Can You Eat the Turkey Neck? Recipes, Deep Frying Tips, Cleaning, Uses

Fried turkey necks are delicious and certainly shouldn’t be wasted! Here are some fried turkey neck recipes for you to try out today, along with tips for cleaning, whether or not they’re good eating a whole lot more you need to know. Keep on reading for everything turkey necks.

Let’s find out more about fried turkey neck recipes and what else you can do with turkey necks.

Fried Turkey Necks: Can I Actually Eat Them?

Believe it or not, there is so much more to turkey than just Thanksgiving. Of course, we love the bird as the star of a holiday meal, but if that’s the only time you’re eating it, you’re missing out.

One of the reasons people don’t often eat turkey throughout the year is due to its cost. Buying a whole turkey can be on the more expensive side, but if you know how to use the entire product in your cooking, it actually becomes a great value.

Turkey neck is an often overlooked part of the bird, but with the right recipes, you can make it delicious. Below, we’ve rounded up three southern-style recipes for turkey neck so you can make the most out of this ingredient.

Even though we’re ALL about the deep fried turkey here at this website, we can appreciate a little variety as well! That’s why we’re bringing you some of our favourite recipes here.

What to do With Turkey Neck? Top 6 Recipe Ideas

There are a number of things you can do with turkey necks! Here are some of the best ideas:

1. Turkey Neck Skillet with Vegetables

If you grew up eating chicken necks, you should consider substituting turkey neck in your favorite recipes. They have a similar flavor and a lot more meat, so you can stretch a dish even further and feed more mouths.

If you don’t have experience with cooking or eating this part of the animal, now is a great time try something new.

This turkey neck skillet with vegetables, adapted from the website Mom’s Dish, is a simple, one skillet meal. It will satisfy your family or friends and is easy enough for a weeknight.

Ingredients:

• Turkey Necks, four pounds
• Carrots, three
• Onions, one
• Bay Leaves, four
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil

Method for this Turkey Neck Stew:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut turkey necks into large pieces that will fit inside your selected, oven-safe skillet
3. Cut onions in half, and slice into large half-moon shapes
4. Clean and peel carrots, then cut into half-inch pieces
5. Heat oil in a skillet over high heat
6. Add turkey neck pieces and cook until browned all over
7. Remove turkey necks from skillet and set aside
8. Add onions and carrots to the same skillet and cook until softened and just browned
9. Return turkey necks to skillet with vegetables and season with salt. Add one cup of water to the skillet.
10. Place skillet in oven and cook for an hour and a half, or until turkey neck meat is falling off the bone
11. Serve warm, with a side of rice or potatoes

2. Jamaican Turkey Neck Recipe

Hot and spicy, enjoy this recipe with a nice cold beer or cup of ice tea. Keep on reading to find out how to cook turkey necks on the stove.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of turkey necks cut into 2-4 cm pieces
• Fresh lime
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon jerk seasoning
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ cup lime juice fresh
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• Dash of freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1 large onion, sliced

Method for this Jamaican Turkey Neck Recipe:

1. Clean the turkey necks with lime juice (or vinegar works well too). Put them into a bowl and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Add the jerk seasoning, garlic salt and lime juice. Let sit for 30 minutes-1 hour.
3. In a heavy pan (cast iron works well), add oil and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add turkey necks and marinade and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes. Add water only when necessary. Cook until meat is tender (may require up to 1 hour). Stir as needed.
4. Add onion and let cook another few minutes until tender.
5. Remove from heat and serve with rice or roasted potatoes. You can add some cilantro for color.

Jamaican Turkey Neck Recipe

Here’s another recipe that you can try out:

Check out our Favourite Turkey Deep Fryers

If you’re looking for something to deep fry turkey or other large cuts of meat, then you’ll want to check out this handy comparison chart below for all of our favourite options:

3. Giblet Gravy with Turkey Neck

Gravy of any kind is a classic southern dish because it makes anything you serve with it taste even more delicious. This gravy from Paula Deen, the undisputed queen of southern cooking, makes use of turkey necks and other often underused turkey parts.

This gravy makes a delicious accompaniment to deep-fried turkey, and would be great served with stuffing or roasted vegetables.

Ingredients:

• Giblets from the turkey, cooked. This includes the turkey neck, heart, liver and gizzard
• Turkey stock or broth (or chicken stock or broth), four cups
• Chicken bouillon cubes, two
• Poultry seasoning, two teaspoons
• Uncooked cornbread stuffing, two tablespoons
• Cornstarch, three tablespoons
• Cold water, 1/3 cup
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• One sliced hard-boiled egg

Method:

1. 1. Chop the cooked giblets and the cooked meat removed from the turkey neck into small pieces
   2. In a small saucepot, bring the turkey stock or broth (or chicken if using) to a boil
   3. To the boiling stock, add the giblets and neck meat, the bouillon cubes, the poultry seasoning and the raw stuffing
   4. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water to create a cornstarch slurry
   5. Add the slurry to the boiling stock mixture, stirring constantly
   6. Reduce the heat and continue to cook the stock mixture for two to three minutes
   7. Add the salt and pepper to taste, then add the sliced boiled egg
   8. Serve warm.

What are Giblets in a Turkey?

Giblets in a turkey are the bundle of things that can be found inside some whole turkeys that you buy at the store. The giblet bag often includes the neck, gizzard (grinding food muscle), heart and liver. Many people use turkey gizzards to add extra flavour to gravy or to feed to their pets.

 Shop for a Turkey Deep Fryer

Do you want fried turkey necks? It’s an inexpensive way to have a delicious family meal, and not just around Thanksgiving. To get the job done, you’ll want to check out some of our top turkey deep fryers, for both indoor and outdoor use:

4. Curried Turkey Neck Stew

So you want to know what to do with a turkey neck? Then check out this short video to find out everything you need to know about making curried turkey necks. Then, serve these turkey necks over rice for a delicious meal. Oh, and make extra because you’ll want leftovers of this one.

5. Fried Turkey Necks

The true southern way to cook anything is to fry it, and that is definitely true of turkey. Fried foods call to mind summer picnics or lazy weekends. They are great for feeding a crowd and make a gathering of friends and family even more festive.

With a recipe as delicious as these fried turkey necks, adapted from the website Mahogany Cooks, you want to make sure it comes out perfectly every time. Having the right equipment is the key to making sure your recipe is a success. Turkey frying pots  and a top-quality outdoor turkey deep fryer make it easy to fry different parts of the turkey all year round.

Ingredients

1. 1. • One package of turkey necks (look for one with five-six turkey necks per package, as that will give you the right size for each neck)
      • Your favorite brand of creole seasoning, to taste
      • All-purpose flour, enough to coat the turkey necks
      • Salt and pepper, to taste
      • Oil for frying

Method

1. 1. 1. Rinse turkey neck pieces and cut them in half length-wise
      2. Season them with creole seasoning and add them to a pot of cold water
      3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for an hour to an hour and a half, until necks are tender
      4. Drain turkey necks and let cool
      5. Meanwhile, season all-purpose flour with salt and pepper to taste
      6. When turkey necks are completely cool, coat in flour fixture
      7. Add frying oil to your turkey frying pot and bring oil to heat
      8. Fry turkey necks in hot oil on all sides until golden brown
      9. Serve warm with your favorite side dishes

Do you Need a Deep Fryer? 

We personally prefer frying turkey necks in a deep fryer because it’s far safe than in a pot of boiling oil on the stove. Here are some of our top options that you might want to consider:

6. Southern Style Turkey Neck Recipe

If you want a soul food turkey neck recipe, then you’ll need to check out this video on YouTube. It’s Southern-style delicious to the max, and we’re confident that you’ll love it as much as we do.

How to Cook Turkey Necks so that They’re Tender

If you’ve ever had turkey necks before, you’ll know that they can sometimes be a little bit tough if you don’t cook them correctly. If you deep fry them, then it’s usually no problem and they’ll be delicious!

However, if you stew, or braise them, then the key is a long cooking time with lots of liquid. At minimum, you’ll want to cook them on low for at least a couple of hours. If the liquid starts to get boiled off, add another cup or two so that your turkey necks are mostly immersed.

An ideal way to do this is in a slow cooker, although a pressure cooker can get the job done far more quickly. The stovetop works well too.

Can I Cook Turkey Necks in the Oven?

A common question that people have is if we have a recipe for cooking turkey necks in the oven. As with cooking them on the stove on in a slow-cooker, the key is liquid. Here’s a simple method:

• Clean and then season turkey necks with salt and pepper
• Put them in a baking dish with a tight fitting lid (or use tin foil)
• Add 3-4 cloves of garlic and 1 cup of water or stock
• Cook for 3-4 hours at 350.
• Check every hour to make sure there’s still liquid in the baking dish. If not, add another cup.
• The meat is done when it starts to fall off the bone, and is ideal for something like tacos or enchiladas.

Ready to Start Cooking Turkey Like Never Before?

Recipes like these are a great way to get started if you want to branch out and experiment with cooking turkey neck. There are plenty more like them as well, which will make you comfortable with cooking this part of the turkey. The more you try, the easier it will be to incorporate this into your cooking rotation.

The bottom line is, turkey is good for much more than just Thanksgiving dinner. The meat is flavorful, and there are lots of different methods for cooking it. From roasting to frying, cooking turkey on any night of the year should be easy.

If you want to experiment with different ways to cook turkey, or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time. And of course, if you need a turkey fryer, check out the following for help in choosing the one for you:

Indoor Turkey Fryers

Outdoor Turkey Fryers

Turkey Neck FAQs

There are a number of popular questions that people have about eating and using this part of the turkey. Here are the answers to some of the most common ones.

Can Dogs Eat Turkey Necks?

If you’re a dog owner, you may want to know whether dogs can eat turkey necks. Even the most adamant bone feeders agree that turkey necks are too large and can cause problems. The purpose of bones are to clean teeth so they should be a mid-range size where the dog can chew on them, but not gulp them down.

How to Clean Turkey Necks?

Do you want to know how to clean your turkey necks before using them in a recipe? Here are a few quick tips:

• Cut the turkey necks into 2-3 pieces (optional)
• Use a sharp knife to trim away any membranes
• Wash with a mixture of half water, half vinegar
• Rinse well with fresh water
• (Optional) Marinade overnight
• Cook and enjoy!

How Long Does it Take to Cook Turkey Necks?

The length of time turkey necks require vary with your cooking method, ranging from a few minutes to 8 hours.

If you deep fry them, it’ll just take a few minutes. Of course, you have to heat up the oil and then clean-up can be a little bit time-consuming.

A pressure cooker is the next fastest, and you can get the job done in under an hour. On the stove will take you a couple of hours, and in the oven, 3-4.

Finally, you may want to use a slow cooker, which will take 6-8 hours. It’s the longest, but also the most hands off method.

What’s the best? It really is up to you, but please remember to not cut the cooking time short in order to have the best results in terms of tender, falling off the bone meat.

Are Turkey Necks Good Eating?

Turkey necks are good eating as long as you cook them properly. Some good options are deep fried turkey necks, or else you might want to braise or stew them for a long time with an adequate amount of liquid.

Do you Cook the Turkey Neck with the Turkey?

Most people don’t cook the turkey neck with the turkey because it’ll be too tough to eat in most cases. Instead, consider boiling it over low heat for an hour or two, along with the giblets to make a broth for the gravy. Or, consider deep frying, stewing or braising them for a separate meal.

How do I Remove Meat from a Turkey Neck?

To remove meat from a turkey neck, you’ll need to braise, stew or boil it for at least an hour in a good amount of liquid. At the end of this time, it’ll be much easier to remove the meat from it.

Do Turkey Necks have Bones?

Yes, turkey necks have bones. The ratio of bone to meat is about 10%, with there being lots of meat on them. It’s usually quite easy to bend or break apart the bones in the neck for cooking or eating purposes.

How Many Calories are in Turkey Necks?

A 4 oz serving of turkey neck has 180 calories, with 50% of those calories being from fat. Of course, it depends on how you prepare it and doing something like deep frying turkey necks will result in far more calories than that per serving.

Are Turkey Necks Edible?

When properly cooked, turkey necks are certainly edible. Roast them in the oven at low heat, braise or deep fry for tender meat that falls off the bone.

How can you Tell if Turkey Necks are Bad?

You can tell if turkey necks are bad by checking the texture and smell. The skin becomes slimy and the smell may be like rotten eggs or sulfur. You should discard the turkey neck and not eat it if this is the case.

Have your Say about these Turkey Neck Recipes

What’s your go-to recipe for turkey necks? Jamaican, Southern-style, or deep fried? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. It’ll help other turkey neck enthusiasts, like yourself find this useful resource.

Last update on 2021-08-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API