Braised Turkey - A Moist, Delicious Success

Earlier this month, Mark Bittman of the New York Times posted a recipe and video for braised turkey.

Since I always like to have turkey leftovers around the house this weekend, even if we go out to dine, I decided to try it.

I bought a whole turkey and cut it into parts, but I don't think I'd do that again. As it turns out the thighs and breast are the stars of the show and those are easily bought without dealing with the whole turkey. (Of course, the turkey carcase turned into a good supply of turkey stock for soups in the weeks ahead.)

Following the guidance at the links below I produced moist, tender white meat and deeply-flavored dark meat that fell off the bone like pulled pork or my favorite braised lamb shanks. (Here's the link to the lamb shank recipe. http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/01/lamb-shanks-bra.html )

The mushrooms, sausage and pancetta in the base lend a depth to both the meat and vegetables. The broth is extremely rich and plentiful. On Friday, I served it as a deconstructed French dip sandwich with toasted sour dough bread on the side for dipping in the sauce.

It's about the best tasting turkey I've ever made, but I expect to do a bit of experimenting with the dish. After all, this is a whole new turkey technique to play with. For example, I'd really like more of the vegetable and sausage base.  I'd even consider using two pans to provide space for larger servings of the sides.

This would be a fantastic dish for a big gathering. It reheats beautifully and may become one of my favorite dishes for company. It can be finished a day ahead. Or, it might also allow someone to roast a smaller "show turkey" for a large holiday gathering while having the braised dish ready to feed the masses.

(Edit-2.02.08- Here's a great entry on the recipe from one of my favorite food sites, Apartment Therapy 's The Kitchn. It has wonderful play-by-play photos and some great serving ideas.)

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/recipe-review/recipe-review-mark-bittmans-braised-turkey-070749

Details:
Here's a video about the recipe
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/11/12/dining/1194832745140/braised-turkey.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Here's the recipe in easy print version:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/dining/121mrex.html?ref=dining&pagewanted=print

And, here is a blog entry about how Mark Bittman developed the recipe. Check out the tiny kitchen. I think it may actually be smaller than mine.
http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/anatomy-of-a-minimalist-column/