Gizzard

The gizzard, also referred to as the ventriculus, gastric mill, and gigerium, is an organ found in the digestive tract of some animals, including archosaurs (birds and other dinosaurs, crocodiles, alligators, pterosaurs), earthworms, some gastropods, some fish, and some crustaceans.

This specialized stomach constructed of thick muscular walls is used for grinding up food, often aided by particles of stone or grit.

The gizzard can grind the food with previously swallowed grit and pass it back to the true stomach, and vice versa.

[3] Some animals that lack teeth will swallow stones or grit to aid in fragmenting hard foods.

Those that do employ the following method of chewing: A bird swallows small bits of gravel that act as 'teeth' in the gizzard, breaking down hard food such as seeds and thus helping digestion.

The gillaroo (Salmo stomachius), a richly colored species of trout found in Lough Melvin, a lake in the north of Ireland, has a gizzard which is used to aid the digestion of water snails, the main component of its diet.

Giblets consist of the heart, liver and gizzard of a bird, and are often eaten themselves or used as the basis for a soup or stock.

[citation needed] Stewed gizzards are eaten as a snack in Portugal, with a tomato based sauce.

In France, especially the Dordogne region, duck gizzards are eaten in the traditional Périgordian salad, along with walnuts, croutons and lettuce.

The gizzards of kosher species of birds have a green or yellowish membrane lining the inside, which must be peeled off before cooking, as it lends a very bitter taste to the food.

In traditional Eastern European Jewish cuisine, the gizzards, necks and feet of chickens were often cooked together, although not the liver, which per kosher law must be broiled.

In Indonesia, gizzard and liver (ati ampela) are considered part of a complete fried poultry dish.

In Japan, gizzard is called zuri or sunagimo; usually it is cooked in yakitori (Japanese style skewered barbecue).

In Taiwan, gizzards are often slow-cooked and served hot or cold in slices, with green onions and soy sauce.

Wuhan city in Hubei is famous for its brand of spicy gizzard, called jiujiuya (Simplified Chinese: 久久鸭).

In Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon and Nigeria, the gizzard of a cooked chicken is traditionally set aside for the oldest or most respected male at the table.

The Chamber of Commerce in Potterville, Michigan has held a Gizzard Fest each June since 2000; a gizzard-eating contest is among the weekend's events.