Author Topic: Chicken gizzards  (Read 1935 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Middle Child

  • Moderator
  • Motor Mouth
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 9556
  • Country: us
  • Just say No to declawing
Chicken gizzards
« on: July 27, 2012, 08:13:07 PM »
I did something Very Brave (for me) today.  I walked up to the butcher counter in the supermarket and asked if they had chicken gizzards.  My knees were shaking, I don't know why, but I am always so scared to do something new like this! I even had to stand and wait for the guy to notice me! (I am so surprised I didn't scurry away with my tail between my legs)

He was so nice and very helpful.  He told me, yes they did sell chicken gizzards but if I didn't see any out there now, that meant there weren't any.  I confessed I didn't even know what I was looking for.  He told me nicely that the gizzards are an organ, they usually package them with hearts, then he came around the counter, took me over to the chicken section and showed me exactly where they would be, and what kind of packaging they would be in,  if they had any.  Then he went in the back to see if there were some packages he might have missed but there weren't any.  I asked if they are expensive and he said they are not. He suggested I try the other store, on the other side of town.

I've been reading about gizzards, as a good choice to help with dental health.  I am reluctant to try wings or necks because Struvite Kitty has trouble with bones.  I thought gizzards might be a better choice for her.

I've also been checking out the small chest freezers.  They even have little upright freezers, that open in front I mean.  They cost the same as the small chest one, but only hold about half as much.  The appeal, for me would be how little space one of those little upright ones would use. But....it probably doesn't hold much more than my tiny ice box freezer, so really, if I am going to spend $150, I might as well buy the one that holds more.  If I could only figure out where to put the darn thing.

Offline FurMonster Mom

  • Charter Member
  • Gabster
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 713
  • Country: us
Re: Chicken gizzards
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2012, 02:26:16 AM »
lol MC, such bravery!   :D

I do know that feeling... that "omg they are going to think I am soooo stupid"... or "omg they are going to look at me like I'm crazy when I want 3 lbs of each..."... or "omg, THAT is really gross looking, I hope I can manage it"... feeling.  Don't worry, the more often you do it, the braver you will get.   ;)

I do have to nitpick a little.... gizzards and hearts are technically not organs, they are muscles.  So, in the future, when calculating the muscle/organ/bone ratios, they get counted in with muscle.
Liver, kidney, lung, spleen and brains are organs.

A little note on freezers:  The auto defrost freezers can actually contribute to freezer burn.  The way auto defrost works is by fluctuating the temperature between 30 to 20 degrees, which is actually warmer than true freeze (0 degrees).  Some auto defrosts can actually go as high as 40 degrees.  This fluctuation causes water crystals to go through a cycle of formation (expanding) and melting (contracting)... and since meat has a high water content, guess what that does to the meat?  It causes the water to slowly leech out of the muscle, causing freezer burn. 

Ever notice that if you take a fresh hamburger patty, freeze it for a month then defrost it... it's more "juicy" than when it went in?  Truth is, the freezing process has actually leeched out the "juices" (water content).  When it's subsequently cooked up, it's actually a bit dryer than a fresh hamburger.

Now, having said all that, I understand that you are looking for a small freezer, so you would most likely not be holding your food for such lengthy period of time; therefore I'd anticipate that your freezer burn would be minimal.  BUT if you are ever in the market for a large freezer, I recommend getting a manual defrost.
« Last Edit: July 28, 2012, 02:48:03 AM by FurMonster Mom »
meow meow meow meow meow meow? -woof!
Translation: "I can has my raw food? -please!"

Offline Middle Child

  • Moderator
  • Motor Mouth
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 9556
  • Country: us
  • Just say No to declawing
Re: Chicken gizzards
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2012, 05:31:26 AM »
Thanks FM. The freezers I am looking at do not have auto defrost, but that is very good to know.  I have a lot of trouble with freezer burn because of my ice box freezer, now I know why (because I open the fridge so much.

Gizzard is a muscle?  Okay.  But it does clean teeth? That is my purpose in choosing this particular meat for their bed time snack (if I can get them to eat it)

Offline FurMonster Mom

  • Charter Member
  • Gabster
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 713
  • Country: us
Re: Chicken gizzards
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2012, 12:13:10 PM »
Yes, the gizzard is a very dense muscle.  You know that birds eat sand and rocks to grind and crush their food?  The gizzard is what does the crushing. 

It's not like other muscles that have a "grain" (made of strands), it is very dense, almost solid, yet still chewable.  For this reason, they are often recommended for dental benefits as well as building jaw strength. 

Their shape is like a couple of nuggets joined with a bit of rubbery connective tissue.  You may need to cut the nuggety parts in halfsies to start with.

Good luck, I'm rootin' for ya.   coolgif2
meow meow meow meow meow meow? -woof!
Translation: "I can has my raw food? -please!"

Offline Lola

  • Global Moderator
  • Motor Mouth
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 11790
  • Country: us
  • Spay or Neuter
Re: Chicken gizzards
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2012, 01:10:59 AM »
A package (pound?) of gizzards and hearts cost me less than a dollar.  I know we don't live anywhere NEAR each other, but that will give you a ballpark price. 
Everything you NEED to know about caring for your feline. www.catinfo.org

Tags: