A whole turkey makes for a great presentation, but it takes a lot of brining, basting, etc., to ensure the breast doesn’t dry out before the legs are done. There is another way—two ways, in fact: Cook the legs and the breast separately, using a different method for each. It’s possibly the greatest holiday-food “Aha!” moment ever.
Ingredients
8 Servings
2
2
2
1
2
6
8
1½
4
4
2
6
8
¼
Preparation
Step 1
Season turkey with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Working in batches, cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, 15–20 minutes per batch; transfer to a large plate.
Step 2
Add onion, leeks, celery, and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5–8 minutes. Add wine, parsley, and thyme and sage sprigs; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by half, 8–10 minutes.
Step 3
Return turkey to pot and add broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer until meat is tender and cooked through and liquid is reduced by half, 2½–3 hours. Add carrots and cook, uncovered, until carrots are soft and meat is falling off the bone, 35–45 minutes longer; season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Transfer turkey and carrots to a platter. Strain sauce; serve alongside. Top with chives and chopped parsley.
Nutrition Per Serving
Leave a Review
Reviews (209)
Back to TopVery good turkey recipe. Easy to follow. I used some of the delicious braising liquid to simmer potatoes & sunchokes for a mash and thickened some liquid with flour to make the broth less watery. It’s definitely going in the lineup. Note: it doesn’t look like the photo which looks baked.
Anonymous
Los Angeles, CA
12/20/2022
I've been making this every Thanksgiving for the last 4-5 years. I have so many people, that I have 2 turkeys. I roast one whole, then the other I cut up to braise the dark meat, and smoke the other breast. There is something for everyone. The braised recipe is so good, we have it once or twice during the year when it is not Thanksgiving. Highly recommended.
Valerie Kershaw
Lexington, Kentucky
10/7/2021
This recipe was so delicious! My brother raved about how tender and juicy the legs were. And my husband, who was never a turkey fan, wants me to make this again very soon! I thought there was way too much liquid - will cut down on broth next time. and I finished in the oven- placed turkey and veg in roasting pan, poured in the liquid half way up meat , covered and cooked for amount of time in recipe. I loved that I could make this the day before Thanksgiving and only needed to reheat on Thanksgiving day!
fancinancylou
Coral Springs, Florida
12/1/2019
Thank you for a great alternative to a whole roast turkey. There were only 4 of us at Thanksgiving this year (hell, yes, a FABULOUS thing), and only 3 meat eaters. We made the braised turkey legs and then went on to use the extra juice to make some yummy grave - our vegetarian sista makes an exception to have gravy on Thanksgiving, so everyone was super happy. Cheers!
Anonymous
Brooklyn
11/23/2018