When you think about traditional soul food, the first thought probably won’t be smothered turkey necks, but it should be. The process of taking cheap scrap meat and turning it into a decadent meal is something of pure beauty and should be embraced. With the proper cooking technique, the hidden potential within these so called “ugly” morsels is astounding. So, if you’ve never had a turkey neck before, I strongly urge you to try this recipe ASAP. It will completely change how you look at any scrap meat.

With many food love stories, you’re usually introduced to your favorite foods when you’re young, and this is no different. I can’t remember exactly how old I was, but I distinctly remember one Thanksgiving my mom taking that small, oblong, bony piece of meat that is thrown in with the other turkey giblets and cooking it for us to eat as a snack. Usually, my dad would use these scraps in his gravy or dressing, however, this year, my mom and I were really hungry. So, while the rest of Thanksgiving dinner was being cooked, my mom threw the turkey neck into a small sauce pan with a little water and seasoning and simmered it for a few minutes. The final product was mind blowing. I didn’t even care about the actual turkey anymore. This was the only part that mattered and every Thanksgiving after that, my mom and I would fight over who got to eat the “precious” turkey neck. Granted, it probably should go to the person who cooked it (my mom), but common sense went out the window at that point.

Then I got older and learned you could buy turkey necks separately and they had way more meat on them than those janky, scrawny little things I was used to. This realization changed my life, which in turn started the makings of this recipe. Now, instead of having one of my favorite things once a year, I can indulge year round.

While this recipe may seem time consuming, it is well worth every second in the end. And like they say…good things come to those who what? Wait! So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2-3 hours

Ingredients:

4lbs turkey necks
1 red bell pepper (sliced)
1/2 large yellow onion (sliced)
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsps all purpose flour
2 tbsps crawfish boil seasoning
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/3 cup parsley
2 cups chicken bone broth
4 tbsps butter4 cups water

Special Tools:
Dutch oven

Cooking Instructions:

In a large pot, preferably a Dutch oven, add in the butter, onions and bell peppers. Sauté the onions and peppers on medium until they soften; approximately 5-10 minutes.
Next, add the tomato paste and cook until fragrant.
Now slowly stir in the flour. Immediately after the flour, add the chicken broth, water, herbs and seasonings to the pot. Stir until the broth should becomes somewhat cloudy.
*Note: When initially adding the flour, it will be chunky and form a paste like consistency. Don’t worry this will dissolve once the liquids are added.
Finally, add in the turkey necks and simmer on medium low with the lid for an hour. After the hour, remove the lid and simmer for at least another hour. When they are done, the meat should be very tender but still able to stick to the bone.
Serve over rice, roasted potatoes or enjoy on it’s own. There’s really no wrong way to eat these.