Jamaican Turkey Neck (Ghetto Oxtail)
This Jamaican Turkey Neck recipe is a classic Sunday dinner favorite of mine. Its fall-of-the-bone texture and flavor will have you going for seconds and thirds.
Are you team oxtail or turkey neck?
Many of you may ask this question, especially those from the Caribbean.
As the days continue, the debate over which is better continues, and I must admit that I am forever Team Turkey Neck.
Not only did I grow up having this for Sunday dinner quite often, but it was also what we could only afford.
In my opinion, I don’t see a big difference between the two, as one is the tail of an ox versus the neck of a turkey.
And that’s not to say that I haven’t had oxtail before, but I think turkey neck is better. And it’s CHEAPER.
What is Turkey Neck?
In some countries, it may be strange to eat the neck of the turkey, but in the Caribbean and parts of North America, it’s a popular culinary dish.
In Jamaica and some parts of the Caribbean, the debate rains on about whether one prefers oxtail meat versus turkey neck.
While oxtail is said to be the better meat, it is expensive, and trust me, with the current economy, turkey neck is just as good as oxtail.
Another name for cooking this dish is “ Ghetto Oxtail,” which to me is a funny name.
When cooking this dish, the meat is browned or seared first and then cooked in a pressure cooker pot.
It is then simmered in a brown gravy-like sauce and served with your desired sides.
Ingredients To Use
- Meat Parts – turkey neck is used for this dish only.
- Seasoning – onions, escallion, garlic, thyme, pimento seeds, ginger, all-purpose seasoning, cumin, salt
- Sauces – ketchup, browning sauce, pickapeppa sauce
- Vegetables – carrots, tomato
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper
- All-Purpose Flour
- Oil
- Water
How To Make Jamaican Turkey Neck
Making this dish has brought back such good memories, as my mom would cook this almost every Sunday for dinner.
Direction for Spinners:
- In a bowl, sift flour 3-4 times and add salt. Mix to combine.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour water at intervals to form a dough.
- When it’s time to add spinners to the pot, pinch small pieces of dough and rub between your palms, then drop each piece into the pot.
Directions for Turkey Neck:
- Wash meat with vinegar and lime. Remove any membrane and fat from each piece of meat.
- Season turkey neck pieces with all-purpose seasoning, cumin, pimento berries, browning, ginger, pickapeppa sauce, salt, and garlic. Allow to marinate for up to 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker pot. Add each turkey neck piece to the pot. Allow each piece to cook for 10-15 minutes. Turn at 5-minute intervals.
- Add boiling water to the pot until the meat is covered. Seal the pot with the pressure cooker cover for 25-35 minutes. Remove from flames and allow to cool.
- Once cool, check the meat to ensure it’s tender enough. Place back on the flame and add the remaining ingredients: thyme, escallion, spinners, onion, ketchup, carrots, tomato, and scotch bonnet pepper. Salt to taste.
- Cover and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
- Serve as desired.
Serving Suggestions
For this delicious Sunday dinner, serve with rice and peas and a side of potato salad or coleslaw.
And don’t forget that tall glass of homemade carrot juice.
Other serving options:
- Pumpkin Rice
- Rice and Gungo Peas
- Mashed Potatoes
- Steamed Veggies
- Boiled dumplings, yams, sweet potato, etc.
Tips For Making Jamaican Turkey Neck
- Searing or browning the turkey neck helps to cook the meat better. It also takes away the raw taste that comes with the meat.
- For a faster cooking time, cook the meat in a pressure cooker pot or slow cooker to help speed up the cooking time.
- Add broad beans instead of spinners or both for a heftier meal.
- For a thicker gravy, mix a slurry of flour with water and add the mixture in the last 5 minutes of the cooking time.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
If you’re still wondering if you should make this dish, let me help out:
- Budget-Friendly – while everyone loves oxtail meat, turkey neck meat is cheaper. Plus, you get the same flavors using similar ingredients for both.
- Easy-To-Make – the cooking process for this dish is easy as the type of pot used, the pressure cooker, tenderizes the meat quicker than slow cookers.
- Hearty Meal – if you’re looking for a delicious and comforting dish, this one is for you.
- Family-Friendly – this is the perfect weekend dinner to have. This recipe is what many Jamaicans grew up having on the weekend or sometimes on special occasions.
Storing and Reheating
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- When reheating, place in a pot on medium-low heat and slowly stir until heated.
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Jamaican Style Turkey Neck (Ghetto Oxtail)
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker Pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. turkey neck
- ½ tbsp. ginger flavoring
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tbsp. Pickapeppa Sauce
- 3 tbsp. Morton Nature's Seasons (all-purposing seasoning)
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 tbsp. browning sauce
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- ½ cup ketchup
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 stalk escallion (chopped)
- 1 large tomato (diced)
- 1 large carrot sliced
- 3-4 cups boiling water
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper
- vegetable oil
- a few pimento berries
Spinners Dumpling
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- water to combine
Instructions
Direction for Spinners:
- In a bowl, sift flour 3-4 times and add salt. Mix to combine.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour water at intervals to form a dough.
- When it’s time to add spinners to the pot, pinch small pieces of dough and rub between your palms, then drop each piece into the pot.
Directions:
- Wash meat with vinegar and lime. Remove any membrane and fat from each piece of meat.
- Season turkey neck pieces with all-purpose seasoning, cumin, pimento berries, browning, ginger, pickapeppa sauce, salt, and garlic. Allow to marinate for up to 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker pot. Add each turkey neck piece to the pot. Allow each piece to cook for 10-15 minutes. Turn at 5-minute intervals.
- Add boiling water to the pot until the meat is covered. Seal the pot with the pressure cooker cover for 25-35 minutes. Remove from flames and allow to cool.
- Once cool, check the meat to ensure it’s tender enough. Place back on the flame and add the remaining ingredients: thyme, escallion, spinners, onion, ketchup, carrots, tomato, and scotch bonnet pepper. Salt to taste.
- Cover and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
- Serve as desired.
Notes
Notes for Cooking Turkey Neck:
- Searing or browning the turkey neck helps to cook the meat better. It also takes away the raw taste that comes with the meat.
- For a faster cooking time, cook the meat in a pressure cooker pot or slow cooker to help speed up the cooking time.
- Add broad beans instead of spinners or both for a heftier meal.
- For a thicker gravy, mix a slurry of flour with water and add the mixture in the last 5 minutes of the cooking time.
