Turkey giblets and neck: where they are, how long they keep, and what to do if you cooked the bag

Most whole turkeys come with the giblets and neck packed inside, out of sight when you unwrap the bird, and some have two packages. The useful part of the giblet question is short: find the bags, keep the contents cold, cook them to the same 165°F as the turkey, and know what to do if you forgot.

Where to look: two cavities, not one

University of Arkansas Extension tells cooks to check both openings:

• The body cavity (the large opening between the legs). Most birds have the giblet bag here, sometimes tucked under a plastic or metal hock lock that holds the legs.
• The neck cavity (under the flap of skin at the other end). The neck is often here, loose or in its own bag.

Do this once the turkey is thawed. USDA's "Let's Talk Turkey" says to remove the giblets after thawing and cook them separately. If the inside is still icy, see the thawing rescue plan. Handle the bag over the sink tray or a sheet pan, not the open sink, and wash your hands, as the washing guide explains.

What's in the bag

Part	What it is	Best use
Neck	Bony, meaty	Simmer for gravy broth or stock
Gizzard	Dense muscle, needs long cooking	Simmer, then chop into gravy or dressing
Heart	Small, firm muscle	Simmer with the gizzard
Liver	Soft, cooks fast, can turn the broth bitter	Add for the last few minutes, or cook separately

The liver is the one to treat differently. USDA's own microwave method for giblets cooks the neck, gizzard and heart first and adds the liver only at the end.

How long giblets keep

From USDA FSIS's "Turkey from Farm to Table":

Item	Refrigerator (40°F or below)	Freezer (0°F)
Raw giblets	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months
Cooked gravy or broth	3 to 4 days	2 to 3 months

If you pull the giblets on Monday from a bird that will roast on Thursday, freeze them or cook them into broth on Monday or Tuesday. Broth made ahead is one less pan on Thursday and fits the make-ahead schedule.

Giblet broth and gravy: a timeline that fits the roast

1. When the turkey goes in the oven: put the neck, gizzard and heart in a saucepan, cover with water, and simmer gently. USDA's microwave alternative is 3 cups of water at medium (50 percent) power for 35 minutes, then the liver for 10 more.
2. Add the liver for the final 10 minutes or so, or leave it out.
3. Strain the broth. Pull the meat off the neck, and chop the gizzard and heart if you want them in the gravy or dressing. Check the giblets reached 165°F.
4. When the turkey comes out to rest (USDA suggests 20 minutes), skim the drippings, combine with the giblet broth, and thicken. The ratio is in how to make pan gravy. The full order of gravy, stuffing and sides is in the gravy and sides timing guide.
5. Reheating later: FSIS's group-cooking guidance says to bring gravy to a rolling boil.

Two USDA rules for poultry apply here too: never partially cook it to finish later, and use a thermometer, not color, to judge doneness. The meat thermometer guide covers where to probe.

"I roasted it with the bag inside"

This happens every year, and FSIS has a specific answer in its "Hock Locks and Other Accoutrements" fact sheet:

• Paper bag, cooked inside: no safety concern. Make sure the turkey reached 165°F; the giblets can be used.
• Plastic bag, still intact and unaltered: the giblets and turkey are safe as long as the turkey is fully cooked.
• Plastic bag that melted or changed shape: do not eat the giblets or the turkey. FSIS notes that packaging materials not made for cooking can transfer chemicals into food.

If you have doubts, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (888-674-6854) and the other numbers on the turkey hotlines page are there for this kind of question.

The neck and the bones after dinner

The neck that went into the gravy is only the start. Once the turkey is carved, the carcass makes the next batch: the carcass stock guide has the method. Cooked poultry bones splinter, so the neck bones, like the carcass, go into a bin pets can't open; see the pet safety guide.