Giblets is a culinary term for the edible

offal Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but usually excludes muscle. Offal may also refe ...

of a

fowl Fowl are birds belonging to one of two biological orders, namely the gamefowl or landfowl (Galliformes) and the waterfowl (Anseriformes). Anatomical and molecular similarities suggest these two groups are close evolutionary relatives; together ...

, typically including the

heart The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to t ...

gizzard The gizzard, also referred to as the ventriculus, gastric mill, and gigerium, is an organ found in the digestive tract of some animals, including archosaurs (pterosaurs, crocodiles, alligators, dinosaurs, birds), earthworms, some gastropods, so ...

liver The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it ...

, and other organs. A whole bird from a

butcher A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat, or participate within any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat and poultry for sale in retail or wholesale food establishm ...

is often packaged with the giblets, sometimes sealed in a bag within the body cavity. The neck is often included with the giblets; in the West it is usually separated from the body during butchering. There are a number of recipes that use giblets. If a bird is to be stuffed, the giblets are traditionally chopped and added to the

stuffing Stuffing, filling, or dressing is an edible mixture, often composed of herbs and a starch such as bread, used to fill a cavity in the preparation of another food item. Many foods may be stuffed, including poultry, seafood, and vegetables. A ...

; however, the

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

recommends cooking giblets separately from the rest of the bird. If not, they can be used for other purposes, such as ''giblet pie'' or, a Southern U.S. favorite, giblet gravy. With the exception of giblet gravy, the liver is not usually included in these recipes, as its strong flavor tends to overpower other ingredients. It may be used in liver-specific recipes, such as

pâté ''Pâté'' ( , , ) is a paste, pie or loaf filled with a forcemeat. Common forcemeats include ground meat from pork, poultry, fish or beef; fat, vegetables, herbs, spices and either wine or brandy (often cognac or armagnac). It is often ser ...

yakitori is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. Its preparation involves skewering the meat with , a type of skewer typically made of steel, bamboo, or similar materials. Afterwards, they are grilled over a charcoal fire. During or after cooking, th ...

. Giblets can also be used to make

alicot An alicot is a stew or ragout made with poultry giblets and possibly the head, feet and wing tips,''Unmentionable Cuisine'', Calvin W. Schwabe, p. 220 traditionally linked to the Béarn and Languedoc regions of southern France Fra ...

, a French stew. In

Turkish cuisine Turkish cuisine () is the cuisine of Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. It is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Eastern Eur ...

, iç pilav is a traditional pilaf dish, made with rice, chicken liver, nuts, and spices.

Jerusalem mixed grill Jerusalem mixed grill ( he, מעורב ירושלמי) (''me'orav Yerushalmi'') is a grilled meat dish considered a specialty of Jerusalem. It consists of chicken hearts, spleens and liver mixed with bits of lamb cooked on a flat grill, seasoned ...

is an Israeli delicacy made with giblets, usually eaten with pita bread. In

Gorkha The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India. The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...

cuisine, giblets are cooked with chili pepper and tomato and relished as a side dish or appetizer known as ''karchi marchi''. In his 19th century culinary dictionary,

Alexander Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer. ...

defines giblets as "the comb and kidneys of the rooster, the wing tips of hens, the spinal marrow, gizzard, and neck of the turkey, calves' sweetbreads and brains". They can be made as a standalone dish with beef marrow

bouillon Bouillon can refer to: Food * Bouillon (broth), a simple broth ** Court-bouillon, a quick broth * Bouillon (soup), a Haitian soup * Bouillon (restaurant), a traditional type of French restaurant **Bouillon Chartier, a bouillon restaurant foun ...

, mushrooms, artichoke, truffles (when in season) and celery. This giblet dish can be served as a casserole with rice, or used as a filling for the pastry

vol-au-vent A ''vol-au-vent'' (pronounced , French for "windblown", to describe its lightness) is a small hollow case of puff pastry. It was formerly also called a patty case. . A ''vol-au-vent'' is typically made by cutting two circles in rolled out ...

. This was considered daily fare, and not intended for special occasions.Alexandre Dumas' Dictionary of Cuisine, 1873 Most poultry, especially those sold in supermarkets, is not sold with the giblets included. Giblets can be bought separately from a butcher, but the demand for human consumption is low in most Western countries, so they are more often sold to

pet food Pet food is animal feed intended for consumption by pets. Typically sold in pet stores and supermarkets, it is usually specific to the type of animal, such as dog food or cat food. Most meat used for animals is a byproduct of the human food ind ...

manufacturers.

References

External links

USDA Giblets fact sheet
* {{cite book , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QPP3QezL2SEC&pg=PA57 , title=The African-American Heritage Cookbook: Traditional Recipes and Fond Remembrances From Alabama's Renowned Tuskegee Institute , first=Carolyn Quick , last=Tillery , publisher=Citadel Press Books , year=2005 , orig-year=1996 , location=New York , isbn=9780806526775 Offal Poultry products