# So what's inside my whole organic chicken and what do I do with it?



## MamaE (May 1, 2004)

You know, that mysterious little plastic baggie. I'm knew to roasting birds, so I know this is a novice question - sorry. I'm thinking it's the neck? And the liver maybe? Do I eat them? Make stock? Help!


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## lynsage (Jul 13, 2004)

it's the giblets (liver, heart, and gizzards) and the neck. you boil them in a bit of water with some onions, etc in a separate pan to make broth for gravy. then you strain it out, season to taste, and thicken it with corn starch.


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## umefey (Sep 10, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lynsage*
and the neck.

The NECK?!?!








Really?
This is one of those times when im sooo happy to be veggie.


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## tboroson (Nov 19, 2002)

mmmmm... the neck is so tasty. After boiling it for gravy, I love to peel the meat off of it and eat it...

When I make gravy, I sautee the giblets and neck in a bit of chicken fat or olive oil until browned, then pour in chicken stock and simmer for a good long while. Eventually, I also add pan drippings from the chicken. I don't usually skim the drippings, because the pastured birds I buy aren't very fatty so the drippings aren't too fatty. I season with salt and pepper and whatever other flavorings I'm using on the chicken (usually sage). I like to use arrowroot to thicken, mix two tbsp arrowroot with an equal amount of cool water or broth and pour in gradually. Arrowroot thickens right away, you don't have to wait for it to boil for a while to see how thick it is. Add it gradually, though, because if you add too much it turns out kind of gelatinous. Or, occasionally I'll make a roux to thicken it. I lift out the giblets and neck before serving. I like to chop up the liver finely and put it in the gravy, but my husband doesn't like that so I usually skip that step. I then eat the meat off the neck and sometimes chop the giblets up and feed them to my cat.


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## lynsage (Jul 13, 2004)

ume, i'm veggie too, but i still remember all the wonderful dishes my grandma made from the chickens she raised on her farm. neckbones make the gravy taste goooood!

personally, i think it's better that she used the giblets and necks rather than throwing them away- if you take an animal's life you should respect that enough to use as much of its body as you can.


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## MamaE (May 1, 2004)

Tboroson - thanks for the detailed instructions! I made gravy last time with just the pan drippings but next time I'll add the neck and giblets.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lynsage*
personally, i think it's better that she used the giblets and necks rather than throwing them away- if you take an animal's life you should respect that enough to use as much of its body as you can.

ITA! That's actually one reason I started roasting whole chickens. I figured if I was going to eat meat, I at least better have enough guts (no pun intended) to cook and eat the whole thing. Buying chicken breasts is so wasteful and I am trying to get away from that.

Thanks again for the help!


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## vegmom (Jul 23, 2003)

The neck meat is my favorite too!

I think that i get the lungs included in my whole chicken. It is very tough and i really don't know what to do with it. I cut off the end pieces that are edible and give the chewier stuff to the dog.

Oh and the hearts and livers are sooo good for you. Full of vitamins and minerals.


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## Brisen (Apr 5, 2004)

If I'm stuffing a bird that comes with the giblets, I make extra stuffing and wrap it and the giblets up in foil & put in the oven with the bird. Of course it takes less time, I keep the extra stuffing and giblets separate in the fridge until I want to put them in the oven, then put together and bake. I want to try the gravy idea next time I do a chicken though, since I don't stuff them.


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