A Guide to Marketing Chicken Gizzards

05 Jan A Guide to Marketing Chicken Gizzards

Most people don’t even know what gizzards are, or what they do. Some people might be hesitant to try them because it’s new to them. Little do they know there are many delicious dishes where gizzards shine. Gizzards can be fried, used in gravy, or mixed in with other healthy dishes. They offer a healthier alternative to chicken breasts, and many people aren’t aware of just how healthy gizzards can be or how to eat them.

PRICE POINT FOR CONSUMERS

When it comes to saving customers money, chicken gizzards are the way to go. Not only are they healthier per pound than chicken breasts, but they are also cheaper. This means consumers get more bang for their buck, it’s just that many of them do not know it yet! If you can educate consumers on the health benefits, and normalize eating them, you will likely expand your chicken gizzard market.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GIZZARDS

 

MACRONUTRIENTS

Macronutrients provide the body with energy throughout the day, and chicken gizzards provide plenty of them. Just a 1-cup serving of chicken gizzard contains 223 calories, 44 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat, including 1 gram of saturated fat. This is 10 calories less, 2 grams of fat less, and the same amount of protein than a 1-cup serving of chicken breast. A single serving already provides you with 88% of your daily value of protein, with less calories.

VITAMINS

Chicken gizzards provide many important vitamins and minerals, which do many things like help strengthen bones, help wounds heal faster, and bolster your immune system. They also help repair cellular damage. One serving provides 25% of your daily value of vitamin B-12, as opposed to only 5% from chicken breasts. Vitamin B-12 is essential for brain function, as it forms red blood cells and DNA. Gizzards provide 23% of the daily value of vitamin niacin, which improves circulation, produces hormones, and supports your nervous system. Chicken gizzards also provide 18% of the daily value of riboflavin. In contrast, chicken breasts only provide 12% of your daily value. Riboflavin is important for antioxidant function, producing energy, and keeping your skin and hair healthy.

MINERALS

Gizzards are also great sources of minerals. Just a single serving offers 43% of the daily value of zinc, as opposed to just 6% from chicken breasts. Zinc helps form DNA and proteins and is involved with wound healing and immune function. They provide 27% of the daily value of iron, as opposed to only 6% from chicken breasts. Iron is necessary in the process of forming red blood cells and producing energy. Gizzards also provide 27% of the daily value of phosphorus, which is 6% higher than a serving of chicken breast. Phosphorus is essential for muscle, nerve and heart function. With all the benefits that chicken gizzards offer, it’s almost confusing why people don’t eat gizzards more than chicken breasts.

EXPANDING GIZZARD CUSTOMERS

EDUCATION

In this day and age, “health and fitness” is a huge trend. By targeting health enthusiasts with educational information about the health benefits of eating gizzards over other meats, you should see an increase in popularity of gizzards and your customer base.

TIPS

• Contact health blogs to help you get the word out 
• Advertise health benefits on social media and use appropriate targeting
• Consider partnering with a gym and grocery store for coupon offers

NORMALIZING GIZZARD CONSUMPTION

This is a huge step in increasing the customer base of gizzard consumers. A very common sentiment shared by a large number of, what could be potential customers, is that gizzards are gross, unclean, and not worth eating. It’s time to break people of these misconceptions and brand gizzards as the healthy alternative protein that they are.

TIPS

• Run campaigns that exemplify ordinary eating habits of gizzards:
  • Athlete Campaign 
  • Family Dinner Campaign 
  • Educational Campaign that explains the benefits of gizzards

SHARE RECIPES

By providing the public with healthier ways to eat gizzards, other than frying them, you do the thinking for them. With the distribution and encouragement of the sharing of healthy gizzard recipes, such as the ones below, you will catch the interest of existing and new customers.

MOELA STYLE GIZZARDS

SERVES 4-6

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop each chicken gizzard into 4 pieces. Set aside. 
2. In a large Dutch oven of at least 3 quarts, fry the bacon slices over medium heat until the fat has rendered out. Remove them from the pot and set aside. 
3. In the bacon fat, saute the onion for about 8 minutes until onions start to turn golden brown. Raise heat to medium high and add celery, carrots, pepper and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes more then add oregano, thyme and red chili flakes. 
4. Stir in tomatoes and let them brown slightly on the bottom by letting them sit for about a minute, then scrape the bottom and let them sit again. Do this about 3 or 4 times. 
5. Stir in chicken broth, beer, wine, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Add gizzards. Let the mixture come up just to a boil. Try not to let it come up to a rolling boil or else your gizzards will toughen up. Immediately reduce heat to low and cover. 
6. Let simmer for 2-1/2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Check in periodically to make sure that all the gizzards are submerged and that the mixture is not boiling. 
7. When the meat is very tender, serve the stew in individual bowls topped with crumbled bacon and parsley.

LOCRIO DE MOLLEJA GIZZARDS

SERVES 6

PREP TIME: 25 MIN
COOK TIME: 2HR
TOTAL TIME: 2HR 25 MIN

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare chicken gizzards and hearts by removing gristle and then dicing.
2. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. If using fresh garlic, sauté until tender but not brown.
3. Add tomato paste and 1 cup of water.
4. Add garlic powder, oregano, parsley, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper; mix well. Add remaining 3 cups of water.
5. Add diced chicken gizzards and bay leaf. Simmer on low heat until gizzards are tender, about 1½-2 hours.
6. Remove bay leaf before serving.
7. Serve with Italian bread.

CURRY CHICKEN GIZZARDS

SERVES 4

PREP TIME: 30 MIN
COOK TIME: 1HR 30 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 2HR

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare your gizzards by cleaning and trimming
2. Chop the onions and any other vegetables roughly
3. Pour in the olive oil and heat until nice and hot
4. Add the onions and any other vegetable and sauté lightly
5. Add the spices and cook for a minute or two
6. Add the gizzards to the oil, and fry until sealed and browned
7. Add the garlic and chilli and fry lightly
8. Add the tomatoes and just enough water to cover the meat
9. Stir, bring to the boil, turn down the heat to very low,cover and simmer for an hour or until the meat is nice and tender
10. At the last minute add half the fresh coriander (if using) and cook until just wilted
11. Serve with rice, naan bread or couscous and sprinkle with the rest of the fresh coriander

LOCRIO DE MOLLEJA GIZZARDS

SERVES 4-6

PREP TIME: 15 MIN
COOK TIME: 55 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 1HR 10 MIN

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Clean the gizzards of excess fat.
2. Boil with a tablespoon of salt, a pinch of pepper and a pinch of oregano until they are very tender. A pressure cooker will help speed up the process. Remove from the water and reserve the water in which they boiled. Pat dry the gizzards with a paper towel.
3. Heat the oil in an large deep bottomed pot. Add the gizzards, taking care with splattering oil. Brown lightly and add green peppers, peas, garlic, thyme, olives, celery, auyama and cilantro.
4. Simmer over low heat until the vegetables start to wilt. Add tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add water, increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Season with salt. Add the rice and stir often to prevent it from sticking to the pot.
5. Once all the water has evaporated, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over very low heat. Wait 15 minutes, uncover and stir. Cover and wait another 5 minutes.
6. Taste rice for “doneness”; it should be firm but tender inside. If necessary, cover and leave another 5 minutes over very low heat.

At DeLong’s we understand the in’s-and-out’s of the poultry industry, especially gizzards. We hope that our knowledge, passion, and dedication to our work in the poultry field will help continue the advancement of poultry consumption in today’s society. DeLong’s Gizzard Equipment is a manufacturer of poultry processing equipment and the world’s largest provider of rollers for poultry and gizzard processing machinery. By providing these precision-engineered rollers, and exceeding manufacturers’ expectations we have created a reputable name for ourselves. With decades of experience, we are the leading experts on the gizzard production process. We hope that our expertise and insight in the industry provides our clients with useful information and equipment to maximize profitability and increase product yield. For more information about how DeLong’s Gizzard Equipment can help you, call us at (800) 422-9134.