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Curried Turkey Necks are tender, easy to make, and packed with incredible flavor. Serve them alongside mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables for a mouth-watering meal that guarantees to be a hit during the holidays this year.
If you’re looking for a new flavorful turkey dish that guarantees to impress your family and friends, look no further than this recipe for Curried Turkey Necks. It’s made with pan-fried turkey necks, chicken stock, aromatics, herbs, and spices for a ton of rich and savory flavor.
Not only is this dish easy to make since the Instant Pot does most of the work, but it packs a ridiculous amount of amazing flavor into one dish. I’ve served this dish at family dinners and large holiday gatherings, and it’s been a huge hit every time.
Many people shy away from cooking with turkey necks if they aren’t familiar with them, but this is seriously one of the best parts of the turkey. There is so much flavor in this cut that it would be a shame not to use it! Not to mention, it’s also an incredibly affordable cut of meat.
The key to cooking turkey necks is cooking them slowly over a longer period of time to break down the fibers and turn them into a tender, succulent bite. When done right, turkey necks are mouth-watering, tender, juicy, and flavorful.
This Curried Turkey Necks recipe is easily my favorite way to cook turkey necks. It features a drool-worthy fusion of Caribbean flavors with Southern comforts for a resulting dish that is seriously out of this world. Try it out for yourself, and let me know what you think!
Key Ingredients:
To bring this Caribbean-inspired dish to life, you’re going to need the following key ingredients:
- Turkey necks: You should be able to find turkey necks in most grocery stores. If you can’t find any, you can swap them out for turkey wings or legs.
- Curry Powder: Not all curry powders are made equal. I like to get my curry powders from International grocery stores but Penzey Spices makes a pretty good one too.
- All-purpose flour: Flour is essential for the dredge to fry the turkey necks before finishing them off in the Instant Pot. This step is really important in achieving maximum flavor and pan gravy, so don’t skip it.
- Herbs and spices: A dish is often only as strong as the herbs and spices you add, so make sure you don’t leave any out. You will need salt, black pepper, curry powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, bay leaves, and fresh thyme.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic, ginger, and onions add a ton of bold and bright flavor to this mouth-watering dish.
- Scotch bonnet pepper: Also known as Caribbean red peppers, scotch bonnet peppers are commonly used in Caribbean and West African-inspired dishes.
Curried Turkey Neck Ingredients
To make these mouth-watering turkey necks, you need a recipe that will give your delicious results. Here’s how you make these scrumptious turkey dinners.
- Kosher Salt
- Curry Powder
- Cayenne
- Garlic Powder
- Turkey Necks
- All-Purpose Flour
- Onion
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Fresh Thyme
- Bay Leaves
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper
- Chicken Stock
Common One to One Substitutions:
Don’t have everything you need? No worries. Here are some of the most common substitutions for this dish:
- You can use gluten-free flour as a swap for all-purpose flour.
- You can use 1 teaspoon of dry thyme as a swap for 1 bunch of fresh thyme. If needed, you can use garlic powder and ground ginger, but I highly recommend using fresh ingredients for this recipe.
- Feel free to use jalapenos, serranos, habaneros as a swap for the scotch bonnets. You can also omit them altogether.
- If you cannot find fresh scotch bonnets, use 1 tablespoon of scotch bonnet pepper sauce for each pepper.
How to Make Curried Turkey Necks
While the Instant Pot does most of the work for us, it’s important to fry the turkey necks and sauté the aromatics before tossing them into the pot for maximum flavor. These steps are essential in creating a delicious dish, so don’t skip them!
To make this dish, all you have to do is follow these simple steps:
In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of salt, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Mix to combine.
Add the turkey necks to a casserole dish, then liberally and evenly season them with the spice mix. Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour. For even more flavor, store the turkey necks in the fridge to marinate overnight.
In a large bowl, mix the remaining salt with flour and black pepper. Dredge the turkey necks a few at a time until all of them are thoroughly coated.
Heat a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is heated to 350°F, you’re ready to go. Fry the turkey necks for 2 minutes on each side, then place them in an Instant Pot.
Add the onions and ginger to the same skillet and fry for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked aromatics to the Instant Pot. Then, add the thyme, bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper, and chicken stock.
Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for 1 hour and 45 minutes. When the timer goes off, flip the nozzle to release the pressure. Serve with rice, potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a salad.
Recipe Video:
How to Store Curried Turkey Necks
If you end up with leftovers (rare, but it happens), don’t worry. This dish can easily be stored in the fridge or freezer and reheats incredibly well. I love making extras of this dish so I can enjoy quick and easy dinners throughout the week. It’s important to let the turkey necks cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container.
Once the dish has cooled, place it in an airtight container. You can store it in either of the following ways:
- In the fridge for up to 7 days.
- In the freezer for up to 3 months.
- If you decide to freeze your curried turkey necks, let them thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours before reheating them. When you’re ready to reheat them, you can pop them into a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. To reheat them on the stove, bring about ¼ cup of stock, turkey necks, and gravy to a boil, then heat until everything is hot.
- This is an awesome make-ahead meal because once all the initial work is done, you can enjoy meals throughout the week that only take 10-15 minutes to reheat.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Here are some of my top tips and tricks to help you make this flavorful dish as delicious as can be:
- To make this dish in a Crockpot, cook it on low for 6 hours.
- To make this dish in the oven, wrap it in parchment paper and then foil, and cook it at 350°F for 4-5 hours. A dutch oven or 9x13 casserole dish will both work.
- For maximum flavor, let the turkey necks marinate overnight in the fridge. You’ll thank me later! However, you can skip it if you’re short on time.
- While I prefer to use chicken stock in this recipe, you can swap it out for turkey stock or vegetable stock if needed. I don’t recommend using beef stock here.
- Do not skip frying the turkey necks! This is essential for building flavor that will serve as the base for this delicious recipe.
- You can cook everything in an instant pot. I prefer to use a separate skillet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this dish:
What should you serve with this dish?
I typically like to pair this dish with rice or potatoes to soak up all of the delicious juices. You can also serve the turkey necks with roasted vegetables, a side salad, or even cauliflower rice for a lighter low-carb meal.
Can you cook this on the stove?
Yes. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can follow the recipe in a large pot on the stove until it’s time to seal the pressurized lid. Instead, cover the pot and cook on low heat for approximately 3-3 ½ hours. You could also cook this dish in the oven or a slow-cooker using the tips above.
What to Serve with Curried Turkey Necks
When I serve this delicious Caribbean-inspired dish, I usually prefer to pair it with some kind of mash or puree. Side dishes like mashed potatoes and grits do a fantastic job of soaking up all of the delicious flavors from the turkey necks and pair well with them. Other great options include rice, roasted potatoes, and bread. For soaking up the excess juices, you really can’t go wrong with some warm cornbread.
If you’re looking to keep this dish on the lighter side, roasted vegetables or salad pair nicely as well. If you want a little inspiration, here are some of my favorite side dishes to serve with this meal:
- Buttered Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Smoked Gouda Grits
- Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Cream Cheese Creamed Spinach
- Thyme Butter Celery Root Puree
- Moist Southern Cornbread
More Southern Comfort Food Recipes
If you liked this dish, try these next:
- Smothered Turkey Wings
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- New Orleans Baked Mac and Cheese
- Chicken Enchilada Pasta
- Instant Pot New Orleans Red Beans
I hope this post has helped you learn about new ways to use turkey in your holiday meal. The best part about curried turkey necks? They can be served with anything from mashed potatoes to roasted vegetables; we love them alongside some of our favorite holiday side dishes like green beans or sweet potato casserole. And don’t forget the gravy! Leave us a 5-star review if you’re as excited as we are! I’m already getting hungry just thinking about all the food I’ll get at my family dinner table later this month.
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Recipe:
📖 Recipe
Curried Turkey Necks
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 5 lbs. raw turkey necks washed
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups avocado oil
- 2 medium onions chopped medium
- 2- inch piece ginger chopped small
- 6 garlic cloves chopped small
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
Instructions
- In a bowl mix 2 tablespoons salt, curry powder, cayenne, and garlic powder. Add turkey necks to a casserole dish, liberally and evenly season with the spice mix. Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Turn on the heat to medium-high in a large skillet heat oil in a large to 350°F, oil is ready when flour sizzles. In a bowl mix remaining salt, flour, and black pepper together. Dredge turkey necks two or three at a time and fry for 2 minutes on each side. Place cooked turkey necks in instant-pot.
- Once turkey necks are finished cooking, add onions, and ginger to skillet a fry for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon add vegetables to the instant pot. Add the thyme, bay leaves, scotch bonnet, and chicken stock. Close lid and cook on high pressure for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Serve with rice, potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a salad.
Vilinda Poole says
I had to try it before Thanksgiving because I have some picky eaters here but I must say WE HAVE A WINNER! My granddaughter who won’t eat anything but chicken Nuggets asked for seconds.