# Chitterlings and Gizzards?



## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

In the store here they sell big buckets of pork 'chitterlings'. I figured out that they are intestines, but is there any kind of nutritional value in them? 

What about chicken gizzards? Are they any better or different or worse then just chicken liver? They are about the same price.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I have no idea about the chitterlings, but the gizzards are considered muscle meat so they are different in that aspect than a liver.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I feed gizzards sometimes because they are cheap (and I eat them also) but alot of what they are made of seems like tough ligamenty-stuff that doesn't look like it has alot of nutrition in it.

No idea about chitterlings!


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## kady05 (Jul 29, 2011)

My grocery store sells chicken gizzards & hearts mixed together for pretty cheap, so I do feed them. They're cheap, and a good way to add some bulk to meals.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

I feed gizzards as they are cheap and for the reasons the others have said.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

kady05 said:


> My grocery store sells chicken gizzards & hearts mixed together for pretty cheap, so I do feed them. They're cheap, and a good way to add some bulk to meals.


Last time I bought gizzards and hearts, there was ONE heart. If it wasn't more trouble than it was worth, I would have taken it back as false advertising. Usually there are at least TWO hearts in there. Tyson - don't ever buy them if you actually want some hearts. At least at my store.


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

xellil said:


> Last time I bought gizzards and hearts, there was ONE heart. If it wasn't more trouble than it was worth, I would have taken it back as false advertising. Usually there are at least TWO hearts in there. Tyson - don't ever buy them if you actually want some hearts. At least at my store.


Yup! I don't normally buy the tyson, but when I saw the pack with gizzards and heart I got so excited....what a let down! One pack had ONE heart in it the other was better...had five...I'll stick with buying gizzards from the local farm, thanks!

As for the chitterlings, afraid I'm not much help. I would imagine that it's the bleached intestine linings for soups and stuff, so probably not much nutrition for the dogs


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

might not be nutritious, but chittlin's and pork hock...my oh my...

on the other hand, gizzards, hearts also num. 

oh. you're talking about the dogs.....LOL

funny, in all the time my dogs have eaten raw, they have never had chicken liver, gizzards or hearts


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

You already heard all about Gizzards(which my babes get, as long as I havent eaten them first!:wink

But Chittlins are the intestines of a pig(most of the time Ive seen them chopped up)....so Im guessing "chitterlings" are the same...


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

xellil said:


> Last time I bought gizzards and hearts, there was ONE heart. If it wasn't more trouble than it was worth, I would have taken it back as false advertising. Usually there are at least TWO hearts in there. Tyson - don't ever buy them if you actually want some hearts. At least at my store.


That's annoying isn't it? I was so mad when we found 2 of them in a full package of them for the cat... I started going elsewhere for them.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

The one time I tried cutting up a gizzard for Chelsy it seemed really tough and almost gritty inside. She had a really hard time trying to chew it so I wasn't sure if it was actually an edible thing. They are the same price as livers so maybe I will just stick to livers if there's nothing particularly special about the gizzards. 

I can't imagine humans eating them!! Then again, I have trouble eating anything that still resembles 'real' meat. I think I've seen too many surgeries..:tongue1: Make it into a hamburger or a chicken 'finger' and I'm okay with it.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

chowder said:


> The one time I tried cutting up a gizzard for Chelsy it seemed really tough and almost gritty inside. She had a really hard time trying to chew it so I wasn't sure if it was actually an edible thing. They are the same price as livers so maybe I will just stick to livers if there's nothing particularly special about the gizzards.
> 
> I can't imagine humans eating them!! Then again, I have trouble eating anything that still resembles 'real' meat. I think I've seen too many surgeries..:tongue1: Make it into a hamburger or a chicken 'finger' and I'm okay with it.


Snorkels is the same way. If I cut it into pieces so small I can barely see them, she can eat one. Otherwise it's a three minute chew for one little piece. I think in the scheme of things they really aren't great nutritionally.

Now for people - if you haven't eaten fried gizzards, you are missing out!


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## kady05 (Jul 29, 2011)

I must be lucky with the gizzards & hearts I get, there's always a ton of hearts in there! I found myself calling the hearts "cute" the other day.. oh my.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

kady05 said:


> I must be lucky with the gizzards & hearts I get, there's always a ton of hearts in there! I found myself calling the hearts "cute" the other day.. oh my.


Where do you get them? What brand?


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## kady05 (Jul 29, 2011)

xellil said:


> Where do you get them? What brand?


Food Lion.. I'm not sure what brand they were, and I don't have the packaging left. Next time I go, I'll look and let you know!


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Food Lion seems to have stuff that other stores don't have, and we don't have a Food Lion here. There was one close to my parents and it went out of business - I never understood why because everyone raved about it and they were always packed.


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## DeekenDog (Aug 29, 2011)

Deeken loves gizzards. Not sure about how nutritious they are but they're great for adding bulk to a meal and he literally does a happy dance as soon as he sees me pull out the gizzard package.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Intestines of any kind are useless to a dog when they are bleached. ANY intestines sold in a grocery store have to be bleached for health precaution purposes. The chitterlings are for sure bleached and therefore NOT nutritious to dogs unfortunately. 

Gizzards and hearts are really nutritious because they are loaded with mitochondria (cell powerhouses)!!!


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

xellil said:


> Food Lion seems to have stuff that other stores don't have, and we don't have a Food Lion here. There was one close to my parents and it went out of business - I never understood why because everyone raved about it and they were always packed.


Food Lion is great but BI-LO is another store in my area that has a wide variety...highly recommend if there is one in Indianapolis. Also, the prices can't be beat especially the sales! I primarily shop at the two stores for raw. You can buy all the chicken gizzards and hearts to your content. :smile:


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

kady05 said:


> I must be lucky with the gizzards & hearts I get, there's always a ton of hearts in there! I found myself calling the hearts "cute" the other day.. oh my.


I did this too the other day while cleaning the ducks. Drew just looked at me funny. :tongue:

I haven't tried Gizzards. When I clean the birds, I get grossed out cause their gizzards are packed with food and smell like crap so I toss them out. I was wondering about chitterlings but they look like plastic bags soooooo not appetizing IMO. HAHA


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

A very funny/pretty word that; "chitterlings" mmm chitterlings 
Here are some examples: look at those beautiful chitterlings haven't they got lovely wings.
Would madam like fries with her chitterlings?
I off to hospital to have my chitterlings removed.
Those chitterlings look very pretty on you.
Your chitterlings are very well behaved, I wish mine were.

You know it's funny why they use words like that instead of just intestines, and sweetbreads for thymus gland or pancreas.
Mountain oysters for goat testicles.
Creme anglaise instead of custard, sorry I realise I'm getting carried away here and off subject but I just couldn't help myself!
Stanley has just come in to see me and circle around and around and around before he settles down on the floor. Does anyone know why dogs do that, it's not like it actually achieves anything????


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## kady05 (Jul 29, 2011)

xellil said:


> Food Lion seems to have stuff that other stores don't have, and we don't have a Food Lion here. There was one close to my parents and it went out of business - I never understood why because everyone raved about it and they were always packed.


We only have a few actual Food Lion's left around here.. most of them have turned into Bloom or Bottom Dollar (I think that's what it's called).



Sprocket said:


> I did this too the other day while cleaning the ducks. Drew just looked at me funny. :tongue:


Yeah my fiance found it a little weird.. "Look at the cute little chicken heart!" :lol:


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

sozzle said:


> A very funny/pretty word that; "chitterlings" mmm chitterlings
> Here are some examples: look at those beautiful chitterlings haven't they got lovely wings.
> Would madam like fries with her chitterlings?
> I off to hospital to have my chitterlings removed.
> ...


always wondered that myself...and also the digging mine does as he circles to get his blankie just so. 

maybe when those phrases were coined, it was considered impolitic to use brains, rather than sweetbreads. i'll have to look some of these up.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

chowder said:


> The one time I tried cutting up a gizzard for Chelsy it seemed really tough and almost gritty inside. She had a really hard time trying to chew it so I wasn't sure if it was actually an edible thing. They are the same price as livers so maybe I will just stick to livers if there's nothing particularly special about the gizzards.
> 
> I can't imagine humans eating them!! Then again, I have trouble eating anything that still resembles 'real' meat. I think I've seen too many surgeries..:tongue1: Make it into a hamburger or a chicken 'finger' and I'm okay with it.


you've never had fried gizzards or gizzard gravy or any of the other gizzard dishes designed to clog your arteries 

gizzards, though, are not an organ, whilst livers are.....


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## kennyk (Sep 17, 2011)

fried gizzards are the best! a lot of asian bars have them here in Los Angeles. yummy! fried thripass(<- not sure how to spell it, intestines in spanish) burritos are quite amazing too lol


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## JayJayisme (Aug 2, 2009)

DaneMama said:


> Gizzards and hearts are really nutritious because they are loaded with mitochondria (cell powerhouses)!!!


Okay Natalie, this piqued my interest. I understand quite a bit about mitochondria cells. Almost all tissues in the body of an animal have them. If you have a mitochondrial disease, your body cannot produce enough energy, resulting in anything from tiredness, to chronic fatigue, to metabolic disease, and even organ failure. So obviously, keeping your and your dog's mitochondria healthy and functioning at peak levels will allow the cells to continue to produce sufficient ATP to meet the energy needs of the animal's body. 

My question is, how does eating mitochondria-rich meat translate into superior nutrition? I've never heard this so I'm just curious to know what the net result of eating tissue heavy with mitochondria is. Thanks. 

Jay


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## Grandiose (Apr 2, 2011)

I stock up on the gizzard/heart mix packs when they put them on sale...can usually get them for about 50 cents or so for a pound of them. They are sort of like snacks, I put them in baggies in the freezer and just thaw them and hand them out like cookies. I rarely include them in meals anymore, because like others have said, not much is really there!


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## leilaquinn (Sep 7, 2011)

Luigi likes chicken gizzards (at least enough to bet them down, though he dosn't seem thrilled with them) but will not eat chicken hearts AT ALL, even frozen he spits them out and sneezes. What IS a gizzard?


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

DaneMama said:


> Intestines of any kind are useless to a dog when they are bleached. ANY intestines sold in a grocery store have to be bleached for health precaution purposes. QUOTE]
> 
> I'm not sure on the bleaching thing. I know that the tripitas, I see being sold in the stores here, are pink in color with "clumps" of fat on them. Would bleached intestine still be pink and fatty?


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## Cliffdog (Dec 30, 2010)

Scarlett_O' said:


> You already heard all about Gizzards(which my babes get, as long as I havent eaten them first!:wink
> 
> But Chittlins are the intestines of a pig(most of the time Ive seen them chopped up)....so Im guessing "chitterlings" are the same...


The proper name is Chitterlings. Chitlins is just what we southern folks named em. We invent words that catch on, like y'all. lol


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Cliffdog said:


> The proper name is Chitterlings. Chitlins is just what we southern folks named em. We invent words that catch on, like y'all. lol


Ya...I grew up mostly in the south....that was why I wrote it the way I did....


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

down in da hood we be say'n' "chitlins", yah i mean.



chowder said:


> In the store here they sell big buckets of
> 
> >>>pork 'chitterlings'. <<<< I figured out that they are intestines, but is there any kind of nutritional value in them?
> 
> What about chicken gizzards? Are they any better or different or worse then just chicken liver? They are about the same price.


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