What to do with chicken livers, gizzards, etc.?

[Farmer_Dan]

if you really want to know what to do with them, click this link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=146356

That guy doesn't let anything go to waste (except maybe the lungs).

 

[TimG]

Dog food. I freeze them in zip-loc bags and take one out of the freezer every-so-often as a treat for the dogs.

Any processor should be willing to save hearts, livers and necks. Gizzards need to be cleaned, so some processors won't save those for you (mine will save them in a separate bag after I agree to clean them).

My processor saves chicken feet and sells them to people who feed them to their dogs as part of a RAW diet.

If I was producing a lot of meat birds, I'd definitely look to market these "extra" parts.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Heart and gizzard stew. This comes from a guy I worked with years ago, gulf coast comfort food is the best I can describe it. He always told me it was his grandmothers specialty. It's hearts, gizzards,water in a crock pot for about 3 hours until the gizzards are tender, cooked with onions, garlic, salt, pepper served over/with big ole southern cat head bisquits. I like to add some thyme, oregano, paprika when I make it. When the gizzards are tender add enough flour to thicken the liquid. It probably takes about a month or 2 off your life per serving but on a cold rainy winter day it's as good as it gets.

Steve

 

[annageckos]

Hearts, gizzards, livers, feet, necks. Cats and dogs love them.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

One thing to remeber when thinking of them is hearts and gizzards are just muscle, like the rest of the bird that you eat. Liver on the other hand is an organ, myself I don't eat organs but they do go to the cats.
also you could do a search for Frugals threadon preparing chicken stock, very informative and he uses the hearts/gizzards/livers/necks and feet!

 

[SallyF]

In South Carolina, I used the chicken hearts & gizzards simmered in chicken broth and cooked rice in it, a dish known as "chicken bog" and it is delicious. I think it's similar to the "dirty rice" dishes from Cajun country. Livers got fried though, they get too bitter with the long simmering in a bog. One of the favorite menu items in the Medical University of SC cafeteria was fried chicken livers, served with okra & tomatoes cooked together and poured over rice. Employees would be standing in line out the door waiting for that lunch!

 

[pongoid]

There is a place in Middleton Wisconsin. Everynite they have an all you can eat special of some kind. Friday and Saturdays are something good and normal like ribs or shrimp. But on Thursdays they have chicken and dumplings which is really a big boiled dough ball with chicken gravy with bits of chicken in it.
But on Wednesday, they had all you can eat pan-fried Chicken livers. Only me and the old people ( I was 30 and everyone else was over 70) were there. Boy they were good.

Gizzards I have had but don't really like. They are popular among the Sioux here in South Dakota. The heart and kidneys I love in stuffing.

Never had heads or feet in soup stock but I am willing to try it. The necks along with turkey necks and pork neck bones are good for Spaghetti sauce....mmmm that and finger size zucchini! To die for!

 

[donnie]

I Use Them And Go Catfishing

 

[bigredfeather]

The feet will make the best broth you have ever tasted. If you have the time to do it and the need for broth, it's definietly worth doing.

 

[muddstopper]

Feet I dont eat, but the liver and gizzard are what i eat first, then the legs and thighs, then the neck and back, and I dont care if I ever eat the breast