Turkey Neck Soup
Ingredients
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- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 pounds turkey necks – patted dry (~12.5 n/a turkey necks)
- 2 cups onion – diced (~2.5 medium onions)
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 10 cups water
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
- 2 cups carrots – cut into 0.5-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups celery – diced
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes – peeled and diced into 0.75-inch cubes (~4.5 medium potatos)
- 1/4 cups parsley – chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
Instructions
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the turkey necks and brown on all sides, 6–8 minutes total.
2. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until translucent and lightly golden, 4–5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
3. Pour in the water and add the bay leaves, dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then skim off any foam. Reduce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook until the neck meat is very tender and pulls from the bone, 1.5–2 hours.
4. Using tongs, transfer the turkey necks to a bowl and discard the bay leaves. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard bones and skin.
5. Return the shredded turkey to the pot. Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the potatoes can be easily pierced, 20–25 minutes.
6. Stir in the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Let rest 5 minutes, then ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Turkey neck soup is a hearty, broth-forward soup built from the deep, savory flavor of long-simmered turkey necks. The slow cook coaxes collagen and richness from the bones, yielding a silky, satisfying broth that carries tender shreds of turkey and softly cooked vegetables. With aromatic onion and garlic at its base and a clean finish of parsley, it’s comforting, economical, and perfect for cool-weather meals or using up holiday turkey parts.
Across the United States, especially in Southern home kitchens, turkey necks have long been prized for building soups and stews with depth. Cooks have simmered necks with simple aromatics and root vegetables for generations, turning a humble cut into a nourishing staple. Regional expressions span from American Southern vegetable-forward bowls to spicier Caribbean versions with pumpkin and dumplings, but the common thread is a patient simmer that transforms tough connective tissue into body and flavor.