How to boil chicken gizzards

In this brief guide we will address the question, “How to boil chicken gizzards?” as well as other questions pertaining to the subject at hand like should you eat chicken gizzards and the tips for boiling. 

How to boil chicken gizzards

Gizzards? Well, yes! Boiling is probably the safest way to cook chicken gizzards because it ensures maximum and even heat distribution to all parts of your chicken. Here is a simple step by step guide that you need to follow when boiling chicken gizzards. 

  1. Place your gizzards in a saucepan and season them generously with black pepper, salt and any other spice that you like. You can also use lemon and bay leaves. 
  1. Put water in the pan and start to boil. The quantity of water should be such that it covers the gizzards. When the water starts to boil, turn down the heat and let them simmer for 30 minutes. 
  1. Your gizzards are done when the internal temperature reaches 165F. Drain the gizzards for any extra water and serve them with boiled onions and rice. 

Should you eat chicken gizzards? 

Well yes! They are perfectly safe and nutritious. Gizzards are probably the most “disputed” food item when it comes to chicken parts. Here is the news! They are nutritious and go well with boiled rice and vegetable seasonings. 

Moreover, boiling is a technique that utilizes boiling water at 212F. At this temperature, most of the microorganisms are killed. In view of this, when you boil something in water, the heat is indirectly transferred to the food product which is then cooked. Using a temperature thermometer to check the doneness of chicken and absence of microorganisms is the best way to go! 

Personally, I just don’t think there is any harm in consuming them if you want to give them a try. This section is to clear up the misunderstanding that you shouldn’t consume gizzards. You can! It’s not like you should, but you can if you like.

Boiling Hacks (Tips for boiling)

If you cook regularly, knowing when and how to boil is an essential part of your cooking regime. Boiling is a quick way to clean and disinfect food items. Not to mention that it retains original flavour while also eliminating the harmful microorganisms that may be inhabiting your food product. 

Boiling is a moist-heat cooking method when the temperature of the liquid reaches 212F. The food product is completely submerged in water for even heat distribution. It is an explosive phase change between liquid state and a gas state.

It is one of the safest and most reliable methods for cooking till date, and a lot of health professionals recommend boiling water before using it. Here are some tips that will facilitate you in boiling any food product. 

Use a food thermometer. 

Well, this is the oldest trick in the book. When boiling any particular food product, you need to make sure that the temperature is neither too low nor too high. A quick and effective way to solve this problem is by using a food thermometer. A temperature of 212F is just right for you to boil any food product. But wait! Shouldn’t the temperature be different for different food products? Well, not really.

Since the technique in itself revolves around the use of water, and you are using that heat to boil your food product, it remains pretty much the same for all food items. Of course, there can be minor changes in the temperature range, but 212F is a benchmark. 

Use salt for quick boiling

The reason you should use salt is because salt actually lowers the boiling point of water, which in turns speeds up your boiling process. It does add some salty taste to your dish, and most of the dishes use salt inevitably. So it is not really a problem unless you don’t like salt or have hypertension

It is important to note that you should not unnecessarily add salt to shorten your boiling time when it comes to chicken, because adding extra salt will harden the surface of the chicken and it will not be as tender as it can be without the addition of salt.

Use pots reasonably

Boiling involves cooking in water, therefore you need to know when to use which pot. This actually saves you a lot of time because if you are just boiling an egg in 1 litre of water, you are just using more water than needed. Moreover, it will require more time to reach the boil. 

When boiling, make sure that your pots can be covered – avoid using pans. Using deeper pots actually help to keep the food submerged properly and evenly distribute the heat. Afterall, it is the water that is cooking! 

Other facts about boiling

On top of it being the best way to cook food, boiling actually concentrates the flavour of your food. It also allows you to cook a large amount of food with ease. Although some nutrients leach out in the water that is used in boiling, boiling does not affect the nutritional status of the food product. Just use the water that you boiled in along with the dish and you will not lose any nutrients while cooking! 

Other FAQs about Chicken that you may be interested in.

How long does thawed chicken stay good in the fridge?

How long to cook frozen chicken wings in a deep fryer?

How long to keep chicken in the fridge?

Conclusion

In this brief guide we have addressed the question, “How to boil chicken gizzards?” as well as other questions pertaining to the subject at hand like should you eat chicken gizzards and the tips for boiling. 

References

https://sandersonfarms.com/recipes/classic-chicken-gizzards-and-onions/