Get the Most Flavor From Your Turkey Neck

When it comes to making homemade stuffing or dressing for your Thanksgiving turkey, don’t toss the turkey neck in the garbage! Simmering the turkey neck is the key to infusing your stuffing with maximum flavor. The neck contains cartilage, tendons and small bits of tasty meat that all add richness when cooked. Follow these simple steps to get the most out of your turkey neck when making giblet or homemade-style stuffing.

Why Use Turkey Neck?

The neck is one of the turkey giblets that comes tucked inside the cavity of a whole turkey. You’ll find it wrapped up along with the heart, liver and gizzard. Here’s why it’s worth taking the time to cook the neck for your stuffing:

• Adds flavor – Long, slow simmering draws out collagen and flavor from the neck bones, tendons and cartilage This infuses the stuffing with rich, savory turkey taste

• Moist texture – The gelatin released from the neck helps keep the stuffing moist.

• Meaty bits – Small bits of tasty meat can be picked off the cooked neck bones

• Tradition – Old-fashioned stuffing recipes often call for turkey neck. Honor the custom for authentic flavor.

Don’t let the neck go to waste. Use this flavor powerhouse ingredient to make your stuffing extra delicious.

Prepping and Cooking the Neck

Getting the most out of the turkey neck for your stuffing only takes a few simple steps:

• Remove neck – Reach inside the turkey cavity to remove giblet packet. Unwrap and reserve the neck.

• Cover with water – Place neck in a small pot and cover completely with cold salted water.

• Simmer – Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours.

• Check water level – Occasionally check pot and replenish water as needed to keep neck submerged.

• Test doneness – Meat should pull easily off the bones when fully cooked.

• Chop – Remove from water and chop meat into small pieces when cool enough to handle.

• Use – Add chopped neck meat to your favorite stuffing recipe.

The long, slow simmer makes the meat tender and draws out the collagen and flavor compounds into the cooking liquid.

Tips for Maximum Flavor

• Cook the neck in salted water or chicken broth for a savory base.

• Add some aromatics to the pot like onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and herbs. Their flavors will infuse into the neck and liquid.

• Reserve the neck cooking liquid to add to your stuffing. It makes a flavorful “head start” on the sauce.

• Chop or shred any little bits of meat you can pick off the cooked neck bones to mix into the stuffing.

• For even more richness, cook the other turkey giblets like heart, gizzard and liver along with the neck.

Sample Stuffing Recipe with Simmered Turkey Neck

Old-Fashioned Turkey Neck Stuffing

Ingredients:

• Turkey neck, cooked until tender (about 1 1⁄2 hours)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1⁄4 cup parsley, chopped
• 8 cups bread cubes
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1⁄4 cup turkey neck cooking liquid
• Salt, pepper, poultry seasoning to taste

Instructions:

1. Simmer turkey neck until tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours.
2. Sauté onion and celery 5 minutes until softened.
3. Chop any meat from neck; add to veggies.
4. Mix in bread cubes, egg, parsley and 1⁄4 cup turkey neck cooking liquid.
5. Season with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.
6. Bake in greased casserole at 350°F until browned, about 45 minutes.

The simmered turkey neck gives this old-fashioned bread stuffing incredible depth of flavor. Adjust cooking liquid to reach desired stuffing moisture level.

Make an Heirloom Family Recipe

Cooking the turkey neck for your Thanksgiving stuffing is a time-honored tradition that extracts maximum flavor from the bird. Simmer the neck low and slow to draw out the collagen and savor. Include chopped bits of neck meat and use the cooking liquid to add moistness and richness to your bread-based stuffing recipe. Your family will love this old-fashioned way of making stuffing taste delicious and homemade.