What are turkey giblets?
Turkey giblets are the internal organs of the turkey that come packaged inside the cavity of a whole turkey. They typically include the liver, heart, gizzard, and neck. The giblets can be used to make flavorful gravies, stocks, and stuffings. Here’s a quick overview of each part:
Turkey Liver
The turkey liver is nutritious and full of flavor. It has a smooth, tender texture when cooked. The liver can be sautéed or chopped and added to stuffing, gravy, or pâtés.
Turkey Heart
The heart is all muscle and has a rich, meaty flavor. It can be roasted or chopped and added to stuffing and gravy for extra texture.
Turkey Gizzard
The gizzard is a muscular stomach-like organ that aids in digestion. It requires long, slow cooking to become tender. Diced gizzard can be cooked in gravy or used in casseroles or soup.
Turkey Neck
The neck has a high collagen content that adds body to stock and richness to gravy. It is often cooked with aromatics to make turkey stock.
Why Use Turkey Giblets?
There are several benefits to using turkey giblets:
- They add rich, concentrated turkey flavor to gravies, broths, soups, etc.
- They reduce food waste by utilizing the whole bird.
- They are very affordable as they usually come free with a whole turkey.
- The liver provides iron and other essential nutrients.
- They add texture and character to stuffing.
Making full use of the turkey giblets is a great way to get the most value and flavor out of your holiday bird.
How to Cook Turkey Giblets
Here are some tips for preparing turkey giblets:
Rinse and Pat Dry
Rinse the giblets well under cold water and pat them completely dry before cooking. This prevents a slimy texture.
Sauté the Liver and Heart
Sauté the liver and heart in butter or olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned but still a bit pink inside, 3-5 minutes. They can be chopped and added to gravy, stuffing or other dishes.
Simmer the Neck and Gizzard
Place the neck and gizzard in a pot with aromatic veggies like onion, celery, carrots. Cover with water and simmer for 1-2 hours to extract maximum flavor for broth.
Refrigerate or Freeze for Later Use
Store cooked giblets in an airtight container up to 3 days refrigerated or up to 3 months frozen. Chop and add to soups, casseroles or gravy.
Best Uses for Cooked Turkey Giblets
Here are some of the tastiest ways to use up those cooked turkey giblets:
Giblet Gravy
Chop the cooked giblets and simmer in the turkey pan drippings along with flour or cornstarch to thicken. Strain and serve over turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes.
Giblet Stuffing
Chop the sautéed livers and hearts. Add to your favorite stuffing recipe along with broth made from the neck and gizzard.
Turkey Giblet Pot Pie
Make a roux with the pan drippings. Add chopped giblets, peas, carrots and broth. Simmer and pour into a pie crust.
Giblet Soup
Simmer chopped giblets in broth along with veggies, noodles or rice for a fortifying soup.
Dirty Rice with Giblets
Sauté chopped gizzards, livers and hearts. Add seasonings like onion, celery, garlic and spices. Mix with rice and broth.
Giblet Snack Spread
Blend cooked, chopped giblets with cream cheese, herbs and spices. Spread on crackers.
Storing Leftover Raw Turkey Giblets
Here are some tips for storing leftover raw giblets that you don’t end up cooking right away:
- Refrigerate in a sealed container or bag up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag up to 3 months.
- Store the liver separate from the other giblets as it’s more prone to spoilage.
- Place giblets in freezer bags in serving size portions so you can thaw only what you need.
- Label bags with contents and date to track freshness.
Proper storage keeps giblets safe and ready to use in your next holiday meal.
Conclusion
Turkey giblets are flavorful, nutrient-dense parts of the bird that can be used in a wide variety of dishes. Sauté the liver and heart and use in stuffing, gravy and more. Simmer the neck and gizzard for rich broth. Store cooked giblets in the fridge or freezer. Making full use of the giblets reduces waste and adds delicious turkey essence to your holiday cooking. Get creative with these underused turkey parts!