Turkey Neck substitute

Substitutes for Turkey Neck with ratios

1. 2Smoked ham hock or smoked pork neck bones

   Different taste

   Use 1 hock for every 2 turkey necks

   The classic Southern alternative and arguably the original.

   What changes

   A hock delivers the same salt, smoke and collagen, and it is exceptionally good at it. The difference is pork's sweetness and higher fat, so a pot of greens made with a hock tastes richer, rounder and glossier, where smoked turkey is leaner and sharper. Smoked pork neck bones are even closer in structure, being neck bones themselves.

   Best for

   Collard and mustard greens, Black-eyed peas, Lima and pinto beans, Split pea soup, Cabbage

   Simmer at least 90 minutes for the collagen to release. Skim some fat off the top before serving if you want the leaner turkey character back.

2. 3Chicken wings, backs or feet

   Close match

   Use 1 lb for every turkey neck

   The cheapest source of gelatin in any supermarket, and functionally excellent.

   What changes

   Chicken wings and backs give a slightly lighter, sweeter, less deeply savory liquid than turkey, and chicken feet are the strongest gelling agent of all, though the pot liquor tastes fairly neutral so you will want to add seasoning. None of them bring smoke, so add half a teaspoon of smoked paprika or a few drops of liquid smoke for a greens recipe.

   Best for

   Stock, Gravy, Greens, Beans, Soup

   Brown them hard first, at 425F for 30 minutes, before simmering. Unbrowned chicken parts give a pale thin liquid that tastes of very little.

3. 4Smoked turkey legs, tails or wing tips

   Close match

   Use the same amount by weight

   All the same product family and all direct swaps.

   What changes

   Smoked turkey legs give you the most meat, so you get more shredded turkey in the finished dish and a slightly less gelatinous liquid. Smoked turkey tails are very fatty and give the richest, most unctuous pot of all, noticeably heavier than necks. Flavor is the same across the group.

   Best for

   Greens, Beans, Rice dishes, Soup, Gumbo

   Turkey tails are much fattier than necks; skim the pot or use fewer. All smoked turkey is salty, so salt only at the end.

4. 5Good gelatin-rich stock plus smoke and salt

   Different taste

   Use 4 cups stock + ½ tsp smoked paprika + 3 drops liquid smoke for every neck

   The no-bone workaround, and it splits the difference honestly.

   What changes

   If your stock sets to a wobble when chilled, it already has the gelatin the neck would have supplied, and the paprika and liquid smoke cover the smoke. What you cannot get this way is the shredded dark meat and the slow layered depth of two hours of simmering, so the dish tastes good but simpler.

   Best for

   Quick greens, Weeknight beans, Soup, Gravy

   If your stock stays liquid when cold it has no gelatin, so bloom a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin per 2 cups and whisk it in. Do not add both liquid smoke and smoked meat, or the dish goes acrid.

5. 6Smoked paprika, soy sauce and olive oil in vegetable stock (meat-free)

   Taste and texture differ

   Use 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp soy sauce + 2 tbsp olive oil for every 4 cups stock

   The vegan version of a smoked-neck pot, and it handles the smoke and savoriness convincingly.

   What changes

   The one thing it cannot do is body, since there is no collagen anywhere in the pot, so the liquid stays thin and clean rather than silky. Olive oil or a spoonful of tahini adds weight, and a splash of vinegar at the end keeps the paprika from tasting flat.

   Best for

   Vegan collard greens, Vegan black-eyed peas, Vegetarian gumbo, Cabbage

   Two or three drops of liquid smoke can go in as well, but no more; it turns bitter fast. Add a small piece of kombu for extra savory depth if you have it.