After the big holiday meal you’re often left with a pile of turkey backs. While they may not look appetizing, these bony pieces contain a treasure trove of flavors waiting to be unlocked. Rather than tossing them out get creative with these underrated cuts!
In this article I’ll share 8 delicious ways to transform turkey backs into culinary gold. From nourishing bone broths to main dish soups you’ll get the most out of your bird.
What Are Turkey Backs?
First, let’s cover what turkey backs actually are. Turkey backs are the bone-in back portion of the bird. They include the spine, rib bones, small bits of meat, skin, and fat.
While backs don’t offer much tender muscle meat, they pack concentrated turkey essence in the bones, meat, and skin. They require slow, moist cooking to break down and become fork-tender. But the effort pays off in rich, hearty flavor.
8 Clever Ways to Use Turkey Backs
Ready to unlock the potential of those turkey backs? Here are 8 great options:
1. Make Turkey Stock
One of the most popular uses for turkey backs is making flavorful turkey stock. Simmer the backs for 4-6 hours to draw out the collagen and turkey taste from the bones. Use this as the base for soups, stews, gravies, risottos, and more.
2. Enhance Soups
Too much work to make an entire stock? Simply add turkey backs directly to soup recipes as they simmer. Let them infuse the broth with extra turkey flavor and body.
3. Boost Gravy
Don’t throw out the drippings after roasting turkey backs! Use them to enhance gravy with rich, turkey-y goodness. The rendered fat also adds flavor and a velvety texture.
4. Make Ground Turkey
Grind up turkey back meat to make your own fresh ground turkey at home. Use it just like store-bought in recipes like burgers, meatballs, and tacos. It’s budget-friendly with great taste.
5. Whip Up Turkey Soup
Transform turkey backs into a hearty meal by making turkey soup. Simmer until tender, remove the meat, then add to veggies, noodles or rice. It’s comforting and frugal.
6. Craft Healing Bone Broth
For an immune-boosting elixir, simmer turkey backs for 12-24 hours to extract their nutrients. The resulting collagen-rich bone broth aids digestion and joints.
7. Produce DIY Pet Food
Finely chop turkey backs to produce homemade food for your furry friends. Consult a vet and properly cook to kill bacteria. Turkey offers lean protein for pets.
8. Make Turkey Croquettes
Mix cooked, chopped turkey back meat with mashed potatoes, herbs, and spices. Form into patties and fry until crispy for tasty turkey croquettes. Yum!
With some creativity, you can transform turkey backs from scraps into featured dishes. Don’t let this healthy meat go to waste!
Tips for Handling Turkey Backs
Follow these tips for safely handling and cooking turkey backs:
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Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freezer for several months.
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Season with aromatic veggies, herbs and spices while cooking.
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Simmer for at least 1 hour to extract flavor, 4+ hours for tender meat.
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Roast at 400°-450°F for 30 minutes until the skin gets crispy.
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Consume the skin for added collagen, nutrients and flavor. Just cook thoroughly.
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Make broth first, then pick any remaining meat off to use in other recipes.
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Cook thoroughly to at least 165°F internal temperature for food safety.
Satisfying Turkey Back Recipes
Here are 3 delicious recipes to inspire you:
Hearty Turkey Noodle Soup
Simmer turkey backs for 4 hours in water with onions, carrots, celery and herbs. Remove backs, pick off meat and return to pot. Add egg noodles, kale, and shredded leftover turkey. Cook until noodles are tender for a comforting one-pot meal.
Smoky Turkey Stock
Roast turkey backs at 450°F for 30 minutes with a spice rub to brown them. Transfer to a pot and cover with water. Add roasted garlic, onions, bay leaves and smoked paprika. Simmer for 6 hours then strain out the solids.
Fido’s Turkey & Rice
Chop and pressure cook turkey backs with brown rice, carrots, peas and broth for your dog. Consult your vet, ensure fully cooked, then let cool before serving.
With the right handling and cooking methods, turkey backs can become a nutritious kitchen staple. I hope these 8 creative ideas have inspired you to transform this often discarded part of the turkey into delicious soups, stocks, mains and more. Get the most out of your holiday bird!
Roast Turkey in Parts Recipe
- 1 whole turkey, 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8kg)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 large ribs celery, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 whole black peppercorns
- 1 quart (900ml) homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, divided
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 teaspoon marmite
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) soy sauce
- Take turkey legs off with a sharp knife and set them aside. Cut the turkey breast away from the backbone and carcass with a big cleaver or a heavy chefs knife. Separate turkey wings from breast. Chop backbone and carcass into rough pieces with the cleaver. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Move turkey parts to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and let them rest overnight in the fridge, uncovered (see notes).
- Set the oven rack in the lower middle position and heat the oven to 275°F (135°C). On a baking sheet with a lip, spread out the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and black peppercorns in an even layer. Put 240ml (1 cup) of stock on the baking sheet; set aside the rest of the stock. Place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet. (It may rest directly on top of vegetables—this is okay. ) Set aside. Put the turkey on top of the vegetables on the rack, making sure there is some space between the pieces of turkey.
- Roast the turkey for two to three hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of a breast piece reads 150°F (66°C). Remove breast and set aside. For another 30 minutes, keep roasting the legs until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a leg reads 170°F (77°C). If the pieces are put together right, the legs might be done at the same time as the breasts. ) The turkey pieces will not be browned. Place in a warm place for at least 30 minutes and no more than 2 hours. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Strain vegetables from tray. Reserve liquid and discard vegetables.
- While the turkey is roasting, make the gravy. Cut the neck and carcass into 1-inch chunks. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over high heat until it starts to smoke. Add the turkey carcass and stir it around a lot while cooking for about 10 minutes, or until it’s well browned all over. Add remaining stock. Add water until turkey pieces are barely covered. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let it cook while the turkey roasts.
- While the turkey is resting, strain stock through the same strainer and add it to the stock from the vegetables that you set aside. Discard solids. If desired, cut giblets into 1/4-inch pieces. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. While stirring often, cook the giblets for about two minutes, until they are lightly browned. When you add the flour, keep stirring it in while cooking until it turns a light blonde color. Slowly whisk in reserved stock, Marmite, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until desired consistency is reached, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- 30 Minutes Before Serving Turkey: Preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Put the turkey in the oven and cook it until the skin is crisp and golden. Turn the breast once while it’s cooking. Serve immediately with gravy.
Turkey Talk: The Benefits of Roasting Turkey in Parts
The only way to get the 20-degree temperature difference between fully cooked thighs and breasts right is to separate the dark meat from the white. As a tasty bonus, legs that have been separated can be slow-cooked to break down their connective tissue and make the meat feel very silky.
Want to know why you should tie the breast into a round roast? Just read Kenji’s post from last year about turkey-stuffed turkey:
The butchery itself is actually pretty simple. Just remember to use a very sharp knife and to use your hands as much as possible.
After cutting the breasts in half and removing the bones, I put them together by stacking them smooth-side-out on top of each other, making sure that the thin end of each half lines up with the thick end of the other half. This guarantees relatively even thickness throughout its length. I wrap the cylinder back up in the skin and use half-hitch knots to make it stand up straight. Not your thing? You can use a few simple granny knots all the way along the roast instead.
Turkey Backs and Cornbread Hack| Sunday Soulfood Dinner| Carters Eat
FAQ
What are turkey backs used for?
Can you eat turkey backs?
Is there much meat on a turkey back?
How long does it take to cook turkey back?
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Weight
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Cook Time (Unstuffed)
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Cook Time (Stuffed)
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10-18 lbs.
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3-3½ hrs.
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3¾-4½ hrs.
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18-22 lbs.
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3½-4 hrs.
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4½-5 hrs.
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22-24 lbs.
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4-4½ hrs.
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5-5½ hrs.
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24-30 lbs.
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4½-5 hrs.
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5½-6¼ hrs.
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What can I do with cooked turkey?
You can grind up cooked turkey in a food processor with a little bit of water and egg to make a “raw ground beef/meat” type substitute. You can alsomarinate cooked turkey and stir fry it with leftover veggies for a simple Asian style dish to serve over rice.
What is a turkey back?
A turkey back is mostly skin, bones, and cartilage, but it still has a vital, if sometimes overlooked, purpose: turkey stock. Normally, the back cooks with the rest of the bird, so people have to use other stock, usually store-bought, to fulfill their gravy needs. But with everything cut up, that back is at your disposal.
How do you cook a turkey back in a pressure cooker?
Everything in the pot: Put the turkey backs in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Add the onion, celery, carrot, thyme, and salt to the pressure cooker pot, then add the 8 cups of water. Pressure cook for 1 hour with a Natural Release: Lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes in an Instant Pot, electric, or stovetop PC.
Is Thanksgiving turkey really that bad?
To have an enlightened conversation about Thanksgiving turkey, you first have to admit the simple fact that turkey is delicious. It’s hip to dismiss the bird as dry and bland, but that’s just propaganda. And you know it’s propaganda, because if turkey was really that bad, we’d have replaced it with prime rib a long, long time ago.