Turkey Thighs

[Dedduc]

What does everyone make with turkey thighs?

 

[retrieverman]

I used to debone and fry the meat, but I recently tried smoking them like chicken quarters. However, they turned out really dry compared to my chicken quarters.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Domestic or wild?

 

[gle3105]

Dedduc, Hank Shaw generally has good recipes. And offers methods.
I’ve done this recipe many times . It all gets gobbled up. Pun intended.

https://honest-food.net/bbq-turkey-legs-recipe/

 

[ADV09]

I fried them .

 

[deermanok]

Cut into chunks, dipped in egg, flour and deep fried. One of my favorites.

 

[Boone]

Cut into chunks, dipped in egg, flour and deep fried. One of my favorites.

I've never heard of doing that to turnkey meat. Now I'm going to have to find some turkey and give it a try.

 

[smokem]

Because they tend to be tough, I like to braise them. I break down the bird as I would a chicken. Keep the thighs and drum sticks together and on the bone. I also save the wings, another part that many hunters dispose of when they breast out a bird.
To cook these, I push butter up under the skin, and rub it on the skin and meat. Then sprinkle the parts with Adobo (Goya, you can make your own if you want to). The Adobe is like magic dust. It has peppery and citrus flavors that really go with wild bird.
Next, I put a bed of diced carrot, celery and onion in a pan along with a few whole cloves of garlic. I generally do not measure so I'd say use a couple carrots and maybe three sticks of celery. 1 1/2 or 2 whole onions...
I lay the thigh/drum piece in the pan on top of the trinity and then add about 4 cups of chicken stock to the pot. I cover the pot and put it in the oven to cook at 275 degrees for 2 1/2 to 4 hours or however long it takes for the meat to fall off of the bones. You need to be sure that the pan does not dry out while it's cooking. Ad stock if you need to. Just be careful not to let it get too salty. Adobo has a lot of salt in it.
When the bird is done, you can thicken the sauce with a bit of corn starch (mix with cold water to keep it from clumping) or flour, or just serve it as is. You can serve this with mashed potatoes, rice, whatever. Make dumplings if you are ambitious.
If you want to speed up the cooking process, use a pressure cooker.
I suppose you could do this in a crockpot. I am not a big fan of those so I have not tried it but it should work.

 

[rangerod]

I tried some in a crockpot but after a week they were still tuff as nails.

 

[smokem]

I tried some in a crockpot but after a week they were still tuff as nails.

Are you sure it wasn't Canada Goose?

 

[BuffaloSoldier]

Why are you cooking wild turkey, I like right from the bottle!

 

[Shorty]

Put them in a pot with carrots, onions, celery, and chicken stock. Boil until meat is tender and falls off the bone. Either make soup or thicken with flour and water for gravy to eat over home made biscuits. Both ways are delicious…

 

[rangerod]

What does everyone make with turkey thighs?

Leather.

 

[Jitterbug]

Put them in a pot with carrots, onions, celery, and chicken stock. Boil until meat is tender and falls off the bone. Either make soup or thicken with flour and water for gravy to eat over home made biscuits. Both ways are delicious…

Also good for pot pies!

We freeze two cup portions of diced meat in freezer bags. Last few turkeys I’ve gotten, I’ve boiled/boned, and eaten the whole thing in pot pies!

Take two ready-made “deep dish” pie crusts, your meat, 1 can of “Cream of Whatever” soup (I prefer Mushroom), 1-lb. bag of frozen veggies (peas, carrots/beans, or similar), and about 1/2a medium onion, finely diced.

Ideally, leave it all in the fridge during the day, to ease/speed the preparation.

Get home from work, take everything out, and assemble your pot pie. Putthe top crust on, pinch together. A little butter on the top crust (especially around the edges) helps out even more.

We always found 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees was about right.

Get home from work, start oven, assemble pot pie, and bake it!

With the prep work (cooked/cubed bird) done ahead of time, it’s a low-effort “homemade” type meal!

 

[rangerod]

What to do with turkey legs? I just go get a pizza.

 

[gle3105]

I make dog food mainly. Instapot it and grind it. plus more stuff.

 

[ElDiablo]

I don’t think I’ve ever eaten tough turkey (thighs) or Canada goose. You guys must be shooting the old birds….lol

 

[rangerod]

I make dog food mainly. Instapot it and grind it. plus more stuff.

They actually eat it?