Braised Turkey Thighs, Osso Buco Style

An alternative to the big bird — perfect for Thanksgiving, or anytime!

I recognize that not everyone is hosting a big Thanksgiving meal, or may not want to fuss with a big turkey for a smaller group. A few of you told me so in the conversation we had a few weeks ago about what kinds of recipes you wanted to see for the holiday season, Turkey Day included.

Your feedback inspired me to come up with this delicious dish that is kind of like turkey and gravy all in one pot. The meat is falling-apart tender and moist as can be, and the sauce has a deep rich flavor and is studded with carrots and mushrooms. It still goes beautifully with traditional sides, especially mashed potatoes and green beans. That’s how my husband and I enjoyed this dish when I first made it last week. I was able to heat it up the day after I made it and it was perfect. It’s easy to put together, keeps exceptionally well, and leftovers can be repurposed in a variety of ways. 

One thigh is a very generous portion for one person (but we both finished ours!), and this recipe yields four. So if you’re only cooking for two, expect to have leftovers! A few nights after that first turkey dinner, I shredded the meat from a leftover thigh — which is meltingly tender, like any good braise should be — and mixed it in with whole-wheat ditalini, some of the sauce, and Parmesan on top. Just one thigh served both of us well in this dish, and it was as comforting as can be.

As for the turkey thighs themselves: When I went to my local supermarket, there were packages of thighs (along with those turkey necks I used for my stock and gravy), but when I went back to get more a few days later, they said they wouldn’t have them until the next day, and that I should reserve them because they go fast. I visited a few more stores on my way home and when I went to my very local supermarket, I asked the butcher, and he said, “give me a minute.” Yes, he broke down two turkeys for me on the spot and gave me the thighs. What a guy! So, what I’m saying is, though turkey parts should be more plentiful in the coming weeks, you may want to pre-order them if you plan to make this!

Even if you don’t make this for Thanksgiving (but if you’re feeding just 1, or 2, or 3, or 4 people, I hope you do), keep this recipe in your back pocket for another day. You could also use chicken thighs (6 or 8?) here I’m sure, or even turkey drumsticks, but I didn’t get a chance to try those. 

Hope your holiday planning is going well!

Don’t forget that there will be a thread for paid subscribers on the 23rd when I’ll be on hand to answer any and all of your last-minute cooking and baking questions!

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Here’s the dish just before it goes into the oven to braise. It takes just 1 1/2 hours to reach maximum tenderness.

Braised Turkey Thighs, Osso Buco Style

Serves 4