Turkey Neck and Andouille Gumbo
Author: 
 
Makes 5 Quarts
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon peanut oil, divided
  • 1½ pounds andouille sausage, casing removed and large diced
  • 1½ pounds yellow onion, medium diced
  • 3½ cups medium diced poblanos (about 1 pound)
  • 2½ cups medium diced celery
  • 5 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 to 4 quarts of chicken stock
  • 1 quart Blackened & Braised Turkey Necks braising liquid (recipe follows)
  • 1½ pounds Blackened & Braised Turkey Necks meat, picked from the bones (recipe follows)
  • Potato salad, rice, and sliced green onions, to serve
Blackened & Braised Turkey Necks
  • 5 pounds turkey necks
  • ¼ cup blackening seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1¾ cups sliced smoked onions (see note)
  • 2 poblanos, sliced
  • 4 stalks celery, cut in 2-inch pieces
  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
  • 1 jalapeño, sliced
  • 2 (12-ounce) lager beers
  • 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 cups chicken stock
Instructions
  1. In a large cast-iron pan or Dutch oven, combine flour and 1¾ cups oil over medium-low heat; whisk until the flour and oil are smooth and a blonde roux forms, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon until a dark roux is achieved, up to 1 hour. Set roux aside.
  2. In a large, wide pot (must hold at least two gallons), sauté andouille with remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until you have some caramelization and crispy edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Set andouille aside, leaving any fat in your pot.
  3. To the same pot, add onion, poblano, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, cayenne, and black pepper over medium heat; sweat until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
  4. Carefully add roux to your vegetables. This will create steam, so go slowly and stand back.
  5. Add 3 quarts of your stock and your turkey neck braising liquid, if using. If not using braising liquid, add an additional quart of chicken stock. Bring up to a low boil over medium-high heat and cook until it begins to thicken. A dark gumbo doesn’t need to be very thick, but it should briefly coat your spoon before dripping and have a pleasant weight on your palate when you taste it.
  6. Add turkey neck meat and the reserved andouille, adjust seasoning as desired, and add more stock to thin, if necessary. Discard bay leaf, and serve with potato salad, like we do, or rice, and plenty of green onions.
Blackened & Braised Turkey Necks
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Season turkey necks with blackening seasoning.
  3. In a large Dutch oven, sear turkey necks hard on all sides in batches over medium heat, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
  4. Add remaining ingredients, cover and braise in the oven, until meat is tender and meat pulls from the bones, 2½ to 3½ hours.
  5. Pull meat from bones, cover and refrigerate until using. Strain the braising liquid, discarding solids, and reserve.
Notes
Note: Smoked onions aren’t essential in this recipe, but they bring lots of flavor. To smoke onions, cut yellow onions into 1-inch slices and smoke over mesquite for 45 minutes. Sliced raw yellow onions are a fine substitute.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/turkey-neck-and-andouille-gumbo/