In the past, you may have thrown away turkey giblets because you didn’t know what to do with them. But soon, you will. The offal meat is invaluable.
As holiday time approaches, so do ideas of abundant turkey dinners and giblets. Yes, the offal meat that you packed up and stuffed into the bird’s cavity and forgot to take out at least once is full of special things. To make things worse, many people don’t know what to do with turkey giblets or don’t want to cook with them because they don’t look good. In any case, once you try them and taste how much flavor they add, you might want to ask your local butcher for some.
As was already said, giblets are offal meat, which is a term for meat from an animal’s internal organs and nonmuscular parts that people eat. People often buy turkey giblets that include the heart, liver, and gizzard. The gizzard is a muscular organ that breaks down food for digestion. Hearts have a lot of complexity, turkey livers are very nutrient-dense, and gizzards have a complex, earthy flavor. The USDA says that the neck of the bird is not a “giblet,” but we include it in our list of uses because it has thick, juicy meat that melts in your mouth.
The word “innards” refers to all of the organs inside the body, while the word “giblets” refers to just 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 eat, like the gall bladder, while others may be too small (like the lungs) or have a tougher texture (like the kidneys) for most people to eat.
As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s time to start planning that big turkey dinner. One part of the turkey that often gets overlooked are the giblets – the gizzard, heart, liver, and neck. But cooking up these turkey parts can add lots of flavor to your holiday bird Here’s everything you need to know about prepping and cooking giblets in the turkey
What Are Giblets?
For those unfamiliar giblets refer to the internal organs and neck of poultry. A turkey’s giblet packet usually contains
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Gizzard – This is a muscular stomach that helps grind up food. It tastes similar to dark meat.
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Heart – The heart is dense and chewy with a rich flavor.
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Liver – The liver has a soft texture and strong taste.
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Neck – The turkey neck is often included for additional meat and collagen.
These parts provide lots of nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins. And they make delicious additions to gravy, soup stocks, and stuffing.
Why Cook Giblets in the Turkey?
Cooking the giblets inside the turkey allows them to lend flavor to the bird. As they simmer, the giblets release juices that baste the turkey meat from the inside out. This keeps the turkey extra moist and infuses it with savory giblet taste.
Cooking them together also saves oven space and time. You don’t have to monitor multiple pans. Just throw the giblets in the turkey cavity and let them cook away.
How to Prepare Giblets
Before cooking giblets in the turkey, they need some prep:
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Rinse the giblets. Give them a good rinse under cool water to remove any blood or feathers. Pat dry with paper towels.
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Trim excess fat/skin. Use a sharp knife to remove any large pieces of fat or skin.
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Separate the gizzard. Cut open the gizzard and remove the tough inner yellow lining. Rinse out any debris or stones.
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Chop the giblets. Cut the heart, gizzard, and neck meat into smaller bite-sized pieces. The liver can be left whole or chopped.
Now the giblets are ready to go inside the turkey!
How to Cook Giblets in a Turkey
Here are step-by-step instructions for roasting the giblets right in the turkey:
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Prepare and season the turkey. Rub the inside cavity with salt, pepper, herbs, citrus, or other flavorings. Truss up the legs.
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Place giblets in the neck cavity. Stuff the chopped giblets and whole liver into the turkey neck cavity.
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Tie the neck skin. Use kitchen string or twist ties to fully enclose the giblets. Make sure no steam can escape.
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Roast the turkey as normal. Place breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast at 350°F, basting every 30 minutes.
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Check doneness. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F. The thigh should hit 175°F.
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Let rest before carving. Wait 15-20 minutes before carefully slicing into the turkey. Be cautious when cutting near the neck cavity.
The cooked giblets can then be removed and used in gravy, soup, or dressing. Enjoy!
Cooking Times for Stuffed Giblets
To ensure the giblets cook fully, follow these approximate roasting times:
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12-15 lb turkey: 3 to 3 1/2 hours
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16-20 lb turkey: 3 1/2 to 4 hours
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20-24 lb turkey: 4 to 4 1/4 hours
Use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness rather than relying solely on time. And let the turkey rest before carving.
Safety Tips for Cooking Giblets
When dealing with raw poultry innards, proper handling is important:
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Cook giblets to an internal temperature of 165°F. Check with a thermometer.
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Don’t leave giblets at room temperature for more than 2 hours before roasting. Refrigerate until ready to stuff.
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Always wash hands, utensils, and surfaces after touching raw giblets. Avoid cross-contamination.
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Use within 1-2 days of purchasing giblets. Don’t freeze giblets longer than 3 months.
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Roast the stuffed turkey right away. Do not refrigerate a stuffed uncooked turkey.
Following basic food safety guidelines helps eliminate bacteria and ensures fully cooked giblets.
What to Do With Leftover Cooked Giblets
Once you’ve enjoyed that first slice of Thanksgiving turkey, you’ll likely have leftover cooked giblets. Don’t let them go to waste! Here are some tasty ways to use up cooked giblets:
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Chop and add to gravy or broth for extra flavor.
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Dice the meat for turkey salad sandwiches and wraps.
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Toss chopped giblets into soups, stews, or chilis.
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Make creamy giblet pâté to spread on crackers or sandwiches.
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Dice giblets to add rich taste to turkey tetrazzini or pot pie.
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Grind and use as the base for turkey burger patties.
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Simmer into stock for a nourishing soup broth.
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Serve chopped giblet meat over dressing or stuffing.
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Shred and fold giblets into cornbread muffin batter.
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Puree cooked giblets into baby food along with turkey and veggies.
With endless possibilities, those flavorful cooked giblets won’t last long! Get creative in the kitchen.
Common Questions About Cooking Giblets
If you’re new to working with giblets, here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
Are giblets healthy to eat?
Yes, giblets are full of nutrients like protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. They provide a health boost similar to dark turkey meat. Just avoid overeating due to the high cholesterol.
Do I have to stuff all the giblets in the turkey?
For maximum flavor, it’s best to use all the giblets. But if you have a large turkey, you can cook some giblets separately to make space. Prioritize the gizzard and neck.
Should I remove the giblets before cooking?
There’s no need to remove giblets before roasting. Turkey is safe when cooked to the proper internal temperature. Just take care when carving around the neck cavity.
Can I freeze and reuse leftover cooked giblets?
It’s not recommended to refreeze already cooked giblets. Use within 3-4 days or discard. Freeze raw giblets only before cooking.
Do I need to clean out the giblets cavity after roasting?
Yes, it’s important to remove any cook giblet debris from the neck cavity before carving and serving the turkey. Discard the lining.
Get the Most from Your Turkey Giblets
Giblets may seem intimidating to prepare at first. But with some simple prep, you can easily roast flavorful giblets right in the turkey. They’ll impart richness and juice to the meat, while also giving you savory giblets to use in sides and leftovers.
Follow safe handling tips, use a meat thermometer, and let the turkey rest prior to carving. Soon your family will ask for giblets in the bird every Thanksgiving!
Turkey Giblet Stock
The best turkey dinners start with a turkey giblet stock. If you prepare a turkey ahead of time to roast (by brining it, putting butter under the skin and seasoning it, or marinating it), the giblets should be taken out and put into a stock pot with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and water. The pot should then be simmered for hours. The neck makes a big difference because it’s what makes the stock rich and almost jelly-like, which can be used to make gravy, 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. Following that, the stock and turkey pan drippings are added, which makes the gravy a lot darker. Then, the cooked giblets from the stock are finely chopped and added to the gravy as well. It is also possible to add the meat from the turkey neck along with milk or cream, but it is your choice.
Add to Stuffing for Sausage Stuffing
Giblets add an immensely flavorful, savory meatiness to stuffing. When you make stock, everything but the liver is already cooked. All that’s left to do is take the meat off the neck, chop the heart and gizzards into small pieces, and sauté the livers before cutting them up too. After everything is ready, it is put into a casserole dish and baked until it turns golden brown. If you didn’t make turkey giblet stock ahead of time, boil the giblets with aromatic vegetables, water, and broth until they are fully cooked.
Turn turkey giblets into a tasty appetizer to serve before the turkey dinner alongside crackers or crostini. The liver is called for in this option, but you should never boil it because it turns bitter. To make it:
- Use a paper towel to dry the raw liver, then cut it into even slices.
- On medium heat, cook the liver with onions and olive oil and butter. Take the liver off the heat once the slices brown. Turkey liver only needs 3-4 minutes to cook.
- Put the liver and any other ingredients you want to use in the pâté into a food processor. You can add herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, sherry, and cream. There are several directions to go in.
- Add crackers or crostini to a serving platter with the spread, and then serve.