gravy extends beyond that. Start with the standard butter and flour roux. From there, the stock goes in, as well as turkey pan drippings, which significantly deepens the color of the gravy. Then, the cooked giblets from the stock are finely chopped and added to the gravy as well. There’s also the choice to add the meat from the turkey neck along with milk or cream, but that is entirely up to you.
How To Make The Best Giblet Gravy | Dear Test Kitchen
FAQ
What do people do with turkey giblets?
What do I do with neck and giblets?
Do you throw away giblets?
How do you make turkey giblet gravy?
Create a delicious giblet broth by simmering turkey giblets, neck, vegetables, and herbs in water for at least an hour. Combine the rich giblet broth with savory turkey drippings and flour to create a lump-free, thickened gravy. Dice cooked giblets and neck meat before adding them back into the gravy for added flavor and texture.
Can you eat turkey giblets on Thanksgiving?
Even in the most offal-averse households, giblets are often used for gravy on Thanksgiving. Turkey giblets have a rich, concentrated meaty flavor. (The neck, heart, and gizzard do, anyway. The liver can add an unwelcome minerality or metallic note; if that doesn’t appeal to you, save it for snacking.)
Can you cook a Turkey with giblets?
First, whether you’re using the giblets or not, remember to take them out of the turkey. They are usually packaged in a paper or plastic bag placed inside the cavity of the bird, so you definitely don’t want to cook your turkey with the bag still in there. Turkey giblets are most commonly used to make a giblet gravy.
Can you cook Turkey giblets in a slow cooker?
Transform turkey giblets into a tasty meal with the help of a slow cooker and a side of rice or quinoa and vegetables. Just add turkey giblets, except the liver, to a slow cooker with water, seasonings, and some wine, then slow cook on low for 5 hours. Serve over rice/quinoa with some sautéed vegetables. 8. Sausage