Do Butterball Turkeys Come With Giblets

Yes, Butterball fresh and frozen whole turkeys come with a giblet packet and a separate neck. The packet is tucked into the neck cavity, so checking only the large body cavity can make it easy to miss. Here’s how to confirm what your product includes, find and remove the giblets, and use them for stock or gravy.

What Comes With a Butterball Whole Turkey

Giblets are the turkey’s edible internal organs, generally the heart, gizzard, and liver. The neck is also useful for cooking, although it is not technically a giblet and is usually packed separately.

Butterball’s fresh and frozen whole-turkey preparation instructions identify a plastic bag containing the giblets in the neck cavity. The organs are raw and need cooking before you eat them.

That whole-turkey guidance does not automatically apply to every Butterball breast, roast, or other turkey product. The exact product name on your wrapper matters.

How to Find and Remove Butterball Turkey Giblets

Check both cavities before deciding the giblet packet is missing.

Product Wording	What to Expect
Butterball® Fresh or Frozen Whole Turkey	A giblet packet and neck; the removal steps below apply to these whole-turkey products.
Butterball Frozen Young Turkey Seasoned with Giblets	This product is explicitly sold with giblets. Confirm the contents on the current package because product information can change.
Butterball boneless turkey breast or boneless roast	Do not assume it contains a whole-turkey giblet packet. Check the package’s contents list; these are different products.

Step 1: Thaw and Unwrap the Turkey

Thaw a frozen turkey before trying to pull out a stuck packet. For its Frozen Whole Turkey, Butterball specifies refrigerator thawing at 40°F or below, allowing at least 24 hours for every 4 pounds. Keep the unopened turkey breast-side up on a tray to catch leaks.
Set the thawed or fresh turkey on a rimmed tray or in its roasting pan. Remove the outer packaging, keeping the product label available until you have accounted for the contents.

Do not use a knife to pry a frozen giblet packet loose.

Step 2: Check the Body and Neck Cavities

For a Butterball Fresh or Frozen Whole Turkey, remove the neck and giblets from the body and neck cavities, as directed in Butterball’s whole-turkey preparation.

Check the large body opening between the legs. Remove the neck and anything else packed inside.
Check the smaller opening at the opposite end. Lift the loose neck skin and reach into the neck cavity for the plastic giblet bag. It can be tucked farther under the skin than you expect.
Pull out the entire packet. If it is still frozen in place, return the turkey to the refrigerator on its tray and let it thaw further rather than tearing the bag.

Finding the neck does not mean you have found the giblets. They are separate items, so account for both.

Step 3: Store the Giblets and Finish Preparing the Turkey

If you want to use the giblets, open the packet over a bowl and transfer the contents to a covered container. Refrigerate raw giblets at 40°F or below. Otherwise, discard them and their packaging.
Drain the turkey’s juices carefully and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Do not rinse the turkey or raw giblets; splashing can spread bacteria around the sink and surrounding surfaces.
Begin your cooking preparation, or return the turkey to the refrigerator if you are not cooking it immediately. Wash your hands with soap and water, then clean and sanitize surfaces and utensils that contacted raw poultry or its juices.

Missing Giblets and Other Packet Problems

Missing giblets do not prevent roasting, while an intact plastic packet can be removed after cooking the turkey and giblets to 165°F.

No Giblet Packet After Unwrapping

If both cavities are empty, inspect the tray and discarded outer wrapping in case the packet came loose during unwrapping. Then check whether your package identifies the product as including giblets.

If giblets should have been included but are absent, contact Butterball or the retailer with the product label and purchase details. There is no need to delay roasting just because the packet is missing: the turkey cooks normally without giblets. You can make gravy with broth and pan drippings instead.

A prepared gravy packet is not a giblet packet. It contains a gravy product rather than raw organs and should be used according to its own package directions.

A Giblet Packet Left Inside During Cooking

Butterball identifies the giblet bags in its fresh and frozen whole turkeys as plastic, so do not assume advice about paper bags applies.

If a plastic packet has melted or changed shape during cooking, discard the turkey and giblets. A safe meat temperature does not resolve possible contamination from altered packaging.

If the plastic bag is intact and unchanged, the turkey and giblets can be eaten once cooked to 165°F. Remove the packet carefully because it may be very hot, then check the turkey in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost parts of the thigh and wing, avoiding bone. Check the giblets separately if you intend to eat them.

If you cannot tell whether the plastic has been altered, do not serve the turkey while that uncertainty remains.

How to Use Butterball Giblets for Stock

The neck and giblets can turn plain water into a flavorful stock for gravy or soup. The heart is a firm, compact organ; the gizzard is thick and muscular; and the liver is softer and lobed. These are parts used to make giblet stock.

Use this stock method, following Butterball’s giblet-gravy simmering schedule:

Separate the parts. Put the neck, heart, and gizzard in a large saucepan. Reserve the liver for later use or discard it; do not add it at the beginning.
Add water and heat. Cover the neck and organs with water, adding salt and peppercorns if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Keep the pieces submerged, adding water if needed.
Simmer the stock. For Butterball’s giblet-gravy recipe, simmer for 1½ hours. If you want to use the liver, add it for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Strain and separate. Lift out the neck and organs, then strain the stock. When the neck is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Chop the neck meat and cooked giblets if you want them in your gravy.
Use or refrigerate. Use the stock and cooked pieces in gravy or soup. If you are saving them, divide them into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking rather than leaving a large pot to cool on the counter.

The liver adds a stronger organ-meat flavor to the stock.

Final Check Before Roasting

Before seasoning or stuffing the turkey, make sure:

The neck and all internal packets have been removed.
No torn packaging remains inside the bird.
Any raw giblets you are saving are refrigerated.
Hands, utensils, and work surfaces have been cleaned after handling raw poultry.

Once the cavities are clear, season the turkey and begin your roasting recipe. Keep the wrapper’s cooking directions handy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Turkey Giblets Good for You?

Turkey giblets provide protein and nutrients such as iron and vitamin B12. Their nutritional makeup varies by organ: liver is especially rich in vitamin A, and organ meats also contain dietary cholesterol. They can be part of a varied diet, but you do not need to eat them to enjoy the turkey.

Can You Buy Turkey Giblets Separately?

Yes, some grocery stores and butcher shops sell turkey giblets or necks separately, especially around the holidays. Call ahead because a complete mixed giblet packet is not always available. Chicken giblets can also be used to make stock or gravy when turkey giblets are unavailable.

Can You Freeze Turkey Giblets?

Yes, raw turkey giblets can be frozen separately from the turkey. Put them in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag, remove excess air, and label the contents and date. Thaw them in the refrigerator, not on the counter, before cooking.

Do Butterball fresh or frozen whole turkeys contain butter?

No butter is listed in the ingredients for Butterball fresh or frozen whole turkeys. The fresh version contains up to 4% water, salt, and spices, while the frozen version contains up to 8% water, salt, spices, and natural flavor.

### Are Butterball turkey giblets wrapped in paper?

No. For Butterball fresh and frozen whole turkeys, the directions describe the giblets as being in a plastic bag rather than paper. The bag is in the neck cavity, and you should remove it along with the neck before cooking.