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Turkey Parts Braised In Red Wine

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 to 4 pounds turkey thighs or legs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups fruity red wine
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 whole cloves or a pinch ground
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 piece orange peel

Directions

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
2. Pat the turkey thighs dry.
3. When the oil is hot, add the thighs to the pan; to avoid crowding the pan, work in batches if necessary.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, undisturbed, until they release from the pan, 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Adjust the heat as necessary so the fat sizzles but the turkey doesn't burn.
6. Turn them, season the other side, and cook, turning and rotating the pieces every few minutes to brown them evenly all over, another 10 to 15 minutes.
7. As the pieces finish, remove them from the pan.
8. Carefully pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and wipe out the pan with paper towels.
9. Put the pot back on the burner, turn the heat to medium, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
10. When hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
11. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften, 5 to 10 minutes.
12. Pour in the wine and turn the heat back up to medium-high.
13. Bring the wine to a steady bubble and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
14. Stir in the vinegar, cloves, bay leaf, rosemary, orange peel, and some salt and pepper.
15. Add the thighs back to the pot, skin side up, turn the heat down to low, and cover.
16. Adjust the heat so that the liquid bubbles very slowly.
17. Uncover the pot every 15 minutes to turn the turkey thighs and make sure the liquid is still bubbling and the pan doesn't seem dry; replace the lid.
18. After the turkey has cooked for 30 minutes, heat the oven to 200 F.
19. The turkey is done when a quick-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of one of the thighs measures 155 - 165 F.
20. When it's ready, transfer the thighs to an ovenproof platter and put it in the oven.
21. Spoon the fat off the surface of the remaining liquid raise the heat to high; let the liquid bubble until it has thickened slightly and reduced by half - 15 to 20 minutes.
22. Taste, adjust the seasoning, spoon the wine sauce over the turkey, and serve.

Attribution