 |
Photo by Holly A. Heyser
Let’s face it: Wild turkey legs, wings and to a lesser extent thighs can be unbearably tough, and the tendons are often as tough as bone. The answer? Braise them. For a long, long time. What better way to do it than use the Mexican carnitas method? This is where you brown the meat, then simmer it uncovered in a flavorful broth until the water evaporates, then brown it again. There’s a reason it sells out at Chipotle every day…
Some versions of carnitas are essentially confit — they cook the pork or whatever slowly in lard. This is also excellent, but it requires an awful lot of lard. I prefer to follow the braising method that Diana Kennedy uses in her excellent cookbook The Cuisines of Mexico.
You can of course use other meats here, too. I’ve use the legs from geese a lot, and it works great. Pork is traditional, pheasant is fine, and if you are blessed with a bear with good-tasting fat that would also work.
If I can give you one piece of advice here, it is to take your time. Turkey will get rubbery and nasty before it submits and becomes smooth and luscious. If you need more water, add more water. This recipe will require at least 3 hours of your time, maybe more if you are cooking an old Tom. Be patient. It’s worth it.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser
Turkey Carnitas
I of course use wild turkey here, but a domestic turkey will work just fine. You could also use pheasant, an old chicken, a guinea hen or just go full-on traditional and use pork shoulder. Once you braise the meat and pull it off the bone, it will keep in the fridge for a week. Crisp it up before you serve it.
I prefer this in soft tacos, with the traditional accompaniments: limes, onions, maybe a hot sauce or two, roasted chiles and cilantro or parsley.
Once you make this, the finished carnitas will keep for a week in the fridge. I usually reheat it in a frying pan with a little oil.
Serves 4.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
- 2 turkey legs plus wings, or 2 turkey thighs
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon juniper berries (optional)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked
- 1 tablespoon coriander seed, cracked
- 1 tablespoon cumin seed
- 1 tablespoon oregano, Mexican if possible
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 3 dried small chiles, such as an arbol or Thai
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 tablespoons lard or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1/2 an orange
__________
- Remove the skin from the turkey, save it to make cracklins if you want. Put the turkey in a large Dutch oven or large lidded pot, add all the herbs, spices and enough water to just barely cover the meat in the pot. Cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone.
- When it is tender, remove from the pot and let it cool. Shred with two forks or your fingers. Discard the bones and any tendons. You can store the meat for up to a week at this point.
- To finish, Add the lard to a frying pan and brown the meat as much as you like. I like a mix of soft and crispy. At the very end, drizzle in about a tablespoon of honey and the juice of half an orange. Mix and serve. I serve this as part of a taco plate. But you can eat it any way you like it: Sandwiches, ravioli filling, a topping for rice, in a burrito…
One of my favorite things is turkey mole. I think it was the first mole I ever made. It is so good so I love trying your take on the carnitas and the long slow road to greatness.
Lovely recipe.
I’m going to be trying this recipe in about 25 days. Before I was taught to just breast out birds because the legs are unbelievably tough with little meat. I thought it was a waste of meat and decided to remove the legs and use them for something (smoked for split pea soup). I told a friend and he said don’t bother because in addition to the small amount of meat, and incredible toughness, it’s lined with a yellow fat that doesn’t taste very good.
So have you had any experience with this yellow fat?
Nice job Hank. They look amazing. I am a HUGE fan of braising, and the delicate results it produces. Have been going the oven route lately at 250F. Low and slow.
Hank,
Have youn tried this with goose legs?
-Lou
This would be perfect for goose legs (Snows or Canadas). I can’t wait to try it – thanks for the recipe, Hank!
Chris: Usually yellow fat means the bird has been eating corn, and it’s delicious. I have *never* had a bad wild turkey, and anyone telling you there is no meat on the legs and thighs is certifiably insane.
Lou: Absolutely! Wonderful with snow goose or Canada goose legs.
I Love it. I’m taking my son out for his first youth day tomorrow. hope we can try this tomorrow night.
Ditto on those wild turkey legs. It’s one of the biggest myths out there. Everybody out says you can’t eat ‘em, they are all connective tissue or too tough. all you’ve got to do is cook them slow and low. Now, I just tell my buddies to save the legs for me and We laugh about it while we’re eating some delicious tender wild turkey.
Thanks Erika and Hank!
I have a nice Spec that I’m going to try this with tomorrow.
Thanks again!
-Lou
I won a bottle of whiskey in a bet with an old-timer who said I couldn’t make legs edible. I made wild turkey leg rillettes and he paid up. I’ve got 2 tags this spring, so hopefully I’ll be able to try this in a few weeks.
Excellent. Thanks for the tips, Hank.
The spec came out awesome!
Thanks again, Hank.
Another keeper waterfowl recipe.
[...] with them, and the chickens don’t seem to be bothered. If we do, Matt has a bow and this wild turkey carnitas sounds pretty [...]
I have been following your site for a few months and wanted to thank you for all the wonderful recipes and techniques. I was fortunate on Friday to harvest a nice 20lb wild (Tom) turkey despite our very late spring and snow in WI. I had the legs and thighs in a pot first thing Saturday morning and made these carnitas for diner. Turned out great and the family loved it! Can’t wait to try this with Canada Goose legs this fall. Thank you again for such a great site. Its refreshing to read recipes from someone similar to myself who enjoys cooking game as much as hunting them.
I have been told my entire life that Wild Turkey legs are too tough to eat. This year I had the pleasure of harvesting a couple young Jake’s with my Favorite Uncle. Our family has always believed that the legs and thighs of Wild Turkey is just to tough to deal with. Well I am happy to say I cant wait to prepare legs and thighs for them next time I am home using this recipe! I have sent word to have all legs and thighs saved from this point on.
I have always hated wasting meat, never again with bird will I have too, cant wait to try this with pheasant.
Thanks Hank!
I always make sausage with my turkey dark meat but was really looking forward to trying this recipe. I have not been succesful yet this turkey season, but today I brought home a jackrabbit as a consolation prize. I have not eaten jackrabbit yet so I am not familiar with them. Would the jack’s legs make decent batch of carnitas? If not, I’ll do the BBQ hare, but I am really craving carnitas.
Tremendous amount of meat on a wild turkey’s legs & thighs. Anyone who doesn’t use it should be prosecuted. Braise like this then use in The Great After-Thanksgiving Turkey Enchiladas recipe from Epicurious. “Slap yo Momma dat’s good”!!!!!!
What a great use for the legs & wings! I use the legs from wild turkeys, Canada geese and ducks as the basis for a gumbo (same basic principle- low & slow).