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Meat, Busy evenings

Braised turkey leg with carrots and mashed potatoes

Braised turkey leg with carrots and mashed potatoes is a slow cooked dish for 4 people, ready in 1 hour 40 minutes, rated easy, for about €3.10 per person. The key is keeping the pot tightly covered in the oven so the turkey, a naturally lean meat, stays moist from the steam of the broth.

Tonight, a big turkey leg simmering slowly in the oven with carrots, served with smooth mashed potatoes, perfect for a cold evening.

Braised turkey leg with carrots and mashed potatoes
Total time
1 h 40
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.10
Calories per person
570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Turkey leg tends to dry out when cooked fast, but braised slowly under a lid, it turns tender and falls right off the bone. The cooking liquid, flavored with thyme and the browned bits from the onions, soaks into the carrots and gets spooned over the mash. It's a dish that simmers quietly while you get on with your evening.

This is the kind of dinner to start on a Sunday afternoon or an evening when you're home early, since the oven does most of the work during the 75 minute braise. Kids love the fall apart texture of the meat and the sweetness of the carrots, and mashed potatoes never fail to win over the whole table. Mon Chou suggests it as soon as the weather turns cold, for a meal that warms you up without complicating your evening.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Turkey legs 2

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 600 g
  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Potatoes 1 kg
  • Thyme 3 sprigs

Dairy

  • Milk 15 cl
  • Butter 40 g

Pantry

  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 30 cl
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the turkey legs on all sides in a Dutch oven with the olive oil, then set them aside. 10 min

    Take your time here, the more color on the skin, the more flavor ends up in the sauce.

  2. In the same pot, sauté the sliced onions and garlic, then add the carrots cut into chunks. 5 min

    Deglaze with a ladle of broth to lift the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

  3. Put the turkey back in, pour in the rest of the broth, add the thyme, cover and bake at 170°C. 1 h 15

    Turn the legs halfway through cooking so they soak up the juices evenly.

  4. Meanwhile, cook the peeled potatoes in salted water, drain them, then mash with the hot milk and butter. 25 min

    Use a potato ricer, never a blender, or the potatoes will turn gluey.

  5. Pull the meat off the bone, return it to the pot with the carrots and the juices, and serve with the mashed potatoes.

    Spoon some of the cooking juices over the mash, it's the best part.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a pot with a tight fitting lid, that's what traps the moisture and keeps the turkey from drying out during the 75 minutes in the oven.
  • Don't oversalt the broth at the start, since it reduces during cooking and the flavor concentrates.
  • If you have time, let the meat rest for five minutes out of the oven before pulling it off the bone, it comes apart more easily.

The variations

  • Swap the carrots for parsnips, or use a mix of both, braising gives them the same soft texture.
  • For a meat free version, replace the turkey with chunks of braised squash or celery root, cutting the cooking time down to about 40 minutes.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the mash with just the shredded meat and juices, leaving the carrots on the side for the adults.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
  • Crusty bread for the juices
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

The dish keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, ideally with the meat and mash stored separately. It freezes well, the meat and carrots in their juices on one side, the mash on the other. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven, adding a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually even better reheated the next day since the meat has more time to soak up the juices. Make the mash fresh at the last minute so it stays smooth.

Can chicken replace the turkey legs?

Yes, chicken legs work well here, but cut the oven braising time down to about 50 minutes since chicken is more tender and cooks faster.

Why use a ricer instead of a blender for the potatoes?

A blender breaks down too much starch and turns the potatoes gluey and elastic. A ricer keeps the mash smooth and light.

How do you know when the turkey is fully cooked?

The meat should pull away from the bone easily with a fork, without resistance. If it doesn't, cover the pot and put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so.

How long does it take to make a braised turkey leg with carrots and mashed potatoes?

Count 1 h 40 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a braised turkey leg with carrots and mashed potatoes?

About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a braised turkey leg with carrots and mashed potatoes cost?

About €3.10 per serving, or €12.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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