Published November 1, 2011. From Cook's Illustrated.
Braised turkey promises juicy, rich-tasting meat and sumptuous gravy, but to achieve this, we found it takes some finesse. The key step was to use two oven temperatures. We started cooking turkey pieces, uncovered, in a 500-degree oven, which gave the turkey, and more importantly the gravy, a rich, roasted flavor. We then turned the oven down to 325, covered the turkey, and allowed it to slowly cook, which helped the meat retain its moisture and remain tender.
Instead of drumsticks and thighs, you may use 2 whole leg quarters, 1½ to 2 pounds each. The recipe will also work with turkey breast alone; in step 1, reduce the salt and sugar to ½ cup each and the water to 4 quarts. If you are braising kosher or self-basting turkey parts, skip the brining step and instead season the turkey parts with 1½ teaspoons of salt.
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