Turkey Time: The Battle of Light Vs Dark - Turkey Legs
EDITED for readability and to add a recipe for the "Chipotle in Adobo Tomato/Marinara Sauce":
It's 'Turkey Time' aka Thanksgiving, in Canada.
And the age old battle between light and dark ... meat that is ... begins again.
When I was a kid I was firmly on the side of the light.
Now, however, I have been seduced to the dark side. I REVEL in the strongly favoured dark meat and pair it with similar strong flavours so its meaty texture can shine.
Like these turkey legs braised in a chiptole in adobo tomato sauce until they're 'fall off the bone' tender and then the shredded meat is served over rice or on sliders or regular buns.
I wasn't very hungry so I put less than half the meat from one of the drumsticks on my plate along with some leftover Mexican rice and Caesar salad.
1. Lightly seasoned turkey legs (salt and pepper, cumin, oregano) and a thinly sliced onion
2. Legs covered with about a cup of chipotle in adobo marinara braising liquid
Chipotle in Adobo Tomato/Marinara Sauce
1 796 ml (28 oz) can of whole, peeled or diced tomatoes
1 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce (use at least 1 chipotle from the can and enough sauce to make 1 tbsp, use only 2 tsp if you don't like things TOO spicy)
Puree together and use one cup for the 2 turkey legs.
3. Baking dish covered tightly with aluminum foil and baked for 3 1/2-4 hrs at 350 deg F. A LOT of liquid came out during this time. After 2 hrs the legs were turned over and the dish was covered again, but a bit more loosely and then I continued baking the legs until the meat fell off the bone.
4. Baked legs ready for shredding
5a. Turkey drumstick before shredding
5b. After shredding ... not as pretty but compact and useful as all the bone and cartilage has been discarded. And you don't have to worry about dried out meat.
It's 'Turkey Time' aka Thanksgiving, in Canada.
And the age old battle between light and dark ... meat that is ... begins again.
When I was a kid I was firmly on the side of the light.
Now, however, I have been seduced to the dark side. I REVEL in the strongly favoured dark meat and pair it with similar strong flavours so its meaty texture can shine.
Like these turkey legs braised in a chiptole in adobo tomato sauce until they're 'fall off the bone' tender and then the shredded meat is served over rice or on sliders or regular buns.
I wasn't very hungry so I put less than half the meat from one of the drumsticks on my plate along with some leftover Mexican rice and Caesar salad.
1. Lightly seasoned turkey legs (salt and pepper, cumin, oregano) and a thinly sliced onion
2. Legs covered with about a cup of chipotle in adobo marinara braising liquid
Chipotle in Adobo Tomato/Marinara Sauce
1 796 ml (28 oz) can of whole, peeled or diced tomatoes
1 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce (use at least 1 chipotle from the can and enough sauce to make 1 tbsp, use only 2 tsp if you don't like things TOO spicy)
Puree together and use one cup for the 2 turkey legs.
3. Baking dish covered tightly with aluminum foil and baked for 3 1/2-4 hrs at 350 deg F. A LOT of liquid came out during this time. After 2 hrs the legs were turned over and the dish was covered again, but a bit more loosely and then I continued baking the legs until the meat fell off the bone.
4. Baked legs ready for shredding
5a. Turkey drumstick before shredding
5b. After shredding ... not as pretty but compact and useful as all the bone and cartilage has been discarded. And you don't have to worry about dried out meat.
