For as long as I can remember, my mom has prepared broth for gravy using turkey necks.
Simmering turkey necks with veggies and savory seasonings makes a richly flavored broth that’s whisked into delicious velvety gravy!
This gravy has so much flavor, plus it lets the chef use up the whole turkey.
The turkey neck is often overlooked when cooking a whole turkey but it’s actually very versatile and delicious when prepared properly. If you’re wondering what to do with your turkey neck this Thanksgiving, here are 10 great ideas to make the most of this underutilized part of the bird.
Make Turkey Neck Stock
One of the best uses for a turkey neck is to make an intensely flavored homemade turkey stock. Simmer the neck in water with vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery plus fresh herbs. After several hours of simmering, strain the liquid to get a rich, golden turkey broth perfect for soups, stews, gravy, or risottos. The collagen in the neck gives the stock extra body. Making your own turkey stock is inexpensive, easy, and far tastier than anything from a can or carton.
Braise the Turkey Neck
Braising is a great cooking method for tougher meats like turkey necks. Brown the neck first in a little oil, then slowly simmer it in broth or wine until fork tender. Turkey necks pair especially well with bold seasonings like smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, or adobo. Add veggies like onions, carrots, potatoes, or peppers. Served over rice or polenta, braised turkey necks are fall-off-the-bone tender and full of flavor.
Make Delicious Gravy
Once you’ve made turkey neck stock, transform it into the most scrumptious gravy by thickening it with a roux. Cook equal parts fat and flour together, then whisk in the stock Simmer until thickened. For ultimate flavor, use the defatted drippings from your roasted turkey instead of butter or oil in the roux. Giblets can be simmered in the stock too Turkey neck gravy has unbeatable old-fashioned flavor.
Use in Beans or Soup
Add smoked, braised, or raw turkey necks to dishes like bean soups, chilis, chicken noodle soup, or vegetable soup. The neck meat will impart extra richness and body. Just remove the neck bones before serving. Beans especially benefit from the extra collagen that simmers out of turkey necks.
Make Turkey Neck Chicharrones
For a crispy, crackly snack, try turning turkey necks into chicharrones. Simmer them in a flavorful broth until tender, then deep fry until puffed and golden brown. Toss with spices like smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, or chili lime seasoning. Turkey neck chicharrones make a fun high-protein, low-carb snack.
Smoke Turkey Necks for Sandwiches
Turkey necks take wonderfully to smoking. Rub with a spice blend, then smoke low and slow until fall-apart tender. Shred or chop the meat and pile it onto sandwiches. The rich, smokey meat pairs great with spicy BBQ sauce, pickles, and slaw on a bun. Pulled smoked turkey neck is budget-friendly but tastes just as good as pulled pork.
Use in Jambalaya or Gumbo
In Cajun and Creole cooking, turkey necks are right at home. Add them to jambalaya, gumbo, or red beans and rice. The smoky meat enriches the dish. If the neck still has skin on, it’ll melt down and add body. Browning the necks first amplifies their flavor. Turkey necks are cheaper than andouille or tasso ham.
Make Dog Treats
Pets go crazy over turkey necks as a crunchy treat. Raw, cooked, or dried turkey necks are a healthy, natural chew. The necks clean dogs’ teeth better than processed rawhide treats. Supervise pets as turkey bones can be a choking hazard if swallowed in large chunks. For safety, some people prefer to grind up cooked necks before feeding to pets.
Turn into Turkey Bone Broth
After making stock and removing the meat, simmer turkey necks even longer to extract their beneficial collagen, minerals, and nutrients. Add an acid like vinegar or lemon juice to help draw out nutrients from the bones. Strain and use this mineral-rich turkey bone broth in soups, stews, sauces, or drink as a nourishing beverage. Sipping bone broth has gut-healing and anti-inflammatory properties.
Grind for Meat Extender
Cooked, shredded turkey neck meat makes an excellent burger or meatloaf extender. Use a food processor to finely grind cooked neck meat. Mix with ground beef or turkey to add moisture and stretch your meat budget. The mild turkey flavor won’t compete with the other meat. For healthy pets, grind turkey necks to mix into homemade dog food too.
What Are Turkey Necks?
- Turkey necks are dark meat which is flavor packed. When preparing a whole turkey for roasting, the neck and giblets are often inside and should be removed before roasting.
- In this recipe, turkey necks are browned for flavor and used to make broth. You can add the giblets too if you’d like.
- The simmering part of this recipe can be done months ahead (and frozen), so the gravy is easy to prepare at meal time.
- You can buy packages of turkey necks in the refrigerator or freezer section of most grocery stores, they’re fairly inexpensive. If you don’t see them, ask the grocer.
Ingredients for Turkey Neck Gravy
Turkey Necks – Save the necks and giblets that are often packed in the cavity of the turkey! Most grocers will sell turkey necks separately, or you can order them in advance. Necks should be thawed before browning.
Vegetables – Much like making turkey broth or stock, vegetables add flavor.
Broth – Our family has always made this using reduced-sodium broth with the necks for an intense and flavorful gravy. If you’d prefer, you can use water and add bouillon cubes, but we do find boxed broth to give the best results.
Seasonings/Herbs – Use fresh herbs if you have them. If not, dried herbs are just as good in this gravy recipe.
Save the drippings (both the fat and the juices) from roasting the turkey!
Use the fat in place of butter, and be sure to scrape up any brown bits with a wooden spoon and cook them into the broth for more flavor!
Tone A Turkey Neck With This 1 Minute Daily Facial Exercise
FAQ
What do you do with the neck skin of a turkey?
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