What Can You Do With Turkey Giblets?

When it comes to the Thanksgiving turkey, some people prefer dark meat. Other people go for white meat. But fewer people seem to want organ meat. Giblets — the turkey's heart, liver, gizzard, and neck — are more likely to be thrown away than cooked with care. Don't let that happen in your house. Even if you don't like giblets on their own, you can use them to make rich gravy, savory stuffing, and more.

Before you get too excited about fighting food waste and eating good at the same time — double-check that your turkey actually came with the giblets. If it's not clear from the packaging, root around in the cavity. They should be inside, often bundled in a paper or plastic bag. Whatever you do, don't roast your turkey with a plastic bag of giblets still inside. That's a recipe for toxic chemical leakage according to the USDA. Instead, remove the giblets from the bag and get ready to use them.

Roast turkey with giblet gravy is a little bit like Caesar salad with anchovies. The crucial ingredient might be polarizing, but when incorporated correctly, it elevates the dish seamlessly. In fact, you may have had it many times before without realizing it. Even in the most offal-averse households, giblets are often used for gravy on Thanksgiving. Turkey giblets have a rich, concentrated meaty flavor. (The neck, heart, and gizzard do, anyway. The liver can add an unwelcome minerality or metallic note; if that doesn't appeal to you, save it for snacking.) That makes these lesser-utilized parts perfect for gravy.

So, how do you actually use them? There are a few ways to go about it. You can roast them along with the rest of the turkey, simmer them in water, or fry them in butter. Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse favors the latter, and also likes to deglaze his pan with white wine after the giblets have had some time to brown. You can chop them up and stir them into your gravy; you can purée them for a smoother texture, or you can just strain them out of the finished product. While Lagasse strains his gravy, it really depends on what you (and your guests) prefer.

Besides gravy, turkey giblets are an easy way to take your stuffing (or dressing) from bland to banging. Chop up the heart, gizzard, and liver and cook it with your other aromatics before you stick the mix in the oven. It will make the whole dish taste like turkey, which is a decided improvement on the typical notes of bread and celery.

You can also make some good old-fashioned chopped liver — just substitute the turkey livers for chicken livers in your favorite recipe. Not fancy enough for you? Purée the liver with stock and cream to make mousse or paté. (You can even use an Instant Pot to make liver paté.)

Louisiana dirty rice is another dish that is often made with chicken livers — but it could taste just as good with turkey giblets. If you're sick of Thanksgiving food, break out the Cajun spice and try it out.

All these ideas are worth trying — but so are turkey giblets, plain and simple. Brine, dredge, and fry them like fried chicken. You'll be embracing this unique offal in no time.