Turkey Neck Gravy
Christine AlburyTurkey neck gravy is full of fabulous flavor. Here's how to make it!
Some people are squeamish when it comes to the innards and neck of a turkey and may even throw them away. But once you've tried this turkey neck gravy, you'll see just what a shame it is to waste these parts that contain so much flavor.
This might be the best gravy you've ever had - and it's so easy to make!
The name of these innards is the 'giblets' and these are made up of the neck, gizzard (which comes from the digestive tract), heart and liver. The only part of the giblets not used in this recipe is the liver. This is because liver cooked in stock can cause the gravy to taste quite bitter.
Besides, chicken liver tastes rather good just fried in a pan with a little butter, so it doesn't need to go to waste. Or you can cook it separately to the rest of the gravy, then chop it finely and add it to your gravy once it is cooked.
Another great option for the liver is to cook it, chop it finely and add it to your stuffing. You'll be amazed by the lovely rich flavor it imparts!
This turkey neck gravy tastes just wonderful poured over your roasted turkey, but you can also use it as a tasty base for soups, casseroles and stews. It's also delicious poured over mashed potatoes.
Once prepared, you should only keep turkey neck gravy in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a sealed container. When you go to use it again, you may find it has thickened, but you can easily thin it with a little water or chicken stock.
Can you cook the turkey with the giblets still inside?
Usually, the only reason giblets are cooked inside the turkey is because the person doing the cooking left them in there by mistake!
If the giblets were wrapped in a paper bag prior to cooking, there shouldn't be a problem. Although paper isn't a desirable ingredient in your roasted turkey, it shouldn't do any harm. You can safely eat the turkey AND the giblets, if you desire.
But if the giblets were wrapped in plastic, leaving them in there while you cook the turkey is - sadly - a bit of a disaster. The plastic will likely have melted, leaching chemicals into your food, and leaving the turkey and the giblets inedible.
Moral of the story? ALWAYS check the turkey for giblets before cooking!
Turkey Neck Gravy
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Ingredients
- 5 cups Chicken Stock, or water
- 1 Turkey Giblets, including neck, heart and gizzard, not the liver
- 1/2 medium Onion, chopped
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 4 tablespoons Reserved Drippings, from roasting pan
- 1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Sage, chopped
Directions
- Put the stock or water, turkey neck, heart, gizzard, onion, and bay leaf into a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours.
- Turn off the heat, then strain, and reserve the turkey stock.
- Once the turkey is cooked, remove it from the roasting pan and put it on to a serving platter, loosely covered with foil. Meanwhile, remove the fat from the roasting pan and put 4 tablespoons of it into a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook for about 5 minutes until golden, whisking throughout.
- Whilst whisking, add the turkey stock, a cup at a time.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often. Scrape up any browned bits and juices from the bottom of the roasting pan and add them to the gravy.
- Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Strain if necessary, add the sage, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with the turkey.
- Published:
- Modified:
- Author:
- Christine Albury
- Source:
- The Spruce Eats
- Cooking Method:
- Roasted
- Tags:
- Turkey, Gravy, Roasted
- Related Recipes:
- Turkey Recipes, Gravy Recipes, Roasted Recipes
- Recipe Yields:
- 20 servings
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Total Time:
- Related Post:
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Published:
Author: Christine Albury
Source: The Spruce Eats
Recipe Yields: 20 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 140 minutes
Total Time: 146 minutes
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
