These maple-braised turkey legs and thighs will give your Thanksgiving main dish a fall twist! After slow cooking in the oven, these very moist turkey pieces become fall-off-the-bone tender. The real maple syrup adds a hint of sweetness to go with the rich dark meat. This braised turkey recipe is a great way to save time and effort compared to roasting a whole bird. It’s especially great if you are only having a few people over for Thanksgiving.
If you ask me, turkey thighs are one of the most underrated cuts of meat They’re flavorful, juicy when cooked right, and budget-friendly – what’s not to love? At our house, we’re obsessed with cooking bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs in the Dutch oven This method produces the most tender, succulent turkey thighs ever, with meat so moist it falls right off the bone.
After years of roasting whole turkeys and messing around with various turkey parts, Dutch oven turkey thighs came out as the clear winner in our book. The secret is braising the thighs low and slow in the seasoned liquid, which keeps them incredibly moist and infuses tons of flavor. The connective tissue breaks down over time, leaving you with meat so tender you won’t believe it’s turkey.
We’ll walk you through our simple, tried-and-true technique for melt-in-your-mouth Dutch oven turkey thighs. This hands-down winner of a recipe will become your new favorite way to enjoy turkey.
Ingredients:
- 4-6 bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs (2-3 lbs total)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth or white wine
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
Step-By-Step Instructions:
1. Season the Thighs
Pat the turkey thighs dry and generously season all over with salt and pepper This helps achieve maximum flavor and crisp skin,
2. Brown the Thighs
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the thighs skin-side down. Cook until deep golden brown about 5 minutes per side. Browning brings out richer flavor and color.
3. Sauté the Aromatics
Remove the thighs and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pot. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
4. Deglaze the Pan
Pour in the broth or wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom. This adds tons of flavor.
5. Braise the Thighs
Return the thighs to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add the rosemary and thyme. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to a 300°F oven. Braise for 1-1 1/2 hours until extremely tender.
6. Finish and Serve
Allow the braised thighs to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley or green onions. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or veggies to soak up the delicious braising sauce.
Tips for Perfectly Tender Turkey Thighs:
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Use bone-in, skin-on thighs only for the best flavor and moisture.
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Don’t skimp on browning time – well-browned thighs means richer taste.
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A heavy Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid locks in steam while braising.
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Low, gradual heat gently breaks down connective tissue over time.
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Let the braised thighs rest before serving so juices reabsorb.
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Add potatoes, onions, or carrots during the last 30 minutes for a one-pot meal.
FAQs:
What is braising?
Braising involves first searing meat or vegetables, then slowly cooking them in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot. The gentle moist heat makes tough cuts tender and infuses flavor.
What size Dutch oven do I need?
Choose a 5 or 7 quart oven with room for the thighs to braise evenly. Avoid overcrowding.
Can I prepare ahead of time?
Absolutely! Braised thighs can be made 1-2 days in advance and reheated gently. Flavor continues developing.
What are good side dishes?
Mashed potatoes, egg noodles, rice, roasted veggies, and crusty bread are excellent pairings.
Can I use chicken thighs?
You sure can. Follow the same steps, reducing braising time to 40-50 minutes until cooked through.
Our Verdict
If you want an easy, flavorful turkey dinner with melt-in-your-mouth texture, Dutch oven turkey thighs are guaranteed to satisfy. The low, gradual braise works magic on inexpensive turkey thighs, transforming them into a meal so flavorful, juicy, and tender your guests will keep coming back for more. This foolproof method is our go-to for phenomenal turkey every time!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If youve never braised turkey legs and thighs, youre in for a delicious time. Dont be surprised if this becomes your new favorite way to prepare turkey.
- That slow cook. Because of the long braise at a low temperature, the connective tissues in the meat break down. This makes the turkey so tender that it falls off the bone and is very moist.
- The maple syrup braising liquid: Adding some aromatics to maple syrup makes a turkey taste much better than roasting it.
- Very little work and faster than roasting: it does take some time to cook, but it’s still much faster than preparing a whole turkey and only needs two hours in the oven.
- Perfect for a small holiday party or Friendsgiving: cooking a whole turkey is a lot of work when you’re only feeding a few people. This option is perfect for six or fewer people. It’s also great if you want to add a turkey twist to a simple Friendsgiving party.
- Mmmm . leftovers: The leftovers are great for many things and freeze very well.
Another great thing about this braised turkey legs recipe is that it only needs a few simple ingredients to make a very tasty turkey dish.
Just make sure you use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Real maple syrup is much richer and more complex. Pancake syrup will not give the right results.
It’s easy and tastes great to make turkey legs and thighs braised in maple syrup. This is how you do it.
Step 1: First, we dry the turkey skin with paper towels, season it with salt and pepper, and coat it in flour (photo 1).
Step 2: Brown the turkey in hot oil in our trusty Dutch oven. This is an important step that you must not skip (photo 2). Browning the turkey will start to crisp up the skin. Otherwise, well be left with gummy skin covered in flour, and no one wants that.
In the third step, we cook the onion slices for a few minutes (photo 3) once the skin is nicely browned. We then deglaze the pan with apple cider vinegar (photo 4). That’s a fancy word for “add some liquid and use a wooden spoon to break up any cooked bits in the Dutch oven.”
Step 4: Add maple syrup, chicken stock, fresh thyme, sage, and dried bay leaves to finish the braise. Place the turkey back in the Dutch oven with the skin facing up. Bring the pot to a boil (video 5).
Step 5: Now let’s pop our turkey uncovered into a 275-degree oven and cook for about two hours. We’ll know when the turkey is ready because the meat will easily fall off the bone. And let’s be honest: we know something magical is about to happen whenever the meat falls off the bone.
Add smoked mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and candied brussel sprouts to your plate, and you’ll have a holiday dinner that everyone will love. Enjoy every bite.
Bonus: For more turkey recipes, try my smoked turkey legs or smoked turkey wings.
Absolutely! Our braising liquid makes a delicious gravy. Strain 2 cups braising liquid and set aside. Warm up ¼ cup of butter in a big pan over medium-low heat. Add ¼ cup of all-purpose flour and mix it in with a whisk. Whisk continuously for about three to four minutes. Then, slowly pour in the braising liquid, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook until it thickens to your liking. The gravy will have a bit of a sweet flavor because of the maple. However, if youd rather have a standard gravy, simply substitute the braising liquid with regular chicken stock.
There are three methods recommended for thawing turkey. The turkey should be kept in its box and then put in a bowl of cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes. The cold water speeds up the process, and in two or three hours, your turkey should be ready to eat. Putting the frozen turkey in the fridge with or without cold water is the other way to do it. Water will make the process go even faster. While 24 hours should thaw the turkey, I like to give it 36 hours to be safe. Many microwaves also come with a thaw setting you can use in a pinch. Just make sure you keep an eye on it. The microwave will start to cook the turkey if you let it thaw for too long, which we do not want. Note: Don’t let turkey thaw at room temperature unless it’s in cold water and you change the water as above. Otherwise, the turkey could become a breeding ground for bacteria.
If you don’t want to roast the turkey for Thanksgiving, you can cut the turkey up and serve it as is, which is probably what most of you will do. But this maple-braised turkey legs and thighs can be used in a lot of other ways! For example, I love putting it on grilled cheese sandwiches! The maple gives this turkey a sweetness, so it contrasts nicely against the savory cheese. I also love using this maple turkey in my Thanksgiving enchiladas with a red chile sauce. The spicy enchilada sauce against the sweet meat is a delicious combination with its contrasting flavors. I’ve also used this turkey in nachos, which were fantastic. Feel free to get creative with how you use this turkey.
The turkey should last three to four days in the fridge if you put it in a container that doesn’t let air in. You can also freeze what you dont use.
- Make sure the liquid doesn’t cover the turkey. The skin needs to be left on so it stays crispy in the oven. The braising liquid should reach about two thirds of the way up the turkey.
- Brown the skin in two batches. If there are too many things in the pan, it will just steam up, so there will be no nice browning.
- If you have time, you can salt the turkey the day before and put it in the fridge without a cover. The salt will pull some water out of the skin, making it crispier.
- This recipe works well for two thighs and two drumsticks. This piece is big enough to feed four people, but if you take the meat off the bones, it’s easy to feed six.
- Put some foil around the turkey and let it rest for about 10 minutes before cutting it up and serving it.
Between the richness of the dark turkey meat and maple syrup, I like a bold beer that can stand up to this hearty dish. A Belgian-style quad is perfect for the job with its dried fruit notes and thick mouthfeel. The clove flavor from the yeast also adds some contrast.
For your perfect wine pairing with braised turkey, look no further than a gewürztraminer. Like a Belgian-style quad, gewürztraminer has a thick body and touch of baking spice that I love with maple. Gewürztraminer is also a classic pairing with rich fowl dishes, so you really can’t go wrong here.
Or maybe you love your cocktails. These signature Thanksgiving cocktails would be perfect with this dish. You can also play up the maple flavor and serve this recipe with this wonderful maple whiskey sour.
These turkey legs and thighs cooked in maple syrup are great for Thanksgiving or just a fun fall meal. I hope you give them a try. Youll love that tender, flavorful meat.
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