By The Bryants drove home Sunday morning. The ten-day August visit is over. Brayden is one hundred and fifty-three weeks old. Eden is eleven weeks old. The first cooking class at Sapulpa Elementary is Wednesday September 4 (three days from now). The braised turkey thighs were the small quiet Sunday-dinner the post-Bryant-visit week asked for.
The braised turkey thighs are a small Dutch-oven braise — bone-in turkey thighs, seared in the Dutch oven, braised at three-twenty-five for ninety minutes with onion, garlic, carrots, celery, fresh herbs, chicken broth. The dish is the small budget-friendly turkey-comfort that gives the slow-braise depth without the small full-turkey ceremony.
The technique question on turkey thighs is the sear-and-braise sequence. The thighs sear skin-side-down for five minutes in the hot Dutch oven before flipping. The aromatics go in next for five minutes of softening. The liquid goes in and the thighs go back on top with the skin partially above the liquid (which keeps the skin from going soggy during the braise).
Sunday I made the thighs. Dustin had a generous helping. Brayden had a small portion. Eden was in the bouncer.
Braised Turkey Thighs
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 2 hr 15 min | Total Time: 2 hr 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs (about 3 1/2 lb total)
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine (or low-sodium chicken broth)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 325°F. Pat turkey thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
- Sear the turkey. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add turkey thighs skin-side down and sear without moving for 6–8 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown. Flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Soften the vegetables. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until fragrant and paste begins to darken.
- Deglaze. Pour in white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add broth and herbs. Pour in chicken broth. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Nestle the seared turkey thighs back into the pot skin-side up — the liquid should come about halfway up the thighs but not cover the skin.
- Braise. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone.
- Finish the sauce. Remove turkey thighs to a serving platter. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Set the pot over medium heat and simmer the braising liquid for 8–10 minutes until slightly reduced. Swirl in butter and season with salt to taste.
- Serve. Spoon the vegetables and sauce over the turkey thighs. Top with fresh parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread to catch the sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 490 | Protein: 46g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 620mg