I hate holiday turkey. There is nothing worse than a dry Thanksgiving Turkey.It usually isn’t’ the cook’s fault, Turkey just shouldn’t be cooked whole. The best way to cook turkey is breaking it down and cooking dark meat and light meat separate.
This is the recipeI use for my holiday turkey and it is always a hit. The turkey falls off the bone and is packed with holiday flavors of apple and maple. I like it so much I make it every time I find turkey thighs!
This recipe is the perfect combination of sweet from the apples and savory from the mustard seeds and dark meat turkey!
Ingredients:
| 4 | turkey thighs | salt and pepper | 2 | leeks, small diced | 1 | shallot, sliced | 3 | granny smith apples, diced | 5 | garlic cloves, minced | 1.5 | cups dry white wine | chicken stock as needed | 3 | tbsp mustard seeds | 1 | bay leaf | 3 | sprigs of thyme | 1 | sprig of rosemary | 5 | peppercorns | 10 | stems of parsley | 1/4 | cup maple syrup | 1/4 | cup arrowroot powder |
Preparation:
STEP 1.
Salt and pepper the turkey thighs the day before, and leave it in the fridge uncovered.
STEP 2.
In a braising pot, heat over medium heat and add oil. Sear the turkey legs skin side down until browned. Remove and set aside.
STEP 3.
Add the leeks, shallot, and apples to the pot and saute, salt as you go. Cook until translucent and add the garlic, cook another 2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up all of the yummy brown bits. Reduce by half.
STEP 4.
In cheesecloth, wrap up the bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, and parsley stems and tie off with butchers twine. Add the herb pocket (aka sachet), turkey legs and enough chicken stock to half submerge the turkey legs. Season and bring up to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for 2 hours. Check for fork tenderness, the meat should easily move and almost fall off the bone. If it is not at this point yet, simmer another 30 minutes. Remove turkey from the pot and keep the pot on the heat.
STEP 5.
Remove the sachet from the pot and stir in the maple syrup. In a separate bowl whisk the arrowroot powder with 1/4 cup of water to make a slurry. While the pot is simmering, whisk in the slurry to thicken the sauce. The sauce has to be simmering to thicken. If you would like it to be thicker, then make more slurry and stir in.
STEP 6.
Add the turkey back to the pot and simmer a few minutes to reheat. Serve the turkey with the sauce and enjoy!
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