Chicken Gizzards in Garlic Sauce

Some of my friends cringe at the thought of eating “innards” – any internal organs—which I find peculiar if they are willing to eat meats of any kind. Having lived with grandparents and a great grandmother who lived through the Great Depression, I can tell you that it was deeply ingrained in my psyche that you wasted not a single shred of resources (be it food or anything else).

But I also guess that it is a peasant tradition to make use of every bit of a sacrificed beast—it gave its life and every bit of it should have purpose, whether to feed, clothe, or create other tools or materials. It is only the privileged that allow for the idea that foods may be considered inferior and therefore waste, because only people who live with abundance see no problem discarding food they wouldn’t eat because it’s not a choice cut.

That bothers me, but I cannot control people’s prejudice when it comes to food. All I can do is try to share my enthusiasm and hope that I am not just preaching to the choir.

I remember a friend telling me once that she thought the stuff that came in the little packet inside the chicken was garbage. She always threw it out because she had no idea what to do with it. She wasn’t even sure what that stuff was. She could identify the neck, though I think she was just guessing; but the rest left her confused and cold. “A heart, gizzard, and liver,” I pointed out the parts to her. She turned three shades whiter, making her almost translucent, and she pushed the tiny plate away. “Gross!”

“Bullshit,” I said. This was a woman who would not skimp on buying the most expensive pâté she could buy at Balducci’s just to impress some of her more affected friends. “What do you think pâté is made out of?” Apparently the cooking of the innards is chic only if the French do it, but they certainly did not invent the concept.

Gizzards are the victims of such prejudice and it’s a shame that most Americans ignore them—although in the last decade or so, people like Anthony Bourdain and other celebrity chefs have elevated the status of innards as edibles.

Poultry produces delicious gizzards and they are available in a variety of world cuisines: the Portuguese stew them, Koreans stir-fry them, Indians curry it, Ghanaians boil them, the Japanese grill and fry them… And according to Wikipedia, it is eaten in some parts of the Midwestern US and parts of the South (mostly fried, or boiled and added to gumbo).

Both my maternal grandmother as well as my great grandmother, prepared mollejitas (little gizzards) in three different dishes: pickled with onions and green bananas (escabeche is made for Christmas), stewed, or boiled in soup.

They’re cheap, they freeze well, are rich in vitamins and they are flexible enough you can have them as snacks or part of a complete meal.

The secret is to “clean” them, by removing the layer of thick skin on them (it makes them bitter and once cooked it turns into a chewy, inedible mess), and boil them at least half an hour to make them tender. Gizzards are flexible and very tasty once you perform these two actions.

Preparing Chicken Gizzards

1. Run gizzards through a cold water bath or some vinegar and scrub to make sure there are no extraneous materials (this may include sediment).

2. You may cut in half or quarters (some people prefer to cut after cooked as they are tender and easier to handle). If there is a yellowish, thick membrane attached, you can use a paring knife to pull it back and discard. Remove any grease and discard.

3. Fill a pot with water and lightly salt (don’t overdo it because you will season the gizzards later for cooking). Add gizzards and bring water to a boil. Boil gizzards for a minimum of 30 minutes or until gizzards become tender.

For safety, you want to cook them to 165F (74C). There are various ways to get there, I tend to bring water to a boil and let it cook for 15 minutes, and then I let it simmer at a medium low flame for an additional 30 minutes.

Some cooks boil gizzards for up to two hours, but that’s really overkill. You may add a bay leaf, if you have any.

Once cooked, remove from the liquid and allow them to cool. If you did not cut them and need to, chop to taste. Trim and discard any leftover grease or membrane not disposed of before boiling.

When cool, you may freeze for later use. I drop them in chicken stock for soup, and it adds a wonderful dimension to the dish.  

Mollejas al Ajillo (Gizzards in Garlic Sauce)

16-20 oz prepared chicken gizzards

4-6 cloves of garlic, crushed

6 oz white wine*

Saffron strands, to taste

White pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste

Extra virgin olive oil

1. Gently heat olive oil at medium heat and sauté gizzards for 10-15 minutes.

2. Season gizzards with salt and pepper, and add a few strands to saffron to the oil.

3. Add garlic and sauté for another 5 minutes, and add wine (you may substitute with Vermouth, vinegar, lemon juice, or apple or orange juice—each will render a slightly different flavor and give you a nuanced dish).

4. Stir ingredients together and cook until wine is almost completely reduced and garlic is golden and softened.

Serve immediately with rice, polenta, mashed potatoes, or fried green plantains. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.