The encyclopaedia of gravy
Giblets — the neck, heart, gizzard and liver supplied with a whole bird — make a stock far better than any cube, and the basis of giblet gravy.
What is in the bag¶
| Part | What it is | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Neck | Bony, meaty, full of collagen | The best part for stock; gives body |
| Heart | Dense muscle | Stock, then chopped into the gravy |
| Gizzard | Muscular stomach | Stock, then chopped; very firm |
| Liver | Soft, iron-rich | Add late, or fry separately; bitter if boiled long |
Wing tips, if you have them, belong in the same pot.
The method¶
- Brown them hard in a little oil — 8–10 minutes until well coloured. Pale giblets make a pale, flat stock; this step matters more than any other.
- Add onion, carrot, celery, bay and peppercorns, and cover with water.
- Simmer at a bare tremble for two hours, uncovered, skimming occasionally. A hard boil makes it cloudy.
- Add the liver for the last 20 minutes only, if at all.
- Strain. Chill or freeze.
Into the gravy¶
For giblet gravy, pick the meat off the neck, finely chop the heart, gizzard and liver, and stir them through the finished gravy. In parts of the American South, chopped hard-boiled egg goes in too.
Or strain them out and use only the stock, which is the more common British practice.
Availability¶
Whole turkeys usually still come with giblets; whole chickens often do not. If yours did not, ask a butcher — chicken wings, necks and feet are inexpensive and do the same job, and feet in particular give an exceptionally jellied stock. See gelatin from bones.
Storage¶
Giblets are highly perishable. Use within a day of the bird arriving, or freeze them immediately. Do not leave them inside the bird in the fridge for days.