How to Smoke Turkey Necks Without a Smoker: The Ultimate Guide

Smoked Turkey Necks – Tender, flavor-packed, fall-off-the-bone turkey goes beautifully with all the Southern fixins for a non-traditionally traditional holiday meal. Turkey necks are totally underrated but great on their own. And they add loads of flavor to your favorite stews, soups, and veggies.

If you are a fan of no-waste cooking, this recipe has your name all over it. And even if you aren’t, you’ll still probably be surprised by how delicious this overlooked part of the turkey can taste when prepared properly.

My family was skeptical too, but when they tasted these smoked beauties, they were immediately convinced that turkey necks deserve their soul food status. Give this amazing recipe a try, and I guarantee you’ll never throw a turkey neck out again. In fact, you’ll probably find yourself adding turkey necks to your grocery list on the regular.

Smoked turkey necks are a delicious, juicy treat that can elevate any meal Their rich, savory flavor pairs perfectly with greens, beans, pasta, and more But you don’t need an actual smoker to achieve that irresistible smoky flavor. With a few simple techniques, you can learn how to smoke turkey necks right in your oven or on your grill.

Why Smoke Turkey Necks?

Smoking infuses the turkey necks with a sweet, smoldering flavor that seeps down to the bone. It also helps tenderize the meat, resulting in turkey necks so moist they’re falling off the bone. Smoked turkey necks make excellent additions to soups, stews, collard greens, and potato salads. Plus, they can be an appetizer all on their own, lightly seasoned or dipped in your favorite barbecue sauce.

How to Smoke Turkey Necks Without a Smoker

You’ll need:

Raw turkey necks, rinsed and patted dry
Smoking wood chips – apple, cherry, hickory, mesquite
Foil or parchment paper
A roasting pan or oven-safe dish
Spices and seasonings of your choice

Oven Method

The oven method allows you to hot smoke the turkey necks, infusing them with flavor. Here’s how:

Soak wood chips in water for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain well.
Preheat oven to 225°F. Line a roasting pan with foil or parchment paper.
Place drained wood chips in the bottom of the lined pan. Arrange turkey necks on a roasting rack over top. Make sure necks aren’t touching wood chips.
Season turkey necks with spices like paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Roast necks for 2-3 hours, until fork tender and cooked through
During cooking, replenish wood chips as needed to keep smoke going.
Let turkey necks rest 10 minutes before serving.

Grill Method

You can also smoke turkey necks on a charcoal or gas grill using indirect heat:

Soak wood chips as directed above.
Prepare grill for low, indirect cooking over one side. If using charcoal, bank lit coals on one side.
Drain wood chips and place in a foil pouch. Poke holes in pouch. Place pouch over direct heat source.
Place turkey necks over indirect heat, as far from wood chip pouch as possible.
Grill with the grill lid closed for 1-2 hours with vents open, until necks reach 165°F.
Refresh wood chips as needed to maintain smoke.
Let necks rest 10 minutes before serving.

Liquid Smoke Method

For an easy shortcut, you can use liquid smoke to impart smoky flavor:

Place turkey necks in a baking dish in a single layer.
Brush necks liberally with liquid smoke on all sides.
Cover dish tightly with foil.
Bake at 300°F for 1 1⁄2 – 2 hours until fork tender.
Uncover and broil 3-5 minutes to caramelize.

While this method doesn’t provide actual smoking, it does give the turkey necks a pronounced smoky essence.

Tips for Maximum Flavor

Combine smoking methods. Try soaking necks in a brine containing liquid smoke before oven or grill smoking.
Smoke for a longer period of time at a lower temperature. This allows the flavor to really permeate the meat.
Look for turkey necks with skin and fat attached for added moisture and flavor.
Apply a spice rub before smoking. Dry seasonings work best.
Use flavorful wood chips like hickory, pecan, apple, or cherry. Stay away from harsh mesquite.
Allow the smoked necks to rest before chopping or shredding to maximize juiciness.

With the right techniques, you can enjoy succulent, smoked turkey necks with that quintessential smoky essence, even without using a traditional smoker. Experiment with different wood chips, seasonings and smoking methods to discover your favorite way to savor these finger-licking delicious turkey necks.

how to smoke turkey necks without a smoker

Reasons I Love Smoking Turkey Necks

My number one reason is that turkey necks are finger-lickin’ good and add a ton of flavor to any recipe! That in itself makes them a no-brainer. Still, there are other good reasons to fall in love. They’re actually nutritious and have way more meat on them than chicken or pork neck bones. Turkey necks, in my opinion, are a fabulous gem in Southern cooking so let’s get cooking! ‍

Turkey Necks – Obvs, you’ll need these necks to kick off this tasty recipe. One package with a couple of pounds worth of meat will do.
Turkey Neck Marinade – You’ll need oil and vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, brown sugar, and some good ole S&P to make a marinade for the necks before smoking.

How to Smoke Turkey Necks

Prep the Turkey Necks

Clean – Remove the turkey necks from their packaging and pat them dry with a clean paper towel to remove any excess liquid. Then place them in a large bowl. (Photo 1)
Make the Marinade – Mix the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. (Photos 2-3)
Marinate – Pour the marinade over the turkey necks and mix well until they are fully coated in marinade. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge until you are ready to smoke. Marinate for up to 24 hours. (Photos 4-5)

Smoke the Turkey Necks

Preheat Smoker – Add your choice of wood or pellets to the smoker and preheat it to 250℉/120℃.
Start Smoking – Place the turkey necks directly on the smoker racks. (Photo 6)
Finish Smoking – Cover and smoke for two to four hours, moving them around occasionally for even cooking. Smoke until the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 165℉/74℃.
Serve – When cooked, remove the turkey necks from the smoker, let them rest for about 5 minutes, and serve.

I love the flavor you get when smoking turkey necks, but you could roast them in the oven or even cook them in your Instant Pot or slow cooker. Cooking times will vary depending on the method you use, obviously.
Feel free to customize the seasonings in the marinade however you like. Basically, anything you want to season turkey meat with will work.

Sometimes some parts of the smoker get hotter than other parts. That’s why you move the necks around occasionally as they cook. You know your smoker, so just use your best judgment here.
You’ll know when the necks are cooked when a meat thermometer shows 165℉/75℃.
Most of the time, turkey necks come packaged whole. You can cut these guys into smaller pieces before marinating or leave them whole, whatever you prefer.

I recommend marinating turkey necks for 24 hours before smoking. Then your prep work is done, and all you need to do is smoke them. However, you can make these a few days in advance if you want, as long as you refrigerate them. You can also freeze turkey necks for three months if you’re going to make them way ahead of time.

The ONLY Way to Make Mouth Watering Smoked Turkey Necks

FAQ

Can I smoke a turkey on a regular grill?

You can use a gas or charcoal grill for this recipe. Regardless, you will want a good-quality grill thermometer to measure the temperature inside and avoid overcooking your turkey. Check the meat at multiple points with a probe thermometer to ensure it is fully cooked and safe to eat.

Can you smoke turkey in a pan?

You can either smoke your turkey directly on the grates of your smoker with a drip tray below it or in a roasting pan on a rack. I prefer to use the roasting pan because I like to collect the turkey drippings to use in gravy or roasted potatoes.

How to smoke a turkey and finish in the oven?

Absolutely. 3 hrs of smoke at 200-220 if your outside temps can hold that, then finish in oven at oh, say about 250 till internal temp is 150, then take it out and “tent” it (cover with foil), for half to one hour and internal temp should come up to safe level. If you don’t have a meat probe thermometer, get one.

Do you rinse smoked turkey necks?

How do you clean smoked turkey necks? If the turkey necks look like they need a good cleaning, you can rinse them with water and cut off any excess membrane. Be careful when cutting membrane off wet necks, though – they can be slippery. And pat them dry before you marinate them.

How do you smoke a turkey neck?

Learn to smoke turkey necks so they are tender and fall off the bone. Clean and prep your turkey necks. Mix olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.cy. Then just let the necks marinate in the overnight. Go ahead and preheat your smoker at 250°F. Make sure to close the lid of the smoker.

Is it dangerous to quit vaping nicotine cold turkey?

Quitting vaping nicotine ‘cold turkey’ is not dangerous, but it can be very unpleasant. This is because nicotine alters the way your brain functions such that your body feels dependent on it. Some of the unpleasant side effects of quitting abruptly are tremors, headaches, and nausea. These side effects can make it very hard to quit and often cause people to relapse. Fortunately, these unpleasant side effects can be partially or completely avoided by gradually cutting down your use instead of quitting abruptly. Your primary care physician can help you design a plan to quit vaping nicotine.

Are smoked turkey necks good?

Can smoked turkey necks be refrigerated?

Store leftover turkey necks in an airtight container. You can either refrigerate them for 3-5 days or freeze them for three months. To reheat smoked turkey necks, pop them in your microwave or air fryer for a few minutes until heated through. You can also plop them into soups or stews as you cook.