Why and how are we processing chicken necks?

Today, markets in North America, Europe and Oceania have largely gone over to selling poultry fresh as opposed to deep-frozen.

Giblet packs inside

At the same time, ever more poultry is cut into portions and deboned with ever fewer whole products being sold whole. This reflects changing demographics and consumer habits. As a result, giblets, including necks, are packed bulk and go in the main for petfood. Livers, and in some markets hearts and gizzards, are sold in retail packs, although this is relatively small scale. The days of the giblet pack inserted in the bird’s cavity are in these markets well and truly over.

Frozen chicken

In markets where product is still sold deep frozen, where necks are in themselves an attractive product and where people still have the time and interest, the situation is of course different. In these markets, necks are often used in tasty recipes.

Cleaning the neck

No matter how necks are sold, dealing satisfactorily with necks and the neck flap in a processing plant is vital for ensuring optimum yield. Marel produces a range of equipment for handling both items. 

Even as demographic trends mean that ever more product is being cut and deboned, there will always be a market for the whole product. In most markets, families still eat together and a whole chicken is the ideal center component of a meal. For these products, a clean, tidy neck flap is a must. It is very important that neck flaps be clean of all glandular material, as neck flaps are the first part of the product to go off. For this, Marel offers its NIC machine (Neck Inside Cleaner). The machine uses rotating drills to remove any unwanted material. The outside of the carcass is then given a thorough wash. For those processors short of space or wanting a particularly hygienic process, an inside wash function can be added.

Neck flaps

Necks are cracked and removed in the Neck Cracker. For those processors short on space, a neck skin trimming attachment is an optional extra. This trims all neck flaps to a standard length.

For the optimal presentation of neck flaps, Marel offers two machines. One machine, the NLS (Neck Longitudinal Slitter), makes a vertical cut in the neck skin. The other, the RNT Neck Skin Trimmer*, trims all neck skin to a standard length. A vertical cut makes manual inspection of the inside of the neck flap possible and makes for better presentation of the packed product. Trimming all neck flaps to a standard length enhances presentation.

* It is also possible to use the integrated Neck Skin Trimmer in the FTIM RotoVac Final Inspection Machine.

Necks in cut-up

Necks can also be cut off later in the process in the cut-up room. This will be of particular interest in Far Eastern markets where chicken necks are highly prized as tasty snacks or even the main component of a meal. In this situation, necks will be chilled along with the carcass and then be removed by the Neck Cutter HY module at the beginning of an ACM-NT cut-up system. This module carefully cuts a long neck without damaging either breast meat or breast skin.

Turkeys

In markets where turkey is largely eaten in whole product form at national holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter, necks are normally included in the giblet pack to make a tasty gravy. In markets such as Italy where turkey products are an everyday treat, turkey necks are usually sold in bulk. Turkey necks are mostly removed using pneumatic shears.

From pet food to street food

Chicken necks, about the size of a skinny wiener sausage, don’t offer much meat — mostly vertebrae (small bones), skin, and thin strands of muscle. Most commonly, necks are processed into pet food. Yet, in several parts of the world, chicken necks are appreciated as tasty, low-cost food. When prepared for people, whether skinned or left with skin, they usually end up boiled in soups, broths, or gravies to extract flavor. This is common in China, Vietnam, and also in Jewish chicken soup. The neck bones give the most flavor.

While often overlooked for having not much meat, chicken necks have found a place in diverse creative culinary traditions around the world. Here are some examples: