Most People Remove Poultry Giblets, But Here's Why You Shouldn't

I get it. The little bag of giblets that come inside of a whole raw chicken or turkey does not look appealing in the slightest. They are also the more unappetizing parts of the bird that people often pass over, including the heart, neck, gizzards, and liver. My father used to always tell us to save the neck for him, and we promptly called him an animal for eating all the undesirable parts.

I'm not passing judgment on people who want to toss out a literal bag of organs. I don't particularly want to take a bite out of them, either. The turkey giblets are actually a great flavor enhancer if you know how to use them. They are particularly important to use in holiday dinners like roast turkey when you make gravy out of the pan drippings, as they are loaded with flavor that will take your sauce to the next level.

Most home chefs probably don't come across poultry giblets any other time of year besides the holidays. After all, it's not like most people are throwing a whole turkey in the oven. But if you really want to impress your dinner guests, make sure to keep those giblets! First, you have to remember to take them out as they're hidden in the hollowed-out cavity of the turkey or chicken. It is very easy to forget, and I have accidentally left the giblets inside more than a few times. Thankfully, the bag they are stored in doesn't affect the flavor.

I always like to place the giblets on the bottom of the roasting pan along with other aromatics like onions, carrots, and occasionally lemons so that all the flavor can imbue itself into the poultry. As some of the fat and juices drip out of the roast as it cooks, the liquid that collects in the pan will pick up much of the extra flavor.

After the poultry is done roasting and you want to make gravy out of the pan drippings, you can take the giblets out and finely chop them to be added. You won't want big chunks of giblets in your gravy; make them small enough that they can mix evenly throughout. You can also use the giblets to make stuffing in the same way; just chop them into small bits and add them before baking to get heaps of deep umami flavor.