Turkey Leg Confit with Garlic Gravy
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped thyme
- Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, plus freshly ground pepper
- 12 turkey legs (12 ounces each)
- 6 cups duck fat (3 pounds), melted (see Note)
- 6 cups vegetable oil
- 4 cups Rich Turkey Stock or low-sodium broth
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- In a food processor, pulse 8 of the garlic cloves with the salt, thyme and lemon zest until finely chopped.
- Add the juniper berries and peppercorns and pulse just until slightly cracked.
- Preheat the oven to 325.
- Arrange the turkey legs in a large roasting pan and rub with the seasoned salt.
- Let stand for 30 minutes.
- Pour the duck fat and vegetable oil over the turkey legs and add the remaining 4 garlic cloves to the pan.
- Roast the turkey legs for about 2 hours, turning them every 30 minutes, until the meat is very tender and pulls away from the drumsticks.
- Transfer the legs to a large pot and carefully strain the fat over them, stopping when you reach the sediment and any caramelized pan juices.
- Reserve the garlic cloves.
- Let the turkey legs cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight or for up to 5 days.
- While the turkey legs are cooling, return the garlic to the roasting pan and set the pan over 2 burners.
- Add 2 cups of the stock and bring to a simmer over moderately high heat, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pan and mashing the garlic into the juices.
- Strain the pan juices into a large measuring cup, let cool then refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- To serve the confited turkey legs on Thanksgiving Day, preheat the oven to 350.
- Gently rewarm the turkey legs in the large pot over moderate heat, just until the fat melts.
- Remove the legs from the fat and transfer them to a roasting pan; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat.
- Roast the turkey legs for 25 minutes, turning once or twice, or until golden and crisp in spots.
- Transfer the turkey legs to a platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil and keep warm.
- Pour off any fat from the roasting pan and set the pan over 2 burners.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of stock and the reserved pan juices and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Pour the pan juices into a medium saucepan and bring back to a boil.
- In a small bowl, blend the flour with the reserved 2 tablespoons of fat.
- Whisk the flour paste into the pan juices and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, until the gravy thickens and no floury taste remains, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the balsamic vinegar and season lightly with pepper.
- Serve the turkey legs with the garlic gravy.
garlic, kosher salt, thyme, lemon, juniper berries, black peppercorns, turkey, duck fat, vegetable oil, turkey, allpurpose, balsamic vinegar
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/turkey-leg-confit-with-garlic-gravy (may not work)