A rich and savory gravy is an essential component of any holiday feast While store-bought gravies are convenient, nothing beats homemade when it comes to maximum flavor One of the best ways to make gravy bursting with taste is to use turkey necks.
Simmering turkey necks creates an intensely flavored broth that serves as the base for velvety smooth gravy. Follow this guide to learn all about making gravy with turkey necks.
What Are Turkey Necks?
Turkey necks are a part of the bird that contain a high concentration of delicious dark meat. They are often included along with the giblets inside the cavity before roasting the turkey.
The neck has tons of collagen that breaks down into rich gelatin when simmered, giving the gravybackbone and body. Turkey necks can be purchased separately from most grocers or poultry markets
Why Use Turkey Necks for Gravy?
There are several benefits to using turkey necks to make your holiday gravy:
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Deeper flavor – Simmering the necks creates a super savory turkey broth bursting with taste. This infuses the gravy with mouthwatering richness.
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Smoother texture – The gelatin from the turkey necks gives the gravy a lush, velvety consistency.
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Uses the whole bird – Making stock with the neck puts typically discarded parts of the turkey to delicious use.
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Cost effective – Necks are very inexpensive to purchase. Making your own gravy can save money compared to canned or jarred.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for phenomenal turkey neck gravy:
Make Turkey Neck Broth
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Place turkey necks in a pot and add aromatics like onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs. Cover with water or broth.
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Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45 mins to 1 hour until turkey is very tender.
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Strain the broth through a mesh sieve. Pick off any neck meat and reserve.
Make the Roux
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Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in an equal amount of flour to form a smooth paste or roux.
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Cook the roux for 3-5 minutes until it turns golden brown to develop richer flavor.
Finish the Gravy
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Gradually whisk in turkey neck broth and any turkey drippings from the roasting pan.
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Simmer until thickened to desired consistency.
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Season with salt, pepper, herbs to taste.
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Stir in any chopped turkey neck meat just before serving.
Turkey Neck Gravy Tips
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For extra richness, add drippings from the roasted turkey. The browned bits add tons of flavor.
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The longer you simmer the necks, the more intense the broth will taste. Up to 2 hours is ideal.
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For a smoother gravy, blend or strain the finished gravy before serving.
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Cooking the roux longer deepens the flavor but be careful not to burn it.
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For a thinner gravy, stir in extra broth or milk. For thicker, mix a slurry of flour and cold water.
Make It Your Own
Customize your turkey neck gravy with any of the following:
- Sautéed mushrooms, onions, or shallots
- White wine or sherry for acidity
- Chopped hard-boiled eggs
- Fresh or dried herbs
- Spices like sage, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg
Storing and Freezing Turkey Neck Gravy
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Store cooled gravy in an airtight container up to 4 days.
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Freeze gravy in zip-top bags or airtight containers up to 2-3 months.
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Frozen gravy cubes are handy for adding flavor to dishes later on.
Make Gravy the Star of Your Holiday Table
Elevate your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast with the rich, homemade flavor of turkey neck gravy. Simmering necks yields a luscious broth that turns into the perfect velvety gravy. With just a few easy steps, you can create gravy your guests will rave about.
If you can get it into the pan, and get the pan into a hot oven, you can cook it. It’s as simple as that. By Cook the Vineyard
This very basic method for roasting a turkey is adapted from a NYT Cooking recipe by Sam Sifton. Honestly, if you can get a turkey into a pan (remembering to remove the plastic bag of giblets) and get the pan into a heated oven, you can cook a turkey. Just because cooking magazines and websites need to come up with new ways to cook a turkey every year, doesn’t mean you do. To be fair, most of the new recipes are designed to solve the perennial dilemma of getting the breast meat to stay moist while the thighs cook through. In reality, this is almost impossible unless you butterfly a turkey or cook the parts separately. And we are not going there — or anywhere else complicated with this recipe.
I’ve included instructions for a simple gravy, too. Be sure not to buy a turkey that has already been brined (look at labels) if you want to make gravy, because a brined turkey will release too much liquid into the roasting pan. That will prevent the turkey’s own natural juices from caramelizing on the bottom of the roasting pan, and those drippings are the essence of gravy.
A note about equipment: If you do not have a large roasting pan (and some kind of rack), borrow those things this time around. You will not be happy with one of those lightweight disposable foil roasting pans when it buckles. For making gravy, you will need to separate fat from juices with either a gravy separator (looks like a small watering can) or a glass (Pyrex-type) measure. Serves 8 to 10
- One 12-to-14-pound fresh turkey
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup finely chopped rosemary, sage, thyme and/or oregano, plus a few extra sprigs for cavity
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 1 lemon, cut in half
1. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator an hour or two before cooking it. Stir together the softened butter and the herbs in a small bowl.
2. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put a rack inside a large roasting pan and put the turkey in the rack. (Make sure you have taken the giblet bag and the neck out. Check the cavities at both ends of the turkey.) If you’ll be making gravy, put the neck in the roasting pan. You do not need to wash the turkey.
3. Season the turkey generously with salt and pepper all over and inside the cavity. Rub the turkey all over with the butter-herb mixture. Put the onion, extra herb sprigs, and lemon into the turkey cavity.
4. Tuck the tips of the wings under the bird and tie its legs together with cotton string.
5. Put the turkey in the oven and immediately drop the temperature to 350 degrees F.
6. Roast the turkey, basting with pan juices after they begin appearing, about one hour into cooking. If the juices on the bottom of the pan begin to brown too much, add a half cup of water. Remove the turkey neck after an hour.
7. Continue roasting the turkey, basting every 30 minutes or so, until the internal temperature (check the thickest part of the thigh) is 165 degrees, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.
8. Transfer the turkey to a large cutting board and allow it to rest for 30 to 45 minutes before carving. Reserve the roasting pan if you plan to make gravy.
9. Make gravy if you like while the bird is resting. Carve and serve.
Pan Gravy for Simple Roast Turkey
This gravy is thickened with a simple flour-butter paste, but if you know how to — and want to —make a roux (cooking the flour in oil until it is dark brown), feel free to use roux as a thickener instead. You can also replace the quick stock with some rich turkey stock purchased from a gourmet shop. The recipe uses a roasted turkey neck to bump up the flavor of chicken broth; to roast the neck, throw it into the pan with your turkey for the first hour of cooking. Be sure to reserve the roasting pan, with all of its pan drippings, to make the gravy after the turkey comes out of the oven.
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- Roasted turkey neck (see above)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1. In a small bowl, mix together the flour and butter until well-combined.
2. Combine the chicken broth, 1 cup water, and the turkey neck in a medium sauce pan. Simmer until reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
3. When you have removed the turkey from the roasting pan, get someone to help you and pour all of the fat and juices in the pan into a gravy separator or glass measure. Leave the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Give the fat and juices a few minutes to separate. (If using a gravy separator, you will be able to easily pour off the juices from the fat. If using a glass measure, refrigerate for a few minutes to allow the fat to rise to the top. In either case, discard the fat and measure out the juices. Add the reduced stock. You will want to have about 4 cups total of liquid, but a little more or less is okay.
4. Arrange the roasting pan over two burners on your stove and turn the heat to medium. Pour two cups of the broth into the roasting pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Continue adding the broth and scraping. Adjust the heat to bring the liquids to a simmer.
5. Add a few tablespoons of the butter-flour mixture to the pan and immediately begin whisking. The broth will begin to thicken and coat the back of the pan. Add more of the butter-flour mixture in small amounts, whisking and simmering, until the gravy is moderately thickened (it should not be too thick). Simmer for a few minutes, stirring regularly. Remove the roasting pan from the stove, stir the Worcestershire sauce into the gravy, and transfer it to a serving vessel.
Giblet Gravy | Ultimate Giblet Gravy | Turkey Giblet Gravy | How to Make Giblet Gravy | Christmas
FAQ
Can I use turkey neck to make gravy?
1First, take the giblets and neck from the raw turkey and cover them with water by 2 inches in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer it for 1 hour to both to cook the meat and to make a giblet broth for the gravy.
What can you do with turkey neck?
All the turkey carcass gets used for stock. The neck is excellent in stock. Don’t waste all the nutrients and the awesome flavor stock to be had from turkey bones. We call stock liquid gold and we make it from every chicken bone and turkey bone beef and pork bones.
How to make gravy using turkey giblets?
Place the giblets in a saucepan and cover with 1.2 litres/2 pints water. Add the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns and onion. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum. Reduce the heat and then simmer for 45 minutes.
How do you make turkey neck gravy?
Turkey neck gravy elevates any holiday feast with its rich and savory flavors! In a large heavy bottom pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey necks and cook until browned on both sides. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and seasonings. Stir in broth and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover.
How do you cook a turkey neck & backbone?
This homemade turkey gravy uses the neck and backbone to create a very flavorful sauce! Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter! Add 2 tbsp. butter to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, add turkey neck and backbone. Cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Add in carrots and mushrooms.
How do you cook a turkey neck with thyme?
Add giblets & neck to the saucepan. Place giblets and neck into a saucepan with 2 cups chicken stock and add water to cover the neck and giblets with 2 inches of liquid. Add in seasonings. Add 1 bay leaf, and 2 sprigs of thyme and then simmer on low while the turkey is roasting. Drain drippings.
Why is Turkey Neck good for gravy?
The turkey neck is full of flavor. It contains more collagen than many other parts of the turkey which helps thicken the gravy. Slow-cooking the neck also draws out flavors from the bones, skin, cartilage and fat. This produces a hearty savory broth that makes an incredibly tasty gravy.
How do you thicken Turkey Neck gravy?
For a thicker gravy, combine 2 Tbsp cornstarch with 2 Tbsp cold water. Stir into the simmering gravy until thickened. For smooth gravy, pour through a fine mesh strainer after cooking. Keep the gravy warm in a double boiler or insulated carafe until ready to serve. A rich, savory turkey neck gravy deserves the perfect pairing.
How do you cook a turkey neck in a frying pan?
Add 2 tbsp. butter to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, add turkey neck and backbone. Cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Add in carrots and mushrooms. Cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute, or until aromatic.