At our kitchen, we often braise chicken and rabbit legs, as all the preparation is completed ahead of time. For Christmas, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Serve with colcannon, but fluffy rice, simple boiled potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.
Braised Turkey Legs with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Colcannon
This can easily be scaled up for a larger gathering – you’ll just need an enlarged cooking vessel.
Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2
For the Turkey:
- Sunflower oil or another neutral oil
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 bone-in turkey legs or drumsticks
- 1 tbsp butter
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 shallots, peeled and halved
- 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
- 8 sage leaves fresh is best
- 70ml white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
- 60-100ml chicken stock
- ½ tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream
For the Potato Side:
- 500g large floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks.
- 100g unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
- Salt and black pepper
- 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed
Method
Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of neutral oil in a oven-safe pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then add them to the pan and sear, cooking on both sides, until golden brown on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then pour out and discard the fat.
Place the butter in the pan, followed by the aromatics and bacon. Fry for several minutes, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Add the white wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the mixture. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then carefully stir in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for one hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.
Pro Tip: At the same time, place the potato chunks in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for around 20 minutes, until easily pierced with a skewer.
In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, tossing now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then set aside.
In a third saucepan, warm the milk and the rest of the butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then return them to their pan. Mash the potatoes with the creamy liquid until smooth, then incorporate the greens and stir it through. Add final salt and pepper, and reheat gently before serving.
When the braising is complete, dish up with the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.
