What Are Giblets, Anyway? (Plus How to Use Them)

You’ve probably found yourself in your kitchen prepping a simple roast chicken or a Thanksgiving turkey and staring down at a little bag of…something that you just pulled out of the bird’s cavity. At the very least you’ve probably heard the term “giblets” before and maybe even enjoyed a savory giblet gravy. But, what are giblets, anyway? Should you be using them or throwing them away? Here we break down everything you need to know about that little packet inside your poultry.

Poultry hearts are used in a variety of ways in cuisines around the world. They can be sautéed with aromatics and spices, grilled on skewers, or sliced and added to salads. They require extra prep if using them in a dish — rather than as a flavoring for stock before being discarded. They can have quite a bit of fat and inedible gristle still attached.

The gizzard is an organ in poultry (and other animals) not unlike a stomach that physically breaks down the food they eat. Because they are technically a muscle, they tend to have a chewy texture, similar to dark meat chicken. They are high in protein and low in fat and are often served breaded and fried. Gizzards require cleaning and prepping to remove sediment and the tough lining before cooking, if you’re not planning on using them solely for flavoring.

Poultry livers — specifically chicken livers are used in everything from classic chicken liver pâté and dirty rice to stews and garlicky sautés. While a packet of giblets will only include one liver, chicken livers are sold at many supermarkets and butcher shops if you’re looking to prepare a recipe that requires a larger volume.

Unlike the offal included in the typical giblets packet, the neck is not an organ leftover from butchering. It has bones, a lot of them, and as such is best used as flavoring for stock or gravy. There’s not much usable meat on the neck making it much less desirable for actual comsumption.

While the individual parts included in a packet of giblets can be used in different ways, what’s the best way to use the specific assortment that comes with your chicken or turkey? A package of giblets — which are very high in protein with a rich, meaty flavor — can be used in a number of different ways.

• Use them to make a flavorful stock. Browning giblets and adding them to water with vegetables — like carrots and celery — and aromatics can produce a deeply flavored stock. Alternatively, you can add giblets raw to a conventional stock for a flavor boost.
• Make gravy. Giblet stock can be used to enhance the flavor of gravies and sauces.
• Fry them. Dredge giblets (not including the neck) in flour and fry them.
• Add them to Thanksgiving stuffing. Chop giblets (not including the neck) into bite-sized pieces, sauté them with garlic and vegetables, and add them to your stuffing mixture.

Giblets can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

A version of this story was first published on August 5, 2022 by Sarah Kate Gillingham.