Gravy
I never use the giblets or the neck of the turkey. This year, we’ve been trying to get a little medicine down Junior because he exhibited some signs that he might be starting to get a urinary tract infection (going in one spot, then within minutes trying elsewhere.) This could easiliy be irritation from the surgery and nothing really wrong. Of course, we can’t catch him to find out. He is eating and playing so we know it is nothing serious.
We can’t catch him to give him any kind of prevention dose, and any kind of penicillin is difficult to get into food (have you tasted the stuff??? It’s pretty bitter.) I know Junior likes the kitten turkey and giblets catfood, so I figured…there sits turkey and giblets!
I simmered the neck and the giblets in mostly water with a 1/3 cup or so of canned chicken broth for a couple of hours. Did some reading on the web in the meantime. Do you know how many people just love the giblets? And the neck??? I knew you couldn’t give the neck to cats or dogs because the bones are small–big choking hazard. I had no idea there was actual meat on there. I had no idea anyone actually ate the meat off there either! Yes, I grew up on a ranch and yes, gramma put the giblets in the stuffing, and NO I did not eat that stuffing except for the bit that dad always made us “try.”
After boiling, I took the broth and made it into gravy–much to my surprise it was really, really *good* gravy. You’d never know it came from the giblets; it was full of rich turkey broth taste! I then took quite a bit of meat off the neck, stuck it and the rest of the giblets in the food processor and turned it into mush. Looks a lot like liver pate. I added some gravy and poof! It’s a smelly mess, just like the stuff that comes out of the cans, only no byproducts or corn products.
I doctored some medicine in there. Few hours later, I tested it out on Junior and guess what? He likes it!
I learned something from all of this–nevermore will I throw the giblets out. That gravy is darn good stuff. If I don’t have cats around that need it, I can use the broth in soups or for gravy for us!
Yeah, I’ll still throw the giblets out or give them to cats. Stinky. I’m not eating them. I know a lot of people give them to their dogs–just remember–DO NOT give them the neck. The bones are too small and sharp and can damage the dog’s throat and can also cause choking.
Thanksgiving. Treats all around!!!
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Oh yeah, my mom ALWAYS uses the neck and giblets (and whatever other parts & pieces comes in that bag) in her gravy. And everyone (except me & my one sister who also forgoes meat) loves her gravy.
I started cooking chicken for Klaus when he was sick, and since it really isn’t much more work, I continue to do it as a part of their regular diet. I buy a whole cut up (it’s just easier if it’s already cut up) chicken with no hormones, etc and organic chicken broth, so I know their eating “healthy”.
I cook the chicken in the stock for a couple of hours, then remove all of the bones (I don’t even bother trying to pick the meat out of the neck), and put the hand shredded meat into individual serving containers for each day of the week. One chicken feeds them both breakfast (along with a cup of dry kibble) for a week (I only give Tora a very small amount-have to watch her girlish figure!) And they love it. And it make me happy to make them happy.
Everyone’s Happy!
Hope Junior will be okay. Seen Mama lately?
Comment by Trina — November 28, 2008 @ 7:09 am
I was actually surprised when I started reading how the mood has shifted back to meat being good for cats/dogs. Used to be, the logic was that dry food was the best–it had been supplemented with this and that, everything a cat/dog could need. In researching, sounds like people have figured out that it isn’t so bad to give cats/dogs real meat or meat parts without all the grain. We always fed the ranch dogs a mix and they’ve always been fine.
The one thing I wasn’t sure about was that cats have to have some sort of weird mineral (taurine). I don’t know where they get that in a “real” diet–liver? I’m still researching that one.
In general though, we don’t hesitate to give the cats more chicken/turkey/beef parts. I don’t ever worry about melamine showing up in that! It’s also not anymore expensive than the canned food. When they get all that protein, they eat a lot less in portion size.
When I make turkey soup, I’ll make a batch of leftover turkey parts with more gravy. They’ll love that. I never use all the stuff stuck on the bones anyway because there’s so much that is just not that great. The cats will definitely enjoy it more than I would!
Comment by Maria — November 28, 2008 @ 8:08 am
Did some more reading this morning since I was curious again–feeding Junior meat products would definitely get him the taurine he needs! Junior loves it when I yell, “Smelly Treats” out the back door. He came running right over yesterday!
Comment by Maria — November 28, 2008 @ 8:19 am
Oh–and yes, we see mom. She mostly comes to eat, but she did spend most of one day in the yard. She even came to garden with me one of the days. She stalked me and watched me for quite some time, sniffing the pile of debris I was pulling out of the garden. She studied the process from every angle and then wandered off.
She’s doing really great. She’s all filled out and pretty sassy. Other than that day in the garden, she hasn’t been particularly friendly. She still chases Junior when he bugs her, but she hasn’t made any move to actually hurt him–she’s just noisy about it.
Junior still doesn’t seem to know what he’s supposed to do with himself all day. Scamp always set the schedule and the rules. He’s got some growing up to do. As he gains confidence, we expect he’ll figure it out.
Comment by Maria — November 28, 2008 @ 8:25 am