Smothered Turkey Necks Recipe

Smothered turkey necks are seasoned, floured necks browned in oil, then braised under a lid in an onion gravy at 350°F for two and a half hours, until the meat pulls from the bone with a fork. It takes about three hours. Under two hours the necks stay chewy: the collagen that makes them tough needs that long to turn into the gelatin that makes the gravy silky.

How to make smothered turkey necks

"Smothered" is the Southern and Louisiana word for a two-stage cook: brown the meat hard in a little fat, then cover it and let it finish slowly in its own gravy. It is how tough, cheap cuts become Sunday dinner, and turkey necks are the most rewarding of them — more meat than they look, a lot of bone, and enough connective tissue to thicken the gravy on their own. Tony Chachere's version smothers them for two hours on the stove over a dark roux; the oven does the same job with less watching and no risk of the bottom catching.

What the method depends on:

• A real browning. The colour on the necks is most of the gravy's flavour. Dry the necks before seasoning, do not crowd the pot, and leave them alone until they release from the pan on their own.
• Flour twice. The light dusting before browning gives the necks a crust that stays on; the second spoonful, stirred into the softened onions, is what thickens the gravy. Together they make a gravy that coats a spoon without any cornstarch at the end.
• A tight lid. The necks braise in steam as much as in liquid. If the lid is loose, cover the pot with foil first and set the lid on top.
• Necks in pieces. Ask for them cut into 3-inch lengths, or cut them at the joints yourself with a heavy knife. Whole necks are awkward to brown and slower to cook through.

The USDA's minimum safe temperature for poultry is 165°F. These necks pass it within the first half hour; the other two hours are about texture, not safety.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds turkey necks, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large yellow onions, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Pat the necks dry and toss them with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and cayenne, then with 1/4 cup of the flour until lightly coated.
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown the necks in two batches, 3 to 4 minutes a side, until deeply coloured. Set them on a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onions, bell pepper and celery in the fat left in the pot, scraping up the browned bits, for 8 to 10 minutes until the onions are soft and golden. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle over the remaining flour and stir for 1 minute so it coats the vegetables and loses its raw smell.
5. Pour in the broth gradually, stirring, then add the Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a simmer; it will thicken slightly.
6. Return the necks and any juices to the pot, pushing them under the gravy. Cover and move to the oven for 2 1/2 hours, turning the necks once halfway, until the meat pulls away from the bone with a fork.
7. Take out the bay leaves. Skim the fat from the surface, taste the gravy and add salt if it needs it. If the gravy is thinner than you want, simmer it uncovered on the stove for 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

The gravy

The gravy starts as a thin, floury broth and ends as something that coats the rice, and the change happens in the oven. Flour does part of it. The rest is the necks themselves: as the connective tissue breaks down it releases gelatin into the liquid, which is why the gravy is glossy and slightly sticky on the lips in a way a flour gravy alone never is. It is also why it sets to a soft jelly in the fridge — a good sign, not a fault.

Two adjustments at the end, both on the stove with the lid off. If the gravy is thin, ten minutes at a simmer reduces it; it thickens further as it cools on the plate, so stop a little early. If it is too thick, a splash of broth or water loosens it. Season last: the gravy has reduced for three hours, and salt added at the start would be concentrated by now.

Sides that belong with it

Rice, first of all — plain long-grain white rice, because the point of the gravy is to have something to pool in. A skillet of cornbread from self-rising cornmeal is the other traditional partner, for the same reason. Collard greens or green beans cut the richness. If there are more people than necks, party ribs or a Pit Boss brisket share the table without competing, and Wingstop-style fried corn is the side that needs the least attention while the oven is busy.

Leftovers

Like most braises, this is better on the second day. Keep the necks in their gravy, covered, for up to four days in the fridge, or freeze them for three months. The gravy will have set to a jelly; reheat gently, covered, on the stove or at 325°F in the oven, and it loosens back to gravy without any help.