Turkey Parts in a Hurry

This turkey recipe caters to the cook who doesn’t want the whole bird but only parts of it. If   all you want is a breast and some thighs and legs, this recipe is for you. I am writing this post for people who don’t have the time for an elaborate dinner but still want to have a tasty feast with about four hours of prep and cooking time. It does require a little planning. ​

In May I used a split breast and some thighs.

I came across this recipe last May when I wanted to make a traditional American feast for  my German relatives who came to visit. Whole Foods whole turkeys were very expensive, but they had turkey parts on sale. I always either dry rub or brine turkey meat for tenderness and flavor. In this recipe from epicurious.com the turkey parts are brined overnight in a salt and spice mixture. Put the parts in a sturdy large resealable zip lock plastic bag and add the ingredients. Voila, the next day you dry the turkey parts and roast them for about one and a half to two hours. Now it is up to you to make the side dishes of your choice or have Aunt Mary bring her jelly salad . 
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Of course for me it is not turkey day until I have cranberry sauce,   chestnut stuffing, and a lot of gravy.

My husband and I spent a weekend in our little cabin in the Sierra Nevada. I love to cook in my tiny kitchen so I decided to make him and his oldest friend an early Thanksgiving dinner because I am leaving for Germany on Sunday.  On Thanksgiving I probably will  be eating duck instead of turkey. I was pressed for time and used a bread mix for the stuffing and bought peeled and roasted chestnuts. By not having to roast and peel chestnuts my stuffing was easier to make. ​

Even though I often use prepackaged broth for my turkey gravy and stuffing I prefer to make my own. This can be done weeks ahead and frozen. In my humble opinion a homemade broth  will make or break the gravy or stuffing. When I do a whole turkey I use the stomach and gizzard from the turkey for the  gravy. This time I  bought turkey wings. I always freeze all my leftover green veggies like the white leek ends, the tops of green onions, mushroom stems, and other greens to use in my stock. It’s great for any stock. I made the sauce while the turkey was cooking and added the pan juices later.

Of course you can check out my whole turkey recipe which I have been making for years. If you have time try my cranberry ketchup, it is great on leftover turkey sandwiches. Oh, and don’t forget to freeze some extra packages of cranberries so you can have a feast in May.
I wish you all a relaxing and peaceful Thanksgiving with a lot of good food and company. 
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I usually use three to four drumsticks and one large turkey breast on the bone which will make six to  eight servings. This time I used two humongous drumsticks that my husband brought home.

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Ingredients

Any turkey parts of your choice

For the brine

¼ cup koscher salt 
¼ cup honey
1 head garlic, cut sideways
2 large whole sprigs of sage
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
2 tsp. peppercorns
2 tsp. whole allspice berries
¼ cup celery leaves

To roast the turkey
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3 TBS melted butter
large sage leaves

The Gravy 

4 TBS butter
3 TBS flour 
1 cup pan juices
2-3 cups of turkey and/or chicken stock
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
½ tsp of Worcestershire sauce 
1 tsp seasoned salt 
salt and pepper 
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Directions:

Brining the turkey parts
Before you put the turkey parts in one or two large resealable plastic bag make sure the bags don’t leak, mine did.  Rinse the turkey and put them into the plastic bags. Add all the spices and honey, then add enough water to cover the turkey. Press out all the air and seal the bag. Put the bag in a large bowl to prevent leaking. Refrigerate overnight.

Roasting the turkey parts
Preheat the oven to 425˚ Fahrenheit.
Remove the turkey parts from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Put the turkey parts skin up on a rack set in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of water in the pan. Drizzle the turkey parts with the melted buttered and put the sage leaves on the the skin. Place the pan on a lower rack in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 375˚ Fahrenheit and continue to roast for an hour and 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165˚  Fahrenheit. Put the thermometer in the thickest part of your turkey parts. 

The Gravy
​Melt the butter and add the flour, and stir until the roux starts to change color. Add the pan juices and stir vigorously with a whisk until it is smooth and has no lumps. Slowly add in the rest of the stock stirring with your whisk until you reach the consistency you like. Add the Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, seasoning with salt and pepper.  My gravy got most of its flavor from the turkey stock .

Guten Appetit
recipe adopted from Epicurious.com
adapted by©Sunnycovechef.com ​
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