Turkey Neck Recipe – Simple & Delicious

If you want to try something different this holiday season, you can follow this turkey neck recipe. It’s smothered in rich flavorful gravy with tender turkey necks.

What I love about this recipe is that turkey necks are tender, with a thick coating of homemade gravy and it only takes 15 minutes to prepare. Whether you are cooking this for yourself or your family, this recipe is surely going to leave you satisfied.

You can make this recipe in an instant pot, pressure cooker, or oven. If you are short on time, I prefer using an instant pot as it cooks the turkey within an hour or so.

The buttery gravy with meat is the perfect comfort food for holidays while you are craving spicy food. You can either serve it with steamed rice, buns, or noodles.

I like to serve smothered turkey necks with rice, or mashed potatoes. If I have extra time, I like to serve it with Hong Kong noodles, or coconut pasta. You can also serve this with smoked cornbread or dinner rolls.

Ingredients

Seasoning blend

• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1 tsp thyme

Smothered Turkey Necks

• 3 lbs turkey necks
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil/ butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 7 garlic cloves
• 2 celery, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp dried sage
• 3 tbsp of seasoning blend
• 3 tbsp flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 4 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

1. Mix all the herbs and prepare the seasoning blend. Store it in an air-tight jar for over a year.
2. Take turkey necks in a large bowl, and sprinkle 3 tbsp of the seasoning blend you just prepared. Massage the spices into the meat.
3. Take an instant pot, and put it on saute mode. Add oil, or butter along with turkey necks. Fry the necks for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown. Set them aside in a bowl.
4. Lower the heat of the pot, and add the remaining butter with onions, pepper, and celery. Cook for 5-6 minutes until soft.
5. Add garlic, bay leaves, 1 tbsp seasoning blend, and sage. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Add all-purpose flour and make sure it is coating all the vegetables.
7. Cook the flour for 2-3 minutes, and whisk in the chicken stock, lemon juice, and soy sauce.
8. Make sure to deglaze the pan, and reduce the gravy by boiling it.
9. Add turkey necks to the pot and secure the lid. Pressure cook for 50-60 minutes until the meat is tender.
10. Once the meat is cooked, transfer the necks to a serving dish, and if your gravy is not thick enough, you can cook it for 5-6 minutes to reduce the moisture.
11. Pour the gravy on top of turkey necks, and sprinkle with green onions and cilantro.

How to Make Turkey Necks in an Oven

If you don’t have an instant pot, you can also prepare turkey necks in the oven, just follow these instructions.

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.
2. Place turkey necks in a bowl, and rub in the seasoning blend.
3. Add butter and oil to the dutch oven. Once hot, add turkey necks and cook for 5-6 minutes until brown.
4. Set aside the turkey necks in a bowl.
5. Add butter to the pot over low heat, and melt it. Stir in onions, bell pepper, and celery. Cook the vegetables for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add garlic, 1 tbsp of seasoning blend, sage, and bay leaves. Cook for another minute.
7. Add flour to the vegetables, along with the chicken stock, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Reduce the heat and constantly stir the mixture to make sure there are no lumps.
8. Add turkey necks to the pot and cover the lid with foil. Transfer the pot to the hot oven and bake for 2-3 hours. Make sure to stir after one hour.
9. After two hours remove to check if the meat is cooked, if it’s not, you can pop it in the oven for another hour.
10. Once cooked, transfer the turkey necks to a serving dish, and top it off with gravy. Serve with steamed rice or garlic noodles.

Chef Notes

• While browning turkey necks, make sure the flame isn’t too high as it will burn the sides of the pan.
• Substitute half a cup of chicken broth with white wine to add more flavor to the dish.
• If you feel like the gravy is too runny, you can thicken the sauce by either reducing it on the stove or adding cornstarch.

Other Recipes to Try

• Smoked Turkey Wings
• Beef Broccoli
• Jamaican Seasoned Rice
• Thai Red Curry
• Lemon Garlic Pasta

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1

Calories: 340kcal	Carbohydrates: 17g
Protein: 40g	Cholesterol: 260mg
Fat: 22g	Sugar: 4g