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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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Onions: Diced onions are a must. They add a savory depth and sweetness. Go with yellow, white or red onions.
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Mushrooms: Meaty mushrooms like cremini or shiitake add great umami flavor. Slice them thickly.
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Carrots: Diced carrots sweeten the braise and add color.
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Celery: Chopped celery provides an earthy component.
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Garlic: Mashed garlic cloves give warmth and fragrance.
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Herbs: Woody herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage pair wonderfully. Use a few sprigs.
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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
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I made this recipe twice in the last week – and my party guests gobbled up every morsel of it, said they never had turkey as delicious and as moist. I simplified the process a bit: cooked the vegetables as directed, then divided them between two roasting pans. Nestled dark meat in one pan, put in the oven for 90 min, then added the second pan with white meat nestled in veggies for additional 40 min. In 130 min both dark meat pan and white meat pan were perfectly done. Perfection!
Made this with two very large thighs which cooked considerably faster than predicted. (90 mins to 160). Used mushrooms, celery, yellow peppers, and some celery root (no carrots on hand) and it was excellent. Remaining braising liquid was an excellent start to a gravy. Rather than mess up additional pans I roasted/braised in the same large saute pan as the browning. Worked great.
I use a stick blender to blend the vegetable with the drippings and extra stock if necessary. Make a luscious gravy and everyone eats the vegetables knowingly or unknowingly. I make a similar gravy for brisket roasted atop vegetables. sometimes use a diced rutabaga with the rest of the vegetables.
This recipe makes Thanksgiving very easy & delicious. I have had the butcher cut up the turkey & package the breast (off the bone) & thighs together, the bones separately, & giblets separately. Picking it up on Monday allows me to make the stock on Tuesday & then do the rest Thursday morning. Braising it in wine makes it particularly tasty.
I used a mixture of stock, vermouth and water and yum. We used rosemary, which was aromatic as heck but a touch overpowering — thyme might have been better bet. Fabulous with a bottle of 05 Chinon.
I use this recipe often in the colder months, not just Thanksgiving. You can play around with the veg ( diced turnips and parsnips are nice) an the liquid (stock and wine). You can do just thighs this way and roast the breast separately on top of some dressing. You can also brown everything on the the stove and then put it into one of the electric tabletop ovens (aka a Nesco roaster) and have the big oven available for all your sides.
Look no further: This is the perfect way to cook turkey. We make two turkeys per Thanksgiving, roasting both breasts in one pan and the dark meat in another. We add mushrooms to the braising base. We add the braising ingredients to cooked wild rice to make an instant side dish. We use leftover braising ingredients as a base for ragus by mixing them with sausage, duck or other proteins. The braise ingredients could be used in a soup or – what the heck? – be gobbled up by the spoonful.
Made a boneless, skinless turkey breast version of this after coating with lots of salt, pepper & full-fat yogurt x 6 hours. Wiped off the marinade then braised in white wine, veg stock, + carrots, celery, fresh sage leaves, & reconstituted dried mushrooms. Baked at 350º instead of 300º – oops, so it was (over)done in 30 minutes, but still really tender & moist, thanks to the marinade. Removed the veg, & used the strained mushroom liquid + giblets & veg stock for gravy – leaf lard for the fat).
They key really is to take it off at 155ish and let it come up to temp. Also, Id recommend adding a few whole garlic gloves and when its all done, use them like as a delicious spread on your meat.
correction to my note. Sorry. This recipe calls for four times as much for the braising vegetables, not 8 times as much. Still overwhelming amount, I think.
I haveBitttmans original recipe from the Times. It calls for 1/2 lb carrots, 1/2 lb celery and one onion for one turkey, 1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms and 1/2 ounce dried porcinis. This recipe calls for 8 times each vegetable. Ive made the original since it was first published; the amount of vegetables is perfect. it seems to me that 2 lbs of carrots and 1 whole bunch of celery would overwhelm everything else. Obviously, its not chemistry, and those amounts could easily vary, but not by that much
I think the reason for the variety of results has to do with the size of your turkey! I made a 15 lb bird, leg/thigh sections in for an hour, added the breasts and wings, and cooked another 50 minutes. The dark meat was a touch dry – next time Ill do 45 for the dark meat 50 for the white. Also, keep in mind that dark meat is best at 175-180 degrees. Its technically “done” at 165, but for max tenderness, you want your dark meat a little hotter than your white. Excellent recipe!!
Tried with Turkey legs only, and they cooked very fast and got overdone. Part of the issue may be the long (10 min) browning time. I’d try it again, perhaps at a lower roast temp and not do as hard of a brown. Think thighs would be a better choice for cut, too, if they are available.
This was the gift that kept on giving. I used just turkey thighs and added some boneless, skinless chicken breasts halfway in. Not only was it delicious, the leftovers work as a soup (add more broth) and I’ve also used the veggies without the liquid in scrambled eggs. This is a keeper!
I did not find the turkey legs continued cooking after I took them out of the oven. I had to cook to the temperature needed. Possibly a large turkey, which people usually cover after cooking for some time might continue increasing in temperature.
Look no further: This is the perfect way to cook turkey. We make two turkeys per Thanksgiving, roasting both breasts in one pan and the dark meat in another. We add mushrooms to the braising base. We add the braising ingredients to cooked wild rice to make an instant side dish. We use leftover braising ingredients as a base for ragus by mixing them with sausage, duck or other proteins. The braise ingredients could be used in a soup or – what the heck? – be gobbled up by the spoonful.
I am not a huge turkey fan so this recipe appealed to me as a minimal effort way to satisfy the turkey loving family members. It was so delicious, easily the best turkey Ive ever had. Im planning to make it again for Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and craving it already. I will make the dark & light meat separately as recommended by another reader. This way I can use my cast iron Dutch oven for the thighs and big deep skillet for the breasts. I might add a third breast since we will be 8.
I left the celery and carrots mostly whole (cut in half) and quartered the onion. I also used a single bone in breast half so I added it in after 60 minutes on the thighs and then did another hour and a half for the whole thing. Everything was well flavored and the meat wasnt dry. The gravy from the broth turned out wonderful!
I made this in an instant pot. I had to do two batches with the amount of ingredients listed in this recipe. For the first batch I put in two cups of water and poured in white wine until it covered everything. Instead of putting in more water and wine for the second batch I used the liquid from the first batch. The gravy afterwards from this was amazing.
There is something wrong with this recipe. I made the recipe faithfully, except I used all turkey thighs. As another reviewer noted, I expected a quicker cooking time than 120/165 minutes per recipe. BUT at 60 minutes in they were 175 degrees. The timing made the rest of the preparation chaotic at best. We got through it, but, why the huge discrepancy in time. And these were huge thighs. Do the thighs come out as breasts go in or in some universe does it take 120 minutes to cook thighs???
Thanksgiving 2020, just the two of us. Ordered a fresh 11 lb. turkey. Cut it apart and made turkey stock from the backbone and wings. I made this recipe with the thighs and drumsticks. Used the stock and half cup of vermouth with the vegetables. Lots more stock left for soup. The meat was delicious and I thickened the vegetable sauce with some flour and water. It was delicious, too.
I made this once with one thigh which was overdone at 45 minutes, and with two things which were done at 60 minutes. Both times I used the left-over braising liquid and veggies to make a pureed soup. The next time I make it — and it is delicious, so there will be a next time — Im going to reduce the amount of veggies and slightly reduce the amount of broth so as to have a more concentrated broth for sauce. Im also going to leave the veggies larger to serve with the turkey.Private notes are only visible to you.
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How to Cook a Turkey
FAQ
Should you braise a turkey?
How to braise in the oven?
How to make a braising liquid?
What do braised turkey legs taste like?
That’s what braised turkey legs are like. They’re rich, they’re juicy, and they pull apart with just the tug of a fork. Unlike the dark meat on a traditional roasted turkey, you don’t need to saw at this stuff. And unlike white meat, well, these legs and thighs actually taste like something.
Should you Brown a turkey breast?
You may need to break or remove some of the bones to make it fit. Since this is a braise, browning the turkey breast is not to add color, as that will get lost in the cooking process, but is solely to create a fond – those lovely browned bits that develop in the bottom of the pot and add tons of flavor to a dish.
Can you cook a turkey breast without brining?
A bone-in turkey breast, oven-braised in chicken stock with aromatics, in a covered pot and pictured here with a baked sweet potato and my Super Creamy Macaroni and Cheese. It’s rare that I will cook a turkey or chicken without brining it first.
How long do you cook a turkey breast at 165?
Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degree F in the thickest part of the breast, about 1 hour, depending on size of breast. Carefully remove the turkey breast and set aside, tenting loosely with foil to keep warm. Strain pan juices, spooning off fat or use a fat separator, remove and discard solids, and return juices to the pot.