Best Brined Roast Turkey Crown Confit Legs Recipes

BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove the neck, giblets, and liver from the cavity of the turkey and reserve for the gravy. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.
• Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels, inside and out. Place breast side down in a large, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with the butter. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with the onion, orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and thyme. Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
• For the turkey broth: Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard to the pan and saute until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the chopped vegetables and bay leaf to the pan and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Pour the stock and 3 cups of water into the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the stock is reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour, adding the chopped liver to the pan during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
• Strain the stock into a clean pot or large measuring cup. Pull the meat off the neck, chop the neck meat and giblets, and set aside.
• Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, turn, and baste with 1/2 cup stock. Continue roasting with the breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh (avoiding the bone), about 2 3/4 to 3 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.
• Remove from the oven and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• For the pan gravy: Pour the reserved turkey pan juices into a glass-measuring cup and skim off the fat. Place the roasting pan on 2 stovetop burners over medium heat add the pan juice and 1 cup turkey broth and the white wine to the pan, and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 3 cup of broth and bring to a simmer, then transfer to a measuring cup.
• In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a light roux. Add the hot stock, whisking constantly, then simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved neck meat and giblets to the pan and adjust seasoning, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Pour into a gravy boat and serve.
• To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.

TURKEY LEG CONFIT WITH SHALLOTS AND THYME

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the salt and pepper. Place the turkey legs in a large re-sealable bag and add the salt mixture. Shake around to coat the legs evenly and then seal bag and place in fridge overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add 1/4 cup duck fat. Remove the turkey legs from the bag and brush off excess salt. Add the turkey legs to the pot and brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme, cloves, rosemary, star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon, lemon peel and orange peel and then pour over the remaining duck fat so the legs are completely covered.
• Bring to a gentle simmer (without boiling or frying), then remove from the heat, cover and place into the oven. Cook until the meat starts to fall off the bone, about 3 hours.
• Place the legs on a baking sheet. Shred the meat and serve. Reserve the fat and use it to cook gravy, French fries or roasted potatoes. If making ahead of time, remove the pot from the oven and set aside to allow the turkey to cool in the fat. Once cooled, place in the refrigerator overnight to completely chill. To serve, remove the turkey from the fat and crisp in a dry pan to heat through.

DRY-BRINED TURKEY BREAST WITH SLOW-ROASTED LEGS

Steps:

• Dry-brine the turkey: Combine the salt, 2 teaspoons pepper and the chopped thyme and rosemary in a small bowl. Cut off the turkey legs (thighs and drumsticks together). Put the turkey breast and legs on a rimmed baking sheet. Season the turkey breast inside and out and the legs all over with the salt mixture. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 halved garlic head, the halved lemon, 4 thyme sprigs and 2 rosemary sprigs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Position one oven rack in the bottom position and one right above it; preheat to 350˚. Combine the remaining halved garlic head, 4 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary, the sliced lemon, bay leaves and shallot in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Place the turkey legs skin-side up in the baking dish and cover with foil.
• Roast the turkey legs on the bottom oven rack until just tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 2 hours. Uncover the legs and continue to roast until the skin is golden and the legs are completely tender, 1 to 1 1/2 more hours.
• Meanwhile, for the turkey breast: Set a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the turkey breast breast-side up on the rack; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Once the turkey legs have been roasting for about 30 minutes, place the roasting pan with the breast on the rack above the legs; roast until the skin is deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching the bone registers 160˚, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Let the breast rest 30 minutes before carving. (If the turkey breast is done before the legs, move the legs to the higher rack to help them brown. If the legs are done before the breast is done resting, set aside and tent with foil to keep warm.)
• Serve the turkey legs and breast with the roasted garlic, lemon and shallot.

TURKEY LEG AND WING CONFIT WITH ROASTED BREAST

Steps:

• Put the turkey legs and wings in a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper. Add the minced garlic and shallot and chopped thyme, rosemary and bay leaves and rub all over until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Scrape off as much of the seasoning mixture as possible from the turkey legs and wings and discard. Blot dry with paper towels. Melt the duck fat in a large wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Nestle the turkey legs and wings skin-side up in the pot so that they're submerged in the fat. Bring to a very gentle simmer, cover and cook until the leg meat is extremely tender, but not falling apart, about 2 hours. Turn off the heat and set aside. The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 2 days in advance. Keep the turkey submerged in the fat and refrigerate it.
• Meanwhile, prepare and roast the turkey breast. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, remove the top rack, and preheat to 425 degrees F. Sprinkle the breast generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the halved garlic and shallots, the remaining thyme, rosemary and bay leaves and the orange. Prop the breast up by placing two balls of aluminum foil under the space where the wings would attach, so that it doesn't topple over. Brush the skin with some of the rendered duck fat, and roast until just starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue cooking until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the breast registers 160 degrees F, about 30 minutes more. Remove the turkey from the oven and set aside to rest.
• While the turkey rests, finish the legs and wings. Carefully remove the legs and wings from the fat and blot dry with paper towels. Put 1/4 cup of the fat in each of 2 large nonstick skillets. Heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the legs and wings skin-side down and cook until deeply browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until browned on the second side and heated through, about 3 minutes more.
• Transfer the legs and wings to a serving platter. Carve the breast meat and transfer to the platter with the legs and wings. Serve with the Pear Chutney on the side.
• Combine the pears, shallot, sugar, raisins, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon vinegar. Serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

CONFIT TURKEY WITH CHILES AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, black pepper, and 2 Tbsp. kosher salt in a small bowl. Place turkey legs in a baking dish just big enough to fit them or a medium Dutch oven. Sprinkle all over with brown sugar mixture and scatter smashed garlic cloves around. Let sit at room temperature at least 2 hours, or chill up to 12 hours (more time makes a big difference).
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 275°F. Cut heads of garlic heads in half crosswise. Nestle around turkey legs along with chiles and oregano sprigs. Pour in oil until turkey is mostly if not completely submerged (shove chiles down since they can burn if above the surface of the oil). You may need a bit more oil depending on your pot and size of turkey legs; don't worry, this oil can be reused in all kinds of ways so it won't go to waste!
• Braise turkey, uncovered, until meat has shrunk away from drumsticks dramatically and meat shreds easily with firm pressure, 3-4 hours (a few bubbles is okay, but anything above a lazy simmer and you should reduce the heat). Let meat rest, still submerged in fat, at least 1 hour.
• Pick out chiles from braising oil with tongs and place in a blender; add red pepper flakes and 1 cup braising oil. Let cool slightly, then blend until chiles are coarsely chopped. Add almonds and pulse until largest pieces are no bigger than a red pepper flake. Add sesame seeds and pulse just to combine. Season with remaining ¼ tsp. salt and add more red pepper flakes if desired.
• If eating right away, heat 2 Tbsp. braising oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook turkey legs, carefully turning with 2 pairs of tongs, until brown and crisp all over, 8-10 minutes. Serve with the almond-chile sauce.
• Don't discard the braising oil or the juices below: Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof container. Skim off fat to use for roasting potatoes, or your next confit project. Use juices in another braise, or stir into a pot of beans.
• Do ahead: Turkey can be braised 4 days ahead. Let cool, cover and chill (still in oil). Reheat, uncovered, in a 275°F oven until warmed through, about 40 minutes, before browning.

BRINED AND ROASTED WHOLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Overnight Brine: Combine Morton®Kosher Salt and sugar in cool water in a large, clean stockpot until completely dissolved. Place the whole turkey in the brine until completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight, up to 14 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse inside and out under cool running water for several minutes to remove all traces of salt; pat dry with paper towel.
• 4-5 hour Brine: To brine your turkey in less time (4-5 hours), use 2 cups of Morton®Coarse Kosher Salt and two cups of sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 5 hours.
• To Roast: Mix the softened butter with the pepper. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan. Rub the seasoned butter under the skin. Brush the skin with the melted butter. Pour the 1 cup liquid (wine, broth or water) over the pan bottom to prevent drippings from burning. Roast turkey at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes, baste and then rotate the roasting pan. Continue roasting until the skin turns golden brown, an additional 25 minutes; baste again. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F; continue to roast, basting and rotating the pan once about halfway through cooking, until the minimum internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven. Let stand 20 minutes before carving.