Smothered Turkey Necks
These Smothered Turkey Necks are the best! The meat is falling off-the-bone tender and juicy and smothered in a homemade gravy seasoned with onions and cajun seasoning. This beloved Southern classic tastes just like it came from your grandma’s kitchen.
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Why This Recipe is So Good
If you grew up eating turkey necks with gravy then this recipe tastes like your childhood. The meat is so delicious, perfectly tender, and filled with so much flavor.
Great for meal prep. Even though these smothered turkey necks take a while to cook on the stove, this recipe makes great leftovers. You can easily double this recipe, portion it out and freeze it for easy homemade freezer meals. Serve with collard greens, rice or mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie during the holidays or for Sunday dinners.
Recipe Ingredients
- Turkey necks. I used 7-8 whole turkey necks. You can ask your butcher to cut them into smaller pieces to make browning the meat and cooking them a bit easier.
- Vegetables. Diced onions and green bell peppers. You can add minced garlic and/or celery if you like.
- Chicken broth. Adds so much flavor to the homemade gravy. Turkey stock or broth can be used as well.
- Flour. Used to make the roux to make the gravy. Any flour will do here.
- Cajun seasoning. Homemade or store-bought seasoning. Depending on the brand it can be spicy, and it adds a ton of flavor to the meat and gravy. Add extra cayenne pepper to amp up the heat if you like spice.
How to Cook Smothered Turkey Necks
All ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Start by cleaning your turkey necks with lemon juice/ white vinegar and cold water. Allow them to soak in a large pot for a few minutes, then rinse and pat the turkey necks dry really well with paper towels.
- Rub with vegetable oil, salt and pepper.
- Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat with a little bit more oil. Working in batches, sear turkey necks on all sides until nicely browned, 3 – 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate, then set aside.
- In the same stock pot, add a bit more oil then brown onions and green bell peppers until soft, another 5 – 7 minutes.
- Make the gravy. Add 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pot with the vegetables then whisk in the flour and seasonings. Cook for another 1 – 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste. Whisk in the chicken broth, and then add the turkey necks back to the pot. Bring the gravy up the a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid then allow turkey necks to cook for 2 hours. Stir every once in a while so the necks don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed, then serve with steamed rice or cornbread. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Smothered Turkey Neck Bones
- Steamed rice to soak up the gravy
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread or Cornbread Muffins
- Homemade Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
- Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Heavy Cream
- Green Beans with Mushrooms
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms
Frequently Asked Questions —
Turkey necks take 2 hours to cook and become tender when cooked on the stove.
You can smothered turkey necks like in this recipe or you can use them to make turkey broth or stock.
Allow your turkey necks to soak with lemon juice or vinegar and water for a few minutes to help draw out the impurities. Rinse the turkey necks, then pat them dry with paper towels. Trim off any excess skin before browning over the stove.
During the holidays(November – December) many grocery stores sell turkey necks behind the meat counter. Depending on where you live, they might be available year-round, or you can go to your local butcher shop. You can ask your butcher to cut them into pieces for you. If not, no worries, the necks will break into smaller pieces easily once they’re tender.
Looking For More Recipes?
- Cajun Smothered Turkey Wings
- Smothered Chicken Wings
- Baked BBQ Turkey Wings
- Smoked Turkey Salad Sandwich
- Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits
- Jalapeno Honey Cornbread
- Blue Corn Cornbread Muffins
- Southern Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
- Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes with Whipped Cinnamon Butter
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Smothered Turkey Necks
Equipment
- 1 Chef knife
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
- 3 lb turkey neckbones cut in half or thirds, fully thawed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup onion diced 1 small onion
- 1 cup green bell pepper 1 small pepper
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth homemade or low-sodium store-bought broth
- 1 cup of water
Instructions
- Start by cleaning your turkey necks with lemon juice/ white vinegar and cold water. Allow them to soak in a large pot for a few minutes, then rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Trim off any excess fat.
- Rub with vegetable oil, salt and pepper.
- Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat with a little bit more oil. Working in batches, sear turkey necks on all sides until nicely browned, 3 – 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate, then set aside.
- In the same stock pot, add a bit more oil then brown onions and green bell peppers until soft, another 5 – 7 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pot with the vegetables then whisk in the flour and seasonings. Cook for another 1 – 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste. Whisk in the chicken broth, and then add the turkey necks back to the pot. Bring the gravy up the a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid then allow turkey necks to cook for 2 hours. Stir every once in a while so the necks don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve with steamed rice or cornbread. Enjoy!
Notes
How To Store/ Make Ahead
- Refrigerator: Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. Reheat over the stove or in the oven until hot, and the gravy is bubbly.
- Freezer: Allow the turkey necks to cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. Store for up to 3 months. Reheat over the stove covered with a splash of broth over medium-low heat until hot. Or reheat in the oven covered until hot and the gravy is bubbling.
Tips and Tricks
- Turkey necks: Ask your butcher to cut your turkey necks in half or into thirds. Or you can leave them whole, then after they’re cooked, they will easily fall apart into smaller pieces.
- Clean your meat: Turkey necks need to be cleaned with lemon juice or vinegar before cooking. Soak your necks in a large pot with water and lemon or vinegar for a few minutes then rinse to remove any impurities, then pat dry.
- Gravy: If you want a thicker gravy, use 2-3 cups of chicken broth instead of 4 cups.
- Don’t sear the turkey necks with the seasonings – except salt and pepper so it doesn’t burn and leave bad flavor to the gravy.
- Cook it low and slow: Turkey necks really need the entire 2 hours to cook. Simmer on low or medium-low until the necks easily fall apart with a fork. If the meat doesn’t come apart easily, cook it for longer.
- Browning the meat: I always like to brown the meat before smothering it because it adds extra flavor to the gravy; however, you can skip this step, and this recipe will still turn out amazing.
- Broth: This is an important ingredient in adding flavor to the gravy and the turkey. Especially if you don’t have time to brown the meat beforehand, using chicken broth or turkey broth is a must!
Nutrition
All nutrition information is automatically generated and should be only used as a rough estimate. This recipe card may contain affiliate links.
Looks yummy
Thank you!