🔗 Share this article

When we cook, frequently slow-cook drumsticks, since the entire process is completed ahead of time. For Christmas, I often employ with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Serve with buttery potato and greens, though steamed rice, simple boiled potatoes or roast carrots would also go great.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up for a larger gathering – all you need is a larger pan.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Braised Legs:

• Sunflower oil or a mild cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 bone-in turkey legs or drumsticks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 70ml white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
• 60-100ml chicken stock
• ½ tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream

For the Colcannon:

• 500g large floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Cooking Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a oven-safe skillet. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then place them in the hot oil and sear, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the excess oil.

Place the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, until the onions and bacon begin to brown. Pour in the wine, then return the turkey on top of the aromatic base. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Place a foil lid on the pan and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Pro Tip: At the same time, add the peeled potatoes in a large saucepan of water and cook for until tender, until soft when tested with a skewer.

Using a separate skillet, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, mixing from time to time, for until softened, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In a third saucepan, warm the milk and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then return them to their pan. Mash the potatoes with the creamy liquid until lump-free, then add the cabbage and combine well. Season again to taste, and reheat gently before serving.

After the hour is up, dish up with the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.