Braised Dark Meat Turkey over Egg Noodles
This recipe creates a comforting and hearty dish of slow-braised dark meat turkey. Turkey wings and drumsticks are first browned, then simmered with a rich blend of aromatics, tomato paste, cider vinegar, beer, garlic, and olives. The long braising process yields incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone turkey, served over hot egg noodles, making for a robust and satisfying meal.
Equipment
- 1 Large Heavy Pot or Dutch Oven
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Cutting Board
Ingredients
Main
- 4 to 5 pounds turkey wings and drumsticks
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large onion cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 4 carrots peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 4 stalks celery bottoms and tips removed, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 12 ounces ale or good lager beer
- 6 to 8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 cup pitted oil-cured olives
- 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
- Cooked egg noodles for serving
Instructions
- Generously salt and pepper the turkey.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the turkey wings and drumsticks and brown as evenly as possible all over. Do this in batches if necessary.
- Once browned, remove the turkey from the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-high and then add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is mixed in. Then add all the remaining ingredients, except the olives and rosemary, and stir until everything is incorporated. Bring this liquid to a simmer, then add the turkey back to the pot, along with the olives and rosemary, and bring to a simmer. Cook about 3 to 3 1/2 hours over a low flame at a low simmer until the turkey meat falls off the bone easily with just a little nudge from a fork. Remove rosemary sprigs and serve over hot egg noodles.
- Note: During cooking, occasionally check to see if the turkey is getting too browned or dried where not submerged under the braising liquid. If so, stir into the liquid and continue cooking.
Notes
For a deeply flavorful braise, ensure thorough browning of the turkey in batches, which builds foundational savory notes through the Maillard reaction. Deglaze the pot with the cider vinegar and beer, scraping up all the fond from the bottom for maximum flavor. Cook the mirepoix (onion, carrots, celery) until truly tender and slightly caramelized before adding tomato paste; 'blooming' the tomato paste for a couple of minutes will intensify its richness. Maintain a very gentle, low simmer during the long braising process to achieve fork-tender turkey without it drying out. Regularly check and stir the turkey to ensure even cooking and submersion. The pitted oil-cured olives add a wonderful brininess and richness that complements the dark turkey meat beautifully. Serve immediately over freshly cooked, hot egg noodles to absorb the delicious braising liquid.