Skip to content

Meat, Classics and bistro fare

Braised turkey leg with carrots and steamed potatoes

Braised turkey leg with carrots is a slow cooked dish for 4 people, ready in 1 hour 50 minutes, easy to make, at a cost of €2.90 per person. The key to success is a long, very gentle simmer in a Dutch oven, which turns the meat fall apart tender and flavors the carrot and onion sauce.

A turkey leg braised in a Dutch oven with carrots and onions, tender through and through, served with steamed potatoes.

Braised turkey leg with carrots and steamed potatoes
Total time
1 h 50
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
490 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Braised turkey leg has that rounded, comforting taste of dishes that cook low and slow without needing much attention. The meat, browned first then simmered for hours over low heat, ends up falling right off the bone. The sauce, reduced with white wine, carrots and onions, turns silky and coats the steamed potatoes served alongside.

This is the kind of dish to start on a Sunday afternoon, letting the Dutch oven do the work while the kitchen fills with a good smell. It also works on a weeknight if you plan ahead, since the simmer needs almost no attention once the meat is browned. Mon Chou suggests it for days when you want something simple that still tastes like it took real time.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Turkey legs 2

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 600 g
  • Onions 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Thyme 4 sprigs
  • Potatoes 900 g

Pantry

  • White wine 15 cl
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2 leaves
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the turkey legs on all sides in a Dutch oven with the oil. 10 min

    Take the time to brown them well, the color is where the flavor comes from.

  2. Add the onions and garlic, let them soften, then pour in the white wine. 5 min

    Let the alcohol cook off for a minute before moving on.

  3. Add the carrots cut into large chunks, the thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper and a glass of water, then cover. 1 h 20

    Keep the heat very low, the turkey should barely simmer.

  4. Steam the potatoes. 25 min

    Peel them after cooking, they keep more flavor that way.

  5. Remove the skin from the turkey, slice the meat and serve it topped with sauce.

    Bone the leg by holding it by the bone, the meat pulls away with no effort.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, the trapped steam keeps the turkey moist through the whole cooking time.
  • Cut the carrots into even, fairly thick chunks, they'll hold up through the 80 minute simmer without turning to mush.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the salt only at that point, since reducing concentrates the flavors toward the end.

The variations

  • Swap the turkey legs for chicken legs, cutting the cooking time down to about 45 minutes.
  • For a meatless version, replace the turkey with chunks of celery root and mushrooms, reducing the simmer to 30 minutes.
  • To save time, ask your butcher to bone the legs before cooking, the meat cooks a bit faster and slices without any effort.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

This dish keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, meat and sauce together. It freezes well for up to 2 months, ideally without the potatoes, which turn mushy once thawed. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, and it's actually recommended, braised turkey tastes even better reheated the next day. Make the meat and sauce the day before, then steam the potatoes fresh right before serving.

Can you replace the white wine?

You can swap it for chicken broth, the dish will just lose a touch of acidity. Add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice in that case to make up for it.

How do you know when the turkey is cooked through?

The meat should pull away from the bone easily with the tip of a knife. If it still resists, let it simmer another 10 to 15 minutes over low heat.

Can you cook the potatoes directly in the Dutch oven?

You can, but they'll soak up a lot of the sauce and make it thicker. Steaming them separately keeps the potatoes whole and leaves a thinner sauce to spoon over everything.

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

Count 1 h 50 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

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

About 490 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 steamed potatoes cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Family and bistro classics

See all

Recipes with carrots

See all