Turkey Neck Pot-au-Feu Recipe

Surprise yourself and your family and friends with this easy and memorable French Pot-au-Feu recipe made with turkey necks! Amazingly nutritious, turkey necks are rich in cartilage that contains collagen, which, when cooked, creates a gelatinous broth to enjoy with your meaty turkey necks and tasty vegetables.

Why Use Turkey Necks to Make a Pot-au-Feu?

Traditionally, a French Pot-au-Feu (“pot on fire” or “pot on the fire”) is made with tough cuts of beef that are allowed to simmer until they become tender and flavorful, along with hearty vegetables.

Although traditional Pot-au-Feu is made with beef, what better time to vary the recipe at Thanksgiving to make use of turkey necks? This part of the turkey is rich in cartilage, which is a prized ingredient when making any type of broth or bone broth. And since turkey necks are inexpensive or are nothing more than an afterthought when roasting a Thanksgiving bird, why not put those turkey necks to good use?

And in addition to all the benefits of collagen, which nourishes our digestive system, skin, hair, and nails, we’ve also learned a new meal for our no-waste, traditional foods kitchen.

Why I like Jacque Pepin

I will confess the idea of making a Turkey Neck Pot-au-Feu is not original. I watched one of my favorite chefs create this clever meal. And who was that? Jaques Pepin! I have his cookbooks, and I have always loved watching his cooking shows over the years on public television. And now, many of his shows are on YouTube, which makes them accessible 24/7. I will confess I may be guilty of a little binge-watching! 😉

But stepping beyond the delicious dishes that Chef Pepin creates, I enjoy watching him because, at his core, he is a home cook. He will often recount stories of what his mom made back in France when he was growing up. He’ll recreate her recipes, and when he finishes pulling the dish together, he will often say, “I think my mother would be proud.”

It’s this quality that Chef Pepin has that always touches my heart because it reminds me of my own experiences cooking alongside my mother. Albeit I can’t hold a candle to the Chef, I like to think that when it comes to home cooking, both he and I share similar experiences learning from and cooking alongside our moms. Hopefully, Chef Pepin would approve of my home cooking and enjoy a true comfort food meal at my kitchen table!

Ingredients to Make Turkey Neck Pot-au-Feu

Find the full printable recipe with ingredients below.

The ingredients for making Turkey Neck Pot-au-Feu are humble ones and include:

• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onions, white or yellow
• Potatoes, red or other thin-skinned varieties are best
• Turnips
• Various herbs, including thyme and bay leaves

And the star of the show…

Turkey Necks!

How to Make Turkey Neck Pot-au-Feu

Find the full printable recipe with measurements below.

1. Chop – It’s best to chop each turkey neck into three pieces.
2. Boil – Add the turkey necks to a large stock pot (or Dutch oven) along with the herbs and bring the mixture up to a boil. Add in the salt, stir, cover, and turn the heat down to medium.
3. Simmer – Allow turkey necks to simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Add Vegetables – After 45 minutes, remove the lid and add the vegetables to the stock pot.
5. Boil – Bring everything back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium.
6. Simmer – Allow everything to simmer for 30 minutes.

How to Serve Turkey Neck Pot-au-Feu

The traditional way to serve a Pot-au-Feu, even a recipe made with turkey necks, is to place some of the broth in a bowl and top the broth with optional toasted baguette slices with a bit of Gruyère cheese. You can serve this broth prior to the platter of Pot-au-Feu or alongside the main dish. (See below.)

For the main dish, place a few turkey neck pieces along with a selection of vegetables into a large individual-sized bowl. You can add just a bit of the hot broth over the food if you want.

Variations

As I have shared earlier, a traditional Pot-au-Feu is made with beef, but don’t let that limit you. Just as we have used turkey necks in this clever version, you can use other parts of poultry, including:

• Necks or Backs
• Hearts or Gizzards
• A Carcass with a bit of meat remaining on it

Recipe Tips

Making any type of Pot-au-Feu is easy, and it’s also an ideal way to make use of any vegetables you might have in your crisper that are getting a bit past their prime. Throw them into your stock pot with any bits and bobs of unusual cuts of meat or scraps you have on hand. In no time, you will have a flavorful dish, and no one will know that it had highly humble beginnings!

Storing and Reheating

It’s easy to store a Turkey Neck Pot-au-Feu. Simply place any leftovers in an airtight container and be sure to consume them within 3 to 4 days. If frozen in a freezer-proof container, the Turkey Neck Pot-au-Feu can stay fresh for 3 to 4 months.

If you are ever in doubt about the freshness of any food in your refrigerator, always trust your senses. If there is a foul odor or any sign of spoilage, discard the food and do not consume it.

If you need definitive answers as to how long any food will last in your fridge, be sure to consult the United States Department of Agriculture’s site AskUSDA.

When you are ready to re-warm your Pot-au-Feu leftovers, it’s easy to do by transferring all the food, including the broth, into a stockpot or Dutch oven. Bring it all up to a boil, then turn it down to a low simmer until everything is warmed through.

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Looking for an Heirloom Turkey?

If you’re looking for an heirloom turkey for your holiday celebrations, US Wellness Meats offers an excellent selection of grass-fed beef, bison, poultry, fish, and more.

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