How to Perfectly Braise Turkey for Maximum Flavor and Tenderness

Braises turkey is hands down the most flavorful and tender way to cook turkey. With braising, the meat literally falls off the bone becoming incredibly succulent. If you’ve only ever roasted a whole turkey trying braising just the leg and thigh portions will be a game changer.

I’ve braised turkey multiple times and through trial and error learned how to achieve turkey perfection through braising. In this article I’ll share my tips and tricks for how to braise turkey so you can make this delicious dish at home.

Why Braise Turkey?

There are a few key reasons why braising turkey is superior to roasting:

• It keeps the meat incredibly moist and tender. Roasting turkey tends to dry it out especially the breast meat. With braising, even the dark meat becomes fall-off-the-bone tender.

• You get more concentrated flavor. Braising turkey allows the meat to take on all the aromatic flavors from the vegetables, herbs and braising liquid. It’s deeply seasoned in a way roasting can’t achieve.

• The skin gets crispy. I know one thing that deters people from braised turkey is they assume the skin won’t crisp up. But it does! The final high heat broiling step crisps up the skin perfectly.

• It’s less finicky. A whole roasted turkey requires careful monitoring of both the white and dark meat. With braising just the leg and thigh sections, it’s far easier to nail the doneness of the meat.

• You can use the braising liquid for gravy. The flavorful braising liquid provides an easy base to make the most delicious gravy ever.

How to Choose Your Turkey Pieces

For braising, you want to use bone-in turkey leg or thigh portions. I prefer thigh meat since it has a bit more fat and stays juicier, but drumsticks work beautifully too.

You can braise a whole turkey, but for home cooking I’d stick to parts which make the process far more manageable. Look for turkey legs and thighs available at your grocery store meat counter or butcher shop.

For 4 servings, you’ll need about 2 pounds of turkey pieces, or 2 leg quarters cut into thigh and drumstick sections. Make sure the skin is intact for maximum flavor and crispiness.

Aromatics and Seasonings

One of the keys to amazing braised turkey is packing the aromatic vegetables and herbs into the braising liquid. Here are some good options:

• Onions: Diced onions are a must. They add a savory depth and sweetness. Go with yellow, white or red onions.

• Mushrooms: Meaty mushrooms like cremini or shiitake add great umami flavor. Slice them thickly.

• Carrots: Diced carrots sweeten the braise and add color.

• Celery: Chopped celery provides an earthy component.

• Garlic: Mashed garlic cloves give warmth and fragrance.

• Herbs: Woody herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage pair wonderfully. Use a few sprigs.

• Pepper: Don’t be shy with the black pepper to spice things up.

For a deeply flavored braise, saute the vegetables first to caramelize them. Then add your turkey pieces to brown before submerging everything in the braising liquid.

The Braising Liquid

The braising liquid is what gives this dish its succulence and also turns into a luscious gravy. Opt for chicken or turkey stock to keep it meaty and savory. Adding a bit of wine, like a dry white or red wine, also provides acidic brightness. Alternatively, use water and wine alone if you don’t have stock.

Make sure the turkey pieces are about two-thirds submerged in the braising liquid. Bring it to a gentle simmer on the stovetop first before transferring to a 300°F oven. Maintain the simmer, replenishing with more liquid if needed.

How Long to Braise Turkey?

The braising time can vary based on the size and thickness of your turkey pieces, but plan on:

• Turkey thighs: 60-90 minutes
• Turkey drumsticks: 90-120 minutes

The meat should become extremely fork tender when it’s done. Use an instant read thermometer to confirm it reaches 185°F for perfectly juicy thighs and 175°F for drumsticks.

If the turkey seems done early, tent it with foil to keep warm until the full time is up. This ensures super tender, pulled apart meat. Don’t worry, the skin will still crisp later under the broiler.

Crisping the Skin

Here’s the brilliant step that will make your braised turkey skin as crispy as the best roasted turkey: broiling.

Once the turkey is fall-apart tender, remove it from the oven, take off the lid if using a Dutch oven, and crank the heat to high broil. Return the turkey pieces skin side up. Broil for 3-5 minutes until the skin bubbles and crisps up. Watch closely to avoid burning.

The high heat browns the skin beautifully without overcooking the already tender meat. It’s the best of both worlds!

Making Turkey Gravy

One of the big bonuses of braising turkey is it provides the base for incredible gravy.

After removing the turkey pieces, pour the braising liquid into a saucepan (defatting first if desired). Bring to a simmer and thicken it with a cornstarch slurry or flour.

For extra richness, you can brown the drippings first in the pan before making the gravy. Season with black pepper and fresh herbs.

The braised turkey gravy boasts way more flavor than plain pan drippings gravy. It’s deeply savory and satisfying.

Serving Suggestions

• Shred the ultra tender turkey meat right off the bones with two forks to serve.
• Pour the gravy over the top or serve it on the side for dipping.
• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or herbs.
• Serve it over mashed potatoes, polenta, or egg noodles to soak up the delicious braising sauce.
• Pair it with simply roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or broccoli.
• Toss braised greens like kale or collards in some of the gravy for extra flavor.

Pros of Braised Turkey

• Infuses turkey with rich flavor
• Yields fall-off-the-bone tender meat
• Keeps the meat incredibly juicy and moist
• Allows skin to crisp up beautifully
• Provides built-in gravy from the braising liquid
• Easier to nail perfect doneness than roasting a whole bird
• More forgiving cooking method than high heat roasting

Tips for Perfectly Braised Turkey

Follow these tips for flawlessly braised turkey every time:

• Choose bone-in turkey thighs or drumsticks with the skin on.
• Pat the turkey pieces dry before seasoning generously with salt and pepper.
• Brown the turkey first to build flavor and render some fat from the skin.
• Saute the vegetables like onions, carrots and mushrooms before braising to caramelize them.
• Use chicken or turkey stock for the braising liquid to keep it savory.
• Maintain a gentle simmer and replenish the liquid level if needed.
• Braise until extremely tender and the meat reaches 185°F (175°F for drumsticks).
• Crisp up the skin at the end under the high heat broiler.
• Let the turkey rest 5-10 minutes before serving for the juices to absorb back into the meat.
• Make gravy from the flavorful braising liquid.

Delicious Braised Turkey Recipes

Once you know the basics, try out these tasty braised turkey recipes:

• Basic Braised Turkey – The classic simple braise with vegetables
• Stock Braised Turkey Legs – Crispy carnitas-style braised legs
• Cider Braised Turkey – With hard cider, fennel and citrus
• Mole Braised Turkey – With a rich Mexican mole sauce
• Turkey Ragu – Turkey braised into a hearty pasta sauce

Braising is a foolproof technique that transforms turkey into succulent, richly flavored meat that falls off the bone. Follow the tips above for braise turkey perfection every time. The concentrated flavors of the herbs, vegetables and braising liquid will give you the most savory an

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