Southern Fried Turkey Gizzards

Turkey gizzards, tenderised, pressure-cooked in a seasoned broth, then double-dipped and fried crisp. The pressure cooker does the job that hours of simmering used to, so the gizzards come out tender inside a crunchy crust.

Untested: I have not cooked this one yet. It is here because the Offal dive needed it, and it is adapted from the source named in the Notes.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds turkey gizzards

Baking soda, for tenderising

• Pressure-cooking broth

Water to cover

• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper and dried oregano

Salt

Coating

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• 4 to 6 cups oil, for frying
• Ranch dressing mixed with buffalo sauce, for dipping

Directions

1. Trim. Cut out the tough vertical tendon that runs through each gizzard and trim off any silverskin.
2. Tenderise. Toss the gizzards with a light sprinkling of baking soda and let them sit 15 minutes. Rinse well.
3. Pressure-cook. Put the gizzards in the Instant Pot, cover with water and stir in the bouillon, Creole seasoning, garlic and onion powder, white pepper, oregano and salt. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Drain and let cool enough to handle. Cut large gizzards in half.
4. Set up the coating. Whisk the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce in one bowl. Mix the flour and bouillon powder in another.
5. Dredge. Dip each gizzard in the buttermilk, then the flour. For an extra-crunchy crust, dip again in the buttermilk and again in the flour.
6. Fry. Heat the oil to 350 °F in a heavy pot. Fry the gizzards in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until deep golden. Drain on a rack.
7. Serve hot, with the buffalo ranch for dipping.

Notes

Source Adapted from Shady Brook Farms, “Southern Fried Turkey Gizzards with Buffalo Ranch Dip.” The method, times and temperatures are theirs. The amounts of seasoning, baking soda and flour here are this collection’s; the research recorded the ingredients but not every quantity.

The rule for gizzards Gizzard muscle is too dense to fry raw. Cook it tender first — pressure cooker, slow cooker or long braise — then fry it hot and briefly.

The Offal dive on the Food site covers this part in depth.