Gizzard

Thegizzard, also referred to as theventriculus,gastric mill, andgigerium, is anorganfound in thedigestive tractof some animals, includingarchosaurs(birdsand otherdinosaurs,crocodiles,alligators,pterosaurs),earthworms, somegastropods, somefish, and somecrustaceans. This specializedstomachconstructed of thick muscular walls is used for grinding up food, often aided by particles of stone or grit. In certaininsectsandmolluscs, the gizzard featureschitinousplates or teeth.
The wordgizzardcomes from theMiddle Englishgiser, which derives from a similar word inOld Frenchgésier, which itself evolved from theLatingigeria, meaninggiblets.
Birdsswallow food and store it in theircropif necessary. Then the food passes into their glandular stomach, also called theproventriculus, which is also sometimes referred to as the true stomach. This is the secretory part of the stomach. Then the food passes into the gizzard (also known as themuscular stomachorventriculus). The gizzard can grind the food withpreviously swallowed gritand pass it back to the true stomach, and vice versa. In layman's terms, the gizzard 'chews' the food for the bird because it does not have teeth to chew food the way humans and other mammals do.
By comparison, although in birds the stomach occurs in the digestive tract prior to the gizzard, in grasshoppers the gizzard occurs prior to the stomach, while in earthworms there is only a gizzard, and no stomach.
In order to protect the muscles of the gizzard, the organ has a multi-layered membrane - or gastric cuticle - made of koilin, a carbohydrate-protein complex (and not keratin as once believed) to protect the muscles.The thickness of this membrane varies with the types of food the animal eats, with diets heavier in grains, seeds, and insects creating thicker membranes than those consisting of fruits, worms, meat, and other softer edibles. In some animals the membrane is slowly worn and replaced over time, while others will discard the worn lining in its entirety periodically.
The lining is critical to the proper functioning of the gizzard, but in some animals it can play an additional role as well.  The malehornbill, for example, will fill its gizzard with fruit and then slough off the entire membrane to present it like a 'bag of fruit' to its mate during the nesting season.
Some animals that lack teeth will swallow stones or grit to aid in fragmenting hard foods. All birds have gizzards, but not all will swallow stones or grit. Those that do employ the following method of chewing:
These stones are calledgizzard stonesorgastrolithsand usually become round and smooth from the polishing action in the animal's stomach. When too smooth to do their required work, they may be excreted or regurgitated.
Pangolinslack teeth and grind their food in a gizzard-like structure alongside pebbles.
All birds have gizzards. The gizzards ofemus,turkeys,chickens, andducksare most notable in cuisine (see below).Crocodilianssuch asalligatorsandcrocodilesalso have gizzards.
Dinosaursthat are believed to have had gizzards based on the discovery of gizzard stones recovered near fossils include:
The belief thatClaosaurushad a gizzard has been discredited on the grounds that the fossil remains this claim was based on were another species and the stones merely from a stream.
At least some pterosaurs seemingly had gizzards. The most notable cases arePterodaustro(inferred via gastroliths) andRhamphorhynchus(directly preserved).
Carnivorous birds such asbirds of preyas well askiwishave membranuous gizzards as opposed to the sub-compressed gizzards of most birds.
Conversely, it is thought that some extinct birds likeEnantiornithesdid not have gizzards.
The mullet (Mugilidae) found inestuarinewaters worldwide, and the gizzard or mudshad, found in freshwater lakes and streams from New York to Mexico, have gizzards.
Thegillaroo(Salmo stomachius), a richly colored species oftroutfound inLough 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.
Some crustaceans have a gizzard although this is usually referred to as a gastric mill.
Earthwormsalso have gizzards.
Poultrygizzards are a popular food throughout the world.
Grilledchickengizzards are sold asstreet foodinHaitiand throughoutSoutheast Asia. They are consideredoffal.
Gibletsconsist of the heart, liver and gizzard of a bird, and are often eaten themselves or used as the basis for a soup or stock.
Gizzard and mashed potato is a popular dish in many European countries.
Stewed gizzards are eaten as a snack inPortugal, with a tomato based sauce.
InSpain, they are cooked on theplancha, and eaten while they are crispy on the outside.
InHungary, it is made withpaprikaaszúzapörkölt.
InFrance, especially theDordogneregion, duck gizzards are eaten in the traditionalPérigordiansalad, along withwalnuts,croutonsandlettuce.
InItaly, gizzards are often used mixed with otheroffal.
Ineastern Slaviccountries, gizzards are the basis of many soups, such asrassolnik.
InYiddish, gizzards are referred to aspupik'lech(also pipiklach, in its less normative form), literally meaningnavels. The gizzards ofkosherspecies 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 EuropeanJewish cuisine, the gizzards, necks and feet of chickens were often cooked together, although not theliver, which per kosher law must bebroiled. Kosher butchers often sell roasting chickens with the gizzard, neck and feet butchered and left in the cavity to be used for makingchicken soup.
InIndonesia, gizzard and liver (ati ampela) are considered part of a complete fried poultry dish.
InJapan, gizzard is calledzuriorsunagimo; usually it is cooked inyakitori(Japanese style skewered barbecue). InKyushu(southern Japan), gizzard is fried intokaraage.
InKorea, chicken gizzard, calleddak-ttongjip, is stir-fried and eaten asanjuoryasik. In some places, it is prepared raw and eaten mixed with garlic and onion.
InTaiwan, gizzards are often slow-cooked and served hot or cold in slices, with green onions and soy sauce. Skewered deep-fried gizzards withoutbatterare also popular and served on the menu of manyfried chicken stores.
InMainland China,duckgizzard is a common snack, eaten alongside other duck parts such as feet, neck, heart, tongue, or head.Areas famous for their gizzard areSichuanandHubeiprovinces.Wuhancity in Hubei is famous for its brand of spicy gizzard, calledjiujiuya(Simplified Chinese: 久久鸭). In Northern China, one can find barbecued duck gizzard.
The wordsangdanais commonly used to refer to chicken gizzards in NorthernIndia. The word is derived fromPersian(sang = stone and dana = grain). Another name ispathri. It may be served cooked in a curry, while barbecued skewered gizzards are also popular.
InKerala, vattum-karulum (literally translates to gizzard-liver curry) is a popular dish.
InIran, somekebabrestaurants mix chicken gizzards in theirkoobidehkebabs to increase the meat content. Gizzards are usually cooked at the same time along with chicken, packets of gizzards are also sold separately.
InNepal, gizzard is calledjaateyorpangra. It is eaten most often with drinks.
In thePhilippines, gizzard is called "Balun Balunan". It is usually cooked as a street food in a skewered barbecue style, though some households treat it like an entree. The most common style is "Adobo".
InGhanaandTogo, it is eaten boiled, fried or grilled. Grilled, skewered gizzards, with spices and optional green peppers and onions, are popular.
InNigeria, gizzard is either grilled or fried and served with stew and friedplantain, known asgizdodo.Skewered gizzards are also popular.
InKenya,Uganda,CameroonandNigeria, the gizzard of a cooked chicken is traditionally set aside for the oldest or most respected male at the table.
InUganda, gizzard and other giblets are now commonly sold separately in the frozen section of supermarkets.
Pickledturkeygizzards are a traditional food in some parts of theMidwestern United States. InChicago, gizzard is battered, deep fried and served withfrench friesand sauce. TheChamber of CommerceinPotterville, Michiganhas held a Gizzard Fest each June since 2000; a gizzard-eating contest is among the weekend's events.In theSouthern United States, the gizzard is typically served fried, sometimes eaten with hot sauce or honey mustard, or added tocrawfishboil along with crawfishsauce, and it is also used in traditional New Orleansgumbo.
InMexico, they are eaten with rice or with chicken soup. They are also served grilled and prepared scrambled with eggs, onions, garlic and salsa; and served with beans and tortillas for breakfast and other meals.
InTrinidad and Tobago, gizzards are curried and served with rice orrotibread; it can also be stewed.
The term "gizzards" can also, by extension, refer to the general guts, innards or entrails of animals.