Learn how to make some delicious fall-off-the-bone smoked turkey necks. The meat is slowly cooked until completely tender and definitely worth the wait. Go on and impress your family or guests with this super easy recipe for the holidays.
My family are big fans of both oxtail and turkey neck. While oxtail can be very pricey, turkey neck is the cheaper equivalent.
Many people cringe at the idea of eating turkey neck, but I think it’s greatly underappreciated.
Typically, we take it slow and just simmer the turkey neck, utilizing the meat and bones to make stock or adding them to soup.
My family was amazed by the delicate texture and smoky flavor when I served this to them.
To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by how good the smoked turkey necks tasted; it was nothing like eating oxtail.
You can better control how “smokey” the meat gets and it’s more fun to smoke it yourself.
I thought the results would be underwhelming, however, it was far from that. Which is why I just had to share the recipe with my readers.
Instead of using an outdoor smoker, I use an indoor electric smoker that plugs in and functions just as well.
It’s not a Presto electrical smoker, though there was a controversy surrounding its recall, so don’t worry.
A tasty and adaptable dish, smoked turkey necks can be eaten as an appetizer, a main course, or even added to soups and stews. After the holidays, they’re also a fantastic way to use up leftover turkey.
This guide will walk you through the process of making smoked turkey necks, from start to finish. We’ll cover everything from choosing the right ingredients to smoking the necks to perfection.
Ingredients:
- 2-3 pounds turkey necks
- Salt and pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons red vinegar
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1-2 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions:
- Prepare the turkey necks. Remove the turkey necks from the packaging and pat them dry with a clean paper towel to remove any excess liquid. Place them in a large bowl.
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, red vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Marinate the turkey necks. Pour the marinade over the turkey necks and mix until they are fully coated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat the smoker. Add your choice of wood or pellets to the smoker and preheat it to 250℉/120℃.
- Smoke the turkey necks. Place the turkey necks directly on the smoker racks, cover, and smoke for 2-4 hours, moving them around for even cooking. Some parts of the smoker get hotter than others, so use your best judgment. Smoke until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165℉/74℃.
- Rest the turkey necks. When the turkey necks are cooked, remove them from the smoker and let them rest for about five minutes.
- Serve. Serve the turkey necks warm with your favorite sides, such as collard greens, garlic mashed potatoes, and gravy.
Tips:
- You can also roast the turkey necks in the oven or cook them in your Instant Pot or slow cooker. Cooking times will vary depending on the method you use.
- Feel free to customize the seasonings in the marinade however you like. Basically, anything you want to season turkey meat with will work.
- Most of the time, turkey necks come packaged whole. You can cut them into smaller pieces before marinating or leave them whole, whatever you prefer.
- Store leftover turkey necks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
FAQs:
- Are smoked turkey necks already cooked? If you buy already smoked turkey necks, then yes, they are cooked. For this recipe, you need raw turkey necks, and you’ll do the smoking to cook them.
- How do you clean smoked turkey necks? If the turkey necks look like they need a good cleaning, you can rinse them with water and cut off any excess membrane. Be careful when cutting membrane off wet necks, though – they can be slippery. And pat them dry before you marinate them.
- Are turkey necks high in fat? Turkey necks are relatively high in fat, but the fat content isn’t excessive considering that turkey is a leaner meat than most.
Additional Resources:
- Smoked Turkey Necks Recipe (That Girl Cooks Healthy)
- Smoked Turkey Necks – Immaculate Bites
Smoking turkey necks is a great way to add flavor and tenderness to this often-overlooked cut of meat. With a little time and effort, you can create a delicious and satisfying dish that will impress your family and friends. So fire up your smoker and get started today!
Preparing your turkey neck
Similar to oxtail, turkey requires a few hours to cook.
The results of properly prepared and cooked turkey necks are juicy, flavorful, and have a sweet, smoky taste.
Like with any other meat recipe, I adhere to my own Caribbean customs, which require me to thoroughly clean the meat before adding the marinade.
The marinade has a little kick to it, thanks to the use of the hot sauce. I like to let the meat marinate for several hours or overnight if I’m not in a hurry.
It’s recommended that the ingredients soak into the meat for at least a few hours, but that will depend on my schedule.
Any kind of smoker, indoor or outdoor, will work for this recipe, as I previously mentioned. The main thing is to achieve that smokey flavour.
You definitely dont want to rush this process, so finding the right temperture is important.
A temperature that is set too high will result in overcooked meat with a tough texture; a temperature that is set too low will cause the meat to cook slowly.
When the turkey neck is done, you should remove it from the smoker, so you should definitely keep an eye on it.
I like to accompany the turkey neck with some gravy made from the drippings leftover in the smoker.
You should have enough liquid to make roughly one cups worth.
It also doubles up as some dipping sauce, depending on how you intend to serve your turkey necks.
- Place the turkey necks in a large bowl or a zip-lock bag.
- Olive oil, browning sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, all-purpose seasoning, brown sugar, onion and garlic granules, thyme, shado beni, black pepper, and pink salt should all be combined in a small bowl.
- Make sure there is enough pink salt in the rub before applying it to the turkey neck by tasting it and making any necessary adjustments.
- Apply the moist rub to the meat, letting it marinate for several hours or overnight (if using a zip-lock bag, make sure to secure it).
- As soon as you have the smoker set to 248°F/120°C, prepare your wood chips (I used cherry wood).
- Once the turkey necks have been taken out of the marinade, arrange them on the smoker racks so as not to get too crowded.
- Smoke the turkey necks for approximately two hours, checking and rotating them as necessary, to ensure even cooking. A themometer can be used to verify that the meat has reached an internal temperature of 165F/74C after it has been smoked.
- Once cooked, leave the turkey neck to rest.
- While it’s resting, prepare the gravy in a medium saucepan over medium heat by combining the tomato paste, turkey stock, neck drippings, and thyme.
- Stir until a somewhat thick gravy forms, about a few minutes.
- When needed, taste and adjust with pink salt and black pepper.
- It’s not necessary to put the turkey neck in the saucepan with the gravy on top.
- Alternatively, you could skip the preceding step and serve the gravy as a dipping sauce on the side.
- Serve accordingly.
- For best results, eat the turkey neck immediately.
- If the meat still needs to be heated, place it in the oven with a tight foil cover.
- If using store-bought browning sauce, use no more than one teaspoon.
- These links will take you to the recipes for Hot Sauce, All-Purpose Seasoning, and Browning Sauce.
- Any leftovers should be refrigerated and eaten within 3 days.
- Use the powdered version of onion or garlic if you can’t find the granules.
- When smoking turkey necks for the first time, use a thermometer to ensure the meat is done.
- If you can’t find any shado beni, use coriander instead.
- Make sure you taste the marinade before adding it to the meat.
- You can use dried thyme instead.
- Make sure the turkey neck has been well cleaned and blotted dry before starting the recipe.
- You can prepare this recipe in an indoor or outdoor smoker.
- You may wish to try a different flavor of wood chips; I used wood chips with an apple flavor.
Reasons to make this recipe
- It is a cheap/budget friendly choice of meat
- It is cheaper than oxtail yet tastes just as good
- A perfect choice to use during the holiday season
- Totally underrated
- The meat is very juicy and flavoursome
- This can be used as a side dish or in conjunction with a main meal.