Many families have a “giblet person”—the one who fights for the neck meat at the table. My friend’s grandmother calls it the “oyster of the turkey.” It’s a dark, tender morsel that feels like a secret reward for those who know where to look.
In Southern cooking, giblets are often chopped into cornbread dressing, adding a rustic, earthy depth. In the UK, they’re stuffed into the neck cavity to make a “crown roast.” The giblet unites us all in a weird, delicious shared history.
If you really don’t want to cook them, freeze them for a future soup. Think of it as a rainy-day fund for your flavor wallet. Waste not, want not, especially when it comes to free protein.
Practical Tips for the Uninitiated
Tip one: Use kitchen shears to snip the neck from the spine if it’s stubborn. It’s easier than wrestling with it like a raw chicken arm-wrestling champion.
Tip two: If the giblet bag is plastic, double-check that it’s truly empty. Some birds come with a second bag tucked into the neck cavity. I once found a plastic bag full of gizzards inside the bird’s body—thankfully, before dinner.
How to Remove the Neck of a Turkey - A Step-by-Step Guide
Tip three: Don’t throw the neck away. Even if you don’t make stock, toss it in a freezer bag. When you have three necks, you have the base for a powerful winter soup.
