Turkey Au Vin Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated May. 15, 2019
20121106-turkey-au-vin-primary.jpg
Kerry Saretsky

Here's a turkey-leg riff on coq au vin. I braise turkey legs in a classic sauce of mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, Cognac, deep red wine, and stock. As it bubbles away for hours, the gravy thickens and the meat gets more tender. It's a gorgeous stew served over mashed potatoes or buttered gnocchi. Consider it a French-American Thanksgiving alternative.

Recipe Facts

4

(1)

Active: 30 mins
Total: 0 mins
Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • 2 turkey legs (about 3 pounds total)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 3 1/2 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 cup)

  • 9 ounces portobello mushrooms (about 3 large caps)

  • 6 medium shallots, peeled and left whole

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup Cognac

  • 2 cups dry red wine

  • 1 cup low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken broth

  • 10 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen twine

Directions

  1. Season the turkey legs with salt and pepper. Heat the oil over medium-high heat heat in a very wide nonstick skillet or Dutch oven until shimmering. Add turkey legs and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

  2. Add the pancetta to the hot oil, and cook, stirring, until just crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon, and place next to the turkey on the plate off to the side. Add the mushrooms to the hot oil and cook, stirring, until they just stop exuding liquid, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the flour, and stir to coat everything in the pan. Add the Cognac, and stir it into the vegetables and flour.

  3. Add the turkey and pancetta back to the pot followed by the red wine, chicken broth, and thyme. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and cook until turkey is falling-off-the-bone tender, 3 to 4 hours total. Remove lid, increase heat to medium, and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with mashed potatoes, or buttered gnocchi or egg noodles.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
686 Calories
36g Fat
22g Carbs
62g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 686
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 46%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 243mg 81%
Sodium 728mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 62g
Vitamin C 8mg 40%
Calcium 73mg 6%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 1161mg 25%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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