Braised Dark Meat Turkey Recipes

BRAISED TURKEY

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven pot, heat olive oil of medium heat. Season the turkey breast and thigh on all sides with salt and pepper. Add the turkey pieces to the pot, and sear on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the turkey from the pot and transfer to a plate.
• Lower heat and add the leek, carrot, and celery to the pot and sweat the vegetables. If the vegetables look dry add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Season with the sage, thyme, and salt, and pepper and continue to cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes, or until they start to get soft.
• Add the turkey back to the pot on top of the vegetables. Pour the stock into the pot. It should reach halfway up the sides of the turkey. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium low.
• Cook for 1 hour, then remove the turkey breast and place on a clean plate. Cover with foil to keep and keep in the oven at 200 degrees. After 30 minutes longer, remove the thigh and place on a plate; cover with foil to keep warm.
• Heat the stock and vegetables in the pot over medium high and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until liquid is reduced and a thick gravy forms (see Chef Tips).
• Slice the turkey and spoon the gravy over top.

HERB ROASTED AND BRAISED TURKEY

Steps:

• For the turkey: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
• Combine the butter, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme and in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper and fill the cavity with half the carrots, celery and onions. Rub the entire turkey with the herb butter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
• Put 4 cups of the chicken stock in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
• Place the remaining vegetables on the bottom of a large roasting pan. Put the turkey on top of the vegetables, put in the oven and roast until lightly golden brown, about 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue roasting, basting with the warm chicken stock every 15 minutes, 2 to 2 hours 15 minutes hours longer. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh should register 160 degrees F.)
• Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to baking sheet, tent loosely with foil and let rest 30 minutes before slicing. Remove the legs for braising. Strain the drippings into a bowl and discard the solids. Add enough stock to make 4 cups liquid.
• Bring the liquid to a simmer, transfer to a roasting pan, add the legs, cover with foil and braise until tender in a 350 F degree oven about 1 hour.
• For the gravy: Melt the butter in a medium pan over high heat. Add the roasted garlic and cook for a minute. Whisk in the flour and cook until lightly golden brown. Slowly whisk the drippings into the flour mixture, bring to a boil and whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and the flour taste has been cooked out, about 5 minutes. Add a splash of the white wine if desired and cook for 1 minute longer. Fold in fresh herbs if desired and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

BASIC BRAISED TURKEY

Steps:

• Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the turkey and brown the leg (and, if you're using them, wing) portions on the skin side well, 10 minutes or more; turn and cook for another 2 minutes on the skinless side. Remove to a plate and brown the breasts in the same skillet, again mostly on the skin side; remove and keep them separate.
• Heat the oven to 300, and cook the bacon or pancetta (if using) in the remaining fat in the skillet until nearly crisp; remove with a slotted spoon. Cook the onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery and herbs, in batches if necessary, until beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer with the bacon or pancetta to a large roasting pan, then nestle the dark meat in there, leaving room for the breasts. Add stock or water to come about one-third to halfway up the sides of the thighs.
• Roast uncovered for about 90 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure liquid levels remain sufficiently high and stirring vegetables if they threaten to brown too much. When thigh meat is tender, place the breasts in the pan, and cook until tender, 30 to 45 minutes more, or until done. (They should register 155 on an instant-read thermometer.)
• Slice breast and thigh meat and serve on a platter with the vegetables garnished, if you like, with parsley.

BRAISED DARK MEAT TURKEY OVER EGG NOODLES

Steps:

• Generously salt and pepper the turkey.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the turkey wings and drumsticks and brown evenly on all sides. Do this in batches if necessary.
• When browned, remove the turkey from the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is mixed in well. Add all remaining ingredients, except olives and rosemary, and stir until everything is mixed well. Bring this liquid to a simmer, then add the turkey back to the pot, along with the olives and rosemary, and bring to a simmer. Cook about 3-3 1/2 hours over a low flame at a low simmer until the turkey meat falls off the bone easily with just a little nudge from a fork(or throw in a crockpot at this point and cook on high for 3-3 1/2 hours-or low for 6-8 hours). Remove rosemary sprigs and serve over hot egg noodles. Enjoy!
• Note: During cooking, occasionally check to see if the turkey is getting too browned or dried where not submerged under the braising liquid. If so, stir into the liquid and continue cooking.

BRAISED DARK MEAT TURKEY OVER EGG NOODLES

Steps:

• Generously salt and pepper the turkey.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the turkey wings and drumsticks and brown as evenly as possible all over. Do this in batches if necessary.
• Once browned, remove the turkey from the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-high and then add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is mixed in. Then add all the remaining ingredients, except the olives and rosemary, and stir until everything is incorporated. Bring this liquid to a simmer, then add the turkey back to the pot, along with the olives and rosemary, and bring to a simmer. Cook about 3 to 3 1/2 hours over a low flame at a low simmer until the turkey meat falls off the bone easily with just a little nudge from a fork. Remove rosemary sprigs and serve over hot egg noodles.
• Note: During cooking, occasionally check to see if the turkey is getting too browned or dried where not submerged under the braising liquid. If so, stir into the liquid and continue cooking.

BRAISED DARK MEAT TURKEY

Steps:

• Generously salt and pepper the turkey.
• Clean and cut onion, carrots and celery into 1/2 inch dice.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown turkey pieces evenly all over. Cook in batches if necessary. Place browned turkey pieces in slow cooker.
• Reduce heat under skillet and add onion, carrots and celery, cook until tender.
• Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until mixed.
• Add broth, vinegar, beer, and garlic cloves, stir until mixed.
• Pour vegetable mixture into slow cooker over turkey. Add rosemary sprigs.
• Cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 3-4 hours, until meat falls from bone easily when nudged with a fork. Remove rosemary sprigs. Debone meat and serve with sauce. Serve oil-cured olives on the side if desired.