Smothered Cajun‑Style Braised Turkey Necks with Onions & Peppers
Equipment
- Heavy-bottom Dutch oven or large braiser ideal for browning and braising.
- Wooden Spoon or Spatula for sautéing and stirring.
- Sharp knife & cutting board prep veggies and trim necks.
- Ladle or Measuring Cup for adding stock.
- Tongs or spatula to handle turkey necks when browning.
- Serving dish & garnish tools fresh herbs and sides.
Ingredients
- Turkey Necks – 3 lbs trimmed, cleaned, about 8–10 pieces
- Olive oil or avocado oil – 3 tbsp
- Unsalted butter – 2 tbsp
- Yellow onion – 1 large sliced
- Red & green bell peppers – 1 each sliced
- Celery stalks – 2 sliced
- Garlic – 5 cloves minced
- All‑purpose flour – ¼ cup
- Chicken stock – 4 cups
- Worcestershire sauce – 1 tbsp
- Bay leaves – 2
- Fresh thyme – 1 tsp or ½ tsp dried
- Smoked paprika – 1 tsp
- Cayenne pepper – ½–1 tsp adjust for heat
- Cajun seasoning – 2 tsp
- Salt & black pepper – to taste
- Chopped parsley & green onions – for garnish
Instructions
Prep & dredge
- Rinse turkey necks with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne, and Cajun seasoning. Lightly dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
Brown the necks
- Heat oil and butter in Dutch oven over medium-high. In batches, brown necks 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
Build the flavor base
- In the same pot, sauté onion, peppers, celery, and garlic until softened (~5 minutes).
Deglaze & braise
- Stir in stock and Worcestershire, scraping up browned bits. Add bay leaves, thyme, and return turkey necks sunk into liquid.
Cook low & slow
- Bring to simmer, cover, then transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven for 2½–3 hours until necks are fork‑tender.
Slow cooker option
- Transfer contents to Crockpot Turkey Necks style, cook on Low for 6–7 hours.
Finish & thicken (optional)
- Remove necks; on stovetop, simmer gravy uncovered to thicken if needed. Return necks to warm through.
Garnish & serve
- Plate necks over rice or mashed potatoes, spoon gravy, sprinkle chopped parsley and green onions.