Can You Cook a Turkey With the Neck Inside? A Guide to This Holiday Tradition
As Thanksgiving and the winter holidays approach, many home cooks are preparing to roast a turkey for their family feast. When prepping the bird, you may notice a bag of giblets and the turkey neck tucked inside the body cavity. This leads to the question – is it safe to cook a turkey with the neck still inside?
While it may seem unappetizing, the answer is yes! In fact, leaving the turkey neck in the cavity during roasting is a time-honored tradition for many households. Read on to learn why some cooks prefer to leave the neck in, along with proper handling tips to ensure it cooks thoroughly and safely.
Why Cook a Turkey With the Neck Inside?
There are several good reasons why many cooks opt to roast their holiday turkey with the neck left in the cavity
- Enhanced Flavor
As the neck slowly cooks inside the hot oven, it releases collagen, fat, and turkey juices. This essentially bastes the bird from the inside out, keeping the breast meat nice and moist. It also adds an extra hit of rich, concentrated turkey flavor.
- Better Gravy
Once roasted, the cooked turkey neck can be used to make an incredible gravy. Simmered in the pan drippings, the neck contributes body, texture, and robust turkey taste to your gravy.
- Tradition
For many families, cooking the bird with the neck tucked in the cavity is considered traditional for holiday meals It’s always been done that way by previous generations, so they continue the custom
- Convenience
Leaving the neck inside means one less part to handle separately. You don’t have to remember to prep, season, and roast it alongside the turkey.
While not mandatory by any means, including the neck is favored by many hobby cooks and culinary pros alike for these benefits.
Proper Handling for Cooking a Turkey Neck
To safely cook a turkey with the neck left in, proper handling is crucial:
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Always remove the bag of giblets, leaving just the neck in the cavity. The liver and other organs need to be cooked separately.
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Thoroughly rinse the neck under cold running water to remove any blood, juices or debris. Pat it dry.
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Avoid stuffing the neck cavity, as it may not cook as thoroughly. Reserve your stuffing or aromatics for the main turkey cavity instead.
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With the neck in place, make sure to truss the drumsticks together securely. This ensures the neck doesn’t block heat from reaching the inner thighs or prevent even cooking.
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Use a meat thermometer to verify the thickest section of the neck reaches 165°F minimum once roasted.
Following these guidelines will allow the turkey neck to cook evenly and safely alongside the rest of the bird.
Cooking a Turkey Step-by-Step with the Neck Inside
Here is a simple walkthrough for roasting a turkey with the neck left in the cavity:
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If frozen, completely thaw turkey in the refrigerator until no ice crystals remain.
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Remove giblet packet, leaving only the turkey neck inside. Rinse the neck thoroughly under cold water. Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels.
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Liberally season the turkey all over with salt, pepper, and any other spices or herb rubs desired. Be sure to rub seasoning directly onto the skin.
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Tie the drumsticks together over the cavity opening using kitchen twine or silicone bands. This secures the neck inside. Tuck the wing tips under.
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Place turkey breast-side up on a sturdy roasting rack set inside a roasting pan. Add about 1 cup of water or broth to the bottom of the pan to prevent drippings from burning.
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Roast turkey according to recipe directions, until the thickest part of breast and neck reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
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Allow turkey to rest 20-30 minutes before carving to let juices redistribute. Carefully remove cooked neck to make gravy.
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Slice turkey and serve it up! Enjoy the plump, tender meat basted with wonderful flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cooking a Turkey Neck
Here are answers to some common questions about roasting a turkey with the neck inside:
Is it absolutely necessary to leave the neck in?
No, you can certainly remove the neck and cook it separately if you prefer. This will not majorly impact the final flavor.
Can I prepare and cook the turkey neck separately from the bird?
Yes, you can clean, season, stuff, and roast the neck in the oven alongside the turkey in its own small pan. Then simply slice it and add it to the platter.
Should I baste the turkey neck or tent it with foil during roasting?
Basting is not needed, as the neck self-bastes the turkey from within. Tenting with foil can prevent even browning and cooking. Leave it uncovered.
Can I remove the neck mid-cooking if I change my mind?
It’s best not to remove the neck once cooking begins if possible. Doing so can disrupt the roasting process.
How can I tell when the turkey neck is fully cooked through?
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest section of neck. It should reach 165°F minimum when fully cooked.
Is the roasted neck meat actually edible, or just useful for stock?
The cooked meat is completely edible and delicious! Slice it and enjoy this rich, tender meat on your holiday table.
Tips for Cooking a Frozen Turkey with the Neck Inside
For frozen turkeys, the neck is typically sealed in the body cavity while frozen solid. As it slowly defrosts and cooks, you should be able to remove the neck midway through roasting once it’s thawed enough. Carefully pull it out with turkey tongs or a carving fork when possible. Then proceed to finish roasting the turkey until it reaches a safe minimum internal temperature.
Getting the Most Out of Your Turkey Neck
After roasting your holiday bird, don’t toss the cooked neck out! Use it to:
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Make rich, flavorful turkey noodle soup stock
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Create the most amazing gravy for your turkey
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Prepare turkey hash, sandwiches, or shepherd’s pie with the tender meat
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Feed small pieces to your pets as a special treat (no seasoning)
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Safely compost the bones after cooking
With proper handling, the humble turkey neck can be transformed into a valuable component of your celebratory centerpiece. This year, embrace the tradition of roasting your turkey with the neck inside for maximum flavor and enjoyment. Happy holidays from our table to yours!
17 Answers
Are they tucked inside the cavity? Or are they still attached? In the former case, it’s not like anyone will die if you don’t remove them, it’s just easier to stuff the turk if the cavity is empty. Please tell me the bird has already been cleaned and dressed (like from the supermarket, not fresh and still having feet and feathers from the turkey farm…)
Remove them from inside the bird because many times they are tucked into a paper or some other bag you don’t want cooked up with the rest of the goodness. Once the giblets are freed then they can cook safely back inside the bird.
they are in a paper bag. jus grab it and make gravy broth with ‘em.
Even if it’s not necessary, you would want to remove them to wash/rinse the turkey inside and out. The best thing to do is to remove them since they are usually sealed in paper (and wash/rinse them too). You could cook them with the turkey but it’s best to cook them separately to use for broth or gravy. Is this your first time cooking a turkey?
Best to remove them, so you can enjoy them as well. (Bite me ewww people)
Remove them. Like @AmWiser said, you have to wash the bird inside and out before seasoning it for baking.
My sister once made a turkey, and when removing the dressing, found the neck and giblets still inside. It had no effect on the taste of the turkey.
The neck and giblets themselves are not a problem. If they are packaged in something that can ruin a turkey if you don’t take them out first. Depending on the brand the giblets could be packaged in waxed paper, and while the wax won’t kill you if you eat it, it can affect the taste.
Just be glad most processors have quit using plastic bags for the giblets.
My second time. I don’t have a whole lot of experience baking whole turkeys. And yes, it is a pre packaged store bought turkey. Thanks for your replies!
Use them to make broth and giblets for gravy. Pop them in a small pot with onion, carrot, and celery and a few herbs, and cook for an hour or so. Then you take the meat off the neck and throw that in with the other parts and chop them up into little tiny pieces and use that to extend your gravy.
Just be glad you don’t have to remove all the innards yourself. That was S.O.P. in the olden days (like the 40’s and 50’s.) You may have to tweeze out a stray feather or two, but then, on occasion, it was the whole bird full of feathers.
I’ve heard that they may not cook properly inside the turkey, eliminating any potential contamination hazards. I think this issue has been brought up with stuffing, as well. I could be wrong, though. That happens sometimes.
My mom took them out and cooked them. She added them and the liquid they were cooked in to the stuffing mix, being careful not to get any bones from the neck in the stuffing.
@ANef_is_Enuf is right. Take them out, follow @AmWiser ‘s advice and that of others here. I can tell you from personal experience that it’s really gross to be cutting up a cooked turkey and find paper packages of giblets inside. (No I didn’t cook the turkey my mother-in-law did. She actually stuffed it with that stuff inside.) I was gagging and really couldn’t eat anything she cooked after I found that mess. You cannot properly wash or season the turkey unless you take those parts out.
How to Boil Turkey Neck & Giblets: Cooking with Kimberly
FAQ
Can you cook a turkey with the neck and giblets still inside?
When preparing your turkey, do not throw out the turkey neck & gizzards(heart, liver and any other little bits your found tucked inside the bird!These parts will help you make a lovely bone broth to create the BEST GRAVY for your meal.
Can you cook turkey with neck in?
You can cook it without any problems – neck is just another part of the turkey, after all – but surely you can figure out how to remove it.
Do you need to remove turkey neck?
Can You Treat Turkey Neck? “Turkey neck” refers to the saggy or wrinkled skin on the neck that develops with aging. A good skin care routine, as well as exercising the neck muscles, can protect the skin and help tighten the neck muscles. But to remove excess skin, you may need surgery.
Can the neck stay in the turkey?
The neck will be in the cavity, and the giblets will be in a small big in either the neck cavity in the front of the bird or inside cavity, depending on the size of the bird. If you do not want them, you can simply remove the bag and neck from the cavity and discard them.