How to Cook Gizzards

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: May 4, 2020

Most people either love or hate gizzards. If you love these small, flavorful parts of chicken, turkey, duck, or goose, try a new way to prepare them. Saute the gizzards with a fragrant curry or stew them with onion and hot sauce. You can also braise the gizzards with Chinese spices and serve them cold as an appetizer. To make classic comfort food, coat the gizzards with a light breading and fry them until they're crisp and golden.

Ingredients

Curried Gizzards

1 pound (453 g) gizzards, rinsed well
2 medium sized onions
3 cloves garlic
1-inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger
2 large, ripe tomatoes
1 to 2 fresh or dried chilies or 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
A few sprigs of cilantro
1 tablespoon (9 g) ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon (4.5 g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (3 g) turmeric
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

Makes 4 servings

Stewed Gizzards

1 1/2 pound (680 g) gizzards
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
1 teaspoon (3 g) black pepper
2 cups (473 ml) water
3/4 cup (86 g) chopped onion
1 tablespoon (15 g) ketchup
1 teaspoon (6 g) hot sauce

Makes 8 servings

Chinese Red-Braised Gizzards

1 pound (453 g) gizzards
1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
3 tablespoons (45 g) Shao Xing rice wine, or sake
3 lumps rock sugar or 3 tablespoons (12.5 g) brown sugar
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, scrubbed clean
2 star anise
A 2-inch (5 cm) piece of cinnamon
A few chili peppers, optional

Makes 6 servings

Southern Fried Gizzards

1 pound (453 g) gizzards, rinsed
2 stalks celery
1 onion
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons (5.5 g) celery salt, divided
1 teaspoon (5 g) seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) dried Italian herb seasoning
1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
3 cups (709 ml) oil for deep frying
1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour

Makes 6 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making Curried Gizzards

1
Wash and trim the gizzards. Get out 1 pound (453 g) of gizzards and carefully cut each of the gizzards in half lengthwise. Wash the gizzards thoroughly under cold water. Use your fingers to loosen and rinse away any debris or sediment. Peel away and trim the yellow lining from the gizzards and throw it away.^{[1]
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- You can use chicken, turkey, goose or duck gizzards for this recipe.
2
Chop the vegetables. Peel 2 medium-sized onions, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1-inch (2.5 cm) of fresh ginger. Use a sharp knife to carefully chop the onions into rough pieces and set them aside. You'll need to crush the garlic cloves and mince them. Mince the fresh ginger too.^{[2]
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3
Saute the onions for 5 minutes and stir in the seasonings. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil into a large skillet and heat it over medium. Stir in the chopped onions and saute them for about 5 minutes so they soften a little. Add 1 tablespoon (9 g) of ground coriander, 1/2 tablespoon (4.5 g) of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon (3 g) of turmeric, and salt to taste. Stir and cook the mixture for another 1 or 2 minutes.^{[3]
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- If you'd like to add any other vegetables to your curry, when you stir in the chopped onions. For example, you could add sliced bell peppers, zucchini, or thinly sliced carrots.
4
Add and saute the gizzards, garlic, and chilies. Stir in the washed and trimmed gizzards. Turn up the heat to medium-high and cook the gizzards for 3 to 4 minutes. They should brown on all sides. Stir in the minced garlic, minced ginger, and 1 or 2 finely chopped dried chilies (or 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder). Cook the mixture for 1 more minute.^{[4]
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5
Add diced tomatoes and water to the skillet. Wash and dice 2 large, ripe tomatoes. Stir these into the gizzard mixture and then pour just enough water into the pan to cover the gizzards. The amount of water you need will depend on the size of your skillet.^{[5]
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6
Simmer the curried gizzards for about 1 hour. Keep the heat at medium-high and stir the gizzard mixture until it comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and put the lid on the skillet. Let the gizzards bubble gently for about 1 hour. The gizzards should become completely soft.^{[6]
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- You may want to check the gizzards occasionally to ensure that they're still simmering. Adjust the heat as needed to keep it bubbling gently. The lid will keep a lot of the liquid from evaporating as the gizzards cook.
7
Stir in the cilantro and serve the gizzards. Take a few sprigs of fresh cilantro and chop them. Stir the cilantro into the curried gizzards so they wilt a little. Serve the curried gizzards immediately with cooked rice, naan, or couscous.^{[7]
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- You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making Stewed Gizzards

1
Wash and trim the gizzards. Get out 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) of gizzards and carefully cut each of the gizzards in half lengthwise. Wash the gizzards thoroughly under cold water. Use your fingers to loosen and rinse away any debris or sediment. Peel away and trim the yellow lining from the gizzards and throw it away.
- You can use chicken, turkey, goose or duck gizzards for this recipe.
2
Season and rest the gizzards. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon (6 g) of salt and 1 teaspoon (3 g) of black pepper over the prepared gizzards. Let the gizzards rest for 10 minutes at room temperature to absorb the seasonings.^{[8]
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- If you'd like to prep the gizzards in advance, you can refrigerate them overnight. There's no need to bring them to room temperature because they've been absorbing the seasonings as they've chilled.
3
Simmer the gizzards for 30 minutes. Put the seasoned gizzards into a 3-quart (2.8 liter) saucepan. Pour in 2 cups (473 ml) of water and turn the heat to high. Once the water starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium so the water bubbles gently. Put the lid on the pot and simmer the gizzards for 30 minutes.
4
Add the onion with the seasonings and simmer the mixture for 1 more hour. Chop enough onion to get 3/4 of a cup (86 g). Add the onion to the pot with the gizzards along with 1 tablespoon (15 g) of ketchup and 1 teaspoon (6 g) of hot sauce. Keep the lid off of the pot and let the mixture cook for 1 hour.^{[9]
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- Stir the stewed gizzards every once in a while to ensure that everything cooks evenly.
- Keep an eye on the level of the liquid in the pot. If you'd like a thicker stew, let it reduce as it cooks. For a thinner stew, you might want to pour in more water as the gizzards simmer.
5
Serve the stewed gizzards. You can serve the gizzards once they're completely soft and tender. Taste the gizzards and add more salt according to your taste. Serve the gizzards over steamed rice or with flatbread.^{[10]
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- You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making Chinese Red-Braised Gizzards

1
Wash and trim the gizzards. Get out 1 pound (453 g) of gizzards and carefully cut each of the gizzards in half lengthwise. Wash the gizzards thoroughly under cold water. Use your fingers to loosen and rinse away any debris or sediment. Peel away and trim the yellow lining from the gizzards and throw it away.
- You can use chicken, turkey, goose or duck gizzards for this recipe.
2
Combine all of the ingredients. Put the gizzards in a medium-sized saucepan and pour in enough water to cover the gizzards. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. You'll need:^{[11]
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- 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) Shao Xing rice wine, or sake
- 3 lumps rock sugar or 3 tablespoons (12.5 g) brown sugar
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, scrubbed clean
- 2 star anise
- A 2-inch (5 cm) piece of cinnamon
- A few chili peppers, optional
3
Simmer the gizzards for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the heat on to high so the water begins to boil. Turn the heat down to medium so the water bubbles gently. Simmer the gizzards with the lid off of the pot for 1 1/2 hours. The gizzards should become completely tender. Most of the water will evaporate and the mixture will become saucy. ^{[12]
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- Stir the mixture occasionally to ensure that it's not sticking to the bottom of the pan. You may need to adjust the temperature to keep the sauce from burning.
4
Cool the gizzards and slice them. Turn off the heat and let the gizzards come to room temperature. Once they're cool enough to handle, lift them out of the pot and put them on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the gizzards into thin strips.^{[13]
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- Avoid slicing the gizzards in advance since they'll lose flavor and dry out if they're kept for long.
5
Serve the Chinese red-braised gizzards. Serve the sliced gizzards with cooked noodles or steamed rice. You can serve them as an appetizer or a snack. If you have any whole gizzards left over, refrigerate them for up to one week.^{[14]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making Southern Fried Gizzards

1
Wash and trim the gizzards. Get out 1 pound (453 g) of gizzards and carefully cut each of the gizzards in half lengthwise. Wash the gizzards thoroughly under cold water. Use your fingers to loosen and rinse away any debris or sediment. Peel away and trim the yellow lining from the gizzards and throw it away.
- You can use chicken, turkey, goose or duck gizzards for this recipe.
2
Combine the gizzards with vegetables and some of the seasonings. Put the gizzards into a large saucepan. Cut 2 stalks of celery and 1 onion into chunks. Add the vegetables to the saucepan along with 2 bay leaves and 1 teaspoon (3.5 g) of the celery salt. Pour in enough water to cover the gizzards by 1 inch (2.5 cm).^{[15]
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3
Simmer the gizzards for 2 1/2 hours. Turn the heat on to high and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and put the lid on the saucepan. Let the gizzards bubble gently for 2 1/2 hours or until they're completely soft.^{[16]
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- You might need to pour in water if too much water evaporates and the gizzards aren't covered.
4
Separate the gizzards from the vegetables and stewing liquid. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the gizzards and place them in a bowl. Scoop out the vegetables and discard them. Pour the stewing liquid into a measuring jug and set it aside.^{[17]
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5
Season the cooked gizzards. Sprinkle all of the seasonings over the gizzards in the bowl and toss them gently to coat them completely. You'll need to season them with:^{[18]
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- 1 teaspoon (5 g) seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
6
Add stewing liquid and chill the gizzards for 30 minutes. Pour 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the reserved stewing liquid on the seasoned gizzards. Put the bowl of gizzards in the refrigerator and chill them for at least 30 minutes. Stir them a few times while they chill.^{[19]
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- You can discard or use the rest of the stewing liquid in another recipe. Pour the leftover stewing liquid into freezer-safe containers and freeze the liquid for up to three months.
7
Heat the oil and coat the gizzards with flour. Pour 3 cups (709 ml) of oil into a deep-fryer or large saucepan. Heat the oil until it reaches 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). While the oil heats, put 1 cup (130 g) of all-purpose flour into a seal-able plastic bag. Transfer the gizzards to the bag and seal it shut. Shake the bag to cover the gizzards with the flour.^{[20]
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8
Fry a batch of gizzards for 5 minutes. Get one-quarter of the gizzards out of the bag and carefully lower them into the hot oil. Let the gizzards fry for about 5 minutes so they become golden brown. Lay a paper towel on a large plate and transfer the fried gizzards to the towel.^{[21]
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9
Fry the rest of the gizzards. Bring the temperature of the oil back up to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) before you add another quarter of the gizzards. Continue to fry the rest of the gizzards in small batches so they fry evenly. Serve them while they're hot and crispy. Avoid storing leftovers because they'll become soggy.^{[22]
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- If you crowd the pan with too many gizzards, the temperature of the oil will drop. The gizzards will absorb more oil, won't become as crispy, and will take longer to cook.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I make tender gizzards?

Lauren222

Community Answer

I boiled them for my dog, but they were rubbery. Then I tried slicing them thin, battered them with egg and flour and salt and pepper (as you would fry chicken hearts) and frying them until crisp. I found the frying softened them more, but it's almost not worth the work unless you have lots of gizzards.