What are the Parts of a Turkey? A Complete Guide

If you’ve ever brought home a Thanksgiving turkey and fished around its insides, you’ve likely found a little bag of mysterious turkey bits known as giblets. And while many home cooks throw it in the garbage with disgust, it shouldn’t be overlooked.

The offal, or the organ meats of animals, aren’t usually widely available — but turkey is the exception. “It is the only example I can think of in modern meat-buying in America where meat itself comes with organs, as if the internal organs are saying, ‘Please eat me, too! I’m also delicious!’” said Dr. Jonathan Reisman, a physician, author and creator of Anatomy Eats, a series of dinners where patrons eat parts of animals that are usually discarded, while Reisman explains the animal’s anatomy. Advertisement

Cooking a whole turkey can be an intimidating task. But learning the anatomy and identifying the different parts of a turkey can make preparing this large bird much easier. With the right techniques and understanding of turkey structure, you’ll be carving up perfect holiday birds in no time.

In this comprehensive guide we’ll go over all the key external and internal components of a turkey and explain how to utilize them for delicious results.

External Anatomy

Let’s start with the visible outer parts of the turkey:

Head – Contains the eyes, snood, wattle, beak and neck. Do not eat.
Neck – Connects the head to the body Contains bones and cartilage so needs thorough cooking.
Snood – A fleshy protuberance hanging over the beak longer in males.
Wattle – The red flap under the chin. Size and color varies.
Beard – Long black bristles projecting from the breast, only in males.
Breast – The upper front portion, containing the largest muscles. Very lean meat.
Wings – Used for balance and flight. Sections are the drumette, wingette and tip.
Thighs – The upper joint of the leg with darker, juicier meat.
Drumsticks – The lower leg segments, resembling chicken drumsticks. Also dark meat.
Tail – Found at the rear with display feathers. Not for eating.
Caruncle – Fleshy bumps on the head and neck, coming in various colors.

Internal Anatomy

Looking inside a turkey reveals more parts:

Cavity – Interior space once organs are removed. Often stuffed for added flavor.
Wishbone – Shaped like a Y; the fused clavicle in front of the breastbone.
Giblets – Internal organs including the gizzard, heart, liver and neck. Usually packaged inside the cavity.
Gizzard – Part of the stomach, made of tough muscle. Requires long cooking.
Heart – A very muscular vital organ that is smaller and darker than a chicken’s.
Liver – Responsible for metabolism. Has a soft texture and rich flavor.
Neck – Found at the top of the cavity. Contains bones and cartilage.

Differences Between Hens and Toms

There are some notable variations between male (toms) and female (hens) turkeys:

Size – Toms are much larger, weighing over 40 pounds while hens are 10-15 pounds.
Feathers – Toms have bright, iridescent feathers for mating displays. Hens have duller plumage.
Snood and wattle – Longer and more pronounced in toms compared to hens.
Breast size – Hens have a larger breast proportionate to their smaller bodies.
Spurs – Pointed spikes on tom’s legs used for fighting. Hens lack spurs.

How to Cut Up a Whole Turkey

Follow these steps to cut a whole turkey into parts:

Remove the wings by slicing through the joints where they meet the body.
Cut along either side of the backbone to remove it.
Slice the breast meat away from the breastbone.
Flip over and cut through hip joints to remove the whole leg quarters.
Separate the drumsticks from the thighs at the joint.
Cut off the neck and remove giblets from the cavity.
Slice breast halves into thinner fillets if desired.
Separate wing sections into drumettes and wingettes (optional).

Cooking Different Parts

The various turkey segments have unique cooking recommendations:

Whole turkey – Bake at 325°F, allowing 15-20 mins per pound until 170°F at the thickest part of the breast.
Breast – Roast at 350°F for 1-1.5 hours until 160°F is reached. Grill for 8-10 mins per side.
Legs and thighs – Roast at 325°F for 1-1.5 hours until 175°F. Or braise for 1 hour.
Wings – Bake at 400°F for 30-40 mins until crisp. Grill for 15 mins total, flipping occasionally.
Giblets – Simmer in broth for 1-2 hours until completely tender.

Learning the unique anatomy of a turkey helps ensure successful preparation. Identify the various external and internal components, understand how to properly carve and cook different parts, and you’ll be roasting professional-quality birds. With these tips, your holiday turkeys will impress from head to toe!

what are the parts of a turkey

Add it to bolognese.

If you want to use these turkey parts for a nontraditional Thanksgiving dish, chef Alex Chen at Wild Blue Restaurant & Bar in British Columbia, Canada, suggests using turkey livers, hearts and gizzards to make bolognese. “It is delicious. Just treat the organ meats like ground beef,” he said.Advertisement

To prepare the giblets for bolognese, Chen poaches “the heart and gizzard in butter like a slow confit” before submerging them in unsalted butter, sage leaves and garlic and cooking them for an hour. “Chill and food process until they’re small chunks like cooked ground beef and hand-dice the liver,” he suggested.

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parts of a turkey

FAQ

What are parts of a turkey called?

Here’s a rundown:

Spurs. Both sexes have spurs, although on females, the keratinized appendages are no more than small buttons protruding from the back of the leg a few inches above the foot. …
Fan. A turkey’s fan is a prominent feature you’ll see when a tom struts. …
Beard. …
Snood. …
Caruncles. …
Dewlap. …
Wing Feathers. …
Eyes and Ears.

What are the parts inside a turkey?

“Those organs and body parts inside the turkey are called the ‘giblets’ and they usually consist of the heart, liver, gizzard and neck,” Reisman explained.

What happens if you don’t take the giblets out of a turkey?

Remove The Giblets

While there’s technically no harm done in roasting your turkey with the giblets inside, it might be unpleasant to bake the little sack they come in, and it might prolong the thawing—and cooking—process.

What are the different cuts of turkey?

Whole thighs: non-trimmed, non-boned. Fillet: breast muscle, with or without skin. Escalope: slice of filet without skin. Steak: slice of the upper part of the thigh without skin.

Can You section a whole turkey?

Buy a whole turkey and section it into pieces to help your turkey cook faster. A broken-down turkey roasts much faster than a whole one, cutting hours off your cooking time. While a butcher can sell you ready-to-roast pieces, it’s not hard to tackle sectioning an entire turkey at home.

Can I roast turkey parts instead of a whole bird?

Here’s how to solve this dilemma: roast turkey parts instead of a whole bird! When cut away from the bird, the legs and thighs cook more quickly while the whole breast, which is much larger, takes a bit longer to cook. Choose one herb mixture or rub and use that on all of the turkey parts.

Can a broken turkey roast be sectioned at home?

A broken-down turkey roasts much faster than a whole one, cutting hours off your cooking time. While a butcher can sell you ready-to-roast pieces, it’s not hard to tackle sectioning an entire turkey at home. Follow our step-by-step guide to learn how to cut up a raw turkey in no time flat.