Skip to main content
Epicurious
Bon Appétit

Gravy-Braised Turkey Legs With Cipolline Onions

By Claire Saffitz
Top view of circular pan with gravybraised turkey legs and cipolline onions inside.
Gravy-Braised Turkey Legs With Cipolline OnionsPhoto by Christopher Testani

You know how sometimes the meat is dry and there's not enough gravy? We fixed that by braising dark meat in a robust pan sauce. Ta-da!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

2 whole turkey legs (about 3 1/2 pounds), drumsticks and thighs separated, patted dry
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large leek, white and pale-green parts only, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 bunch thyme
2 dried bay leaves
6 cups turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 pound cipolline or pearl onions
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Generously season turkey all over with salt and pepper. Let sit on a large rimmed baking sheet about 1 hour to bring to room temperature.

    Step 2

    Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Place 1 cup flour on a plate and dredge turkey in flour, coating only the skin (do not shake off excess). Cook, outer side down, until very well browned (do not cook on inner side), 5–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

    Step 3

    Add yellow onion, leek, celery, garlic, and peppercorns to pot, season with salt, and cook, stirring often and scraping up brown bits from bottom of pot, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown around the edges, 10–12 minutes.

    Step 4

    Sprinkle in remaining 2 Tbsp. flour; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, stirring, and cook until pan is almost dry. Add thyme, bay leaves, and 3 cups stock, season with salt, and bring to a simmer. Place turkey back in pot, browned side up, and add stock as needed to almost completely cover without submerging browned skin (this will keep it from getting soggy). Bring liquid to a very gentle simmer and cook until turkey is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted near bone of thigh registers 165°F, 35–45 minutes. Transfer turkey to plate.

    Step 5

    Add cipolline onions and remaining stock to pot and simmer until tender, 20–25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to plate with turkey. Simmer braising liquid until reduced to about 3 cups, 15–20 minutes.

    Step 6

    Beat yolk and cream in a small bowl; stir in 1 Tbsp. braising liquid to warm. Whisking constantly, gradually add yolk mixture to braising liquid and remove from heat (if gravy boils after this point, it will curdle). Strain gravy into a large bowl. Wipe out pot. Return gravy to pot; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Return turkey, browned side up, and cipolline onions to pot and keep warm over low heat until ready to serve. Serve topped with parsley.

  2. Do ahead

    Step 7

    Legs can be seasoned 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered. Bring to room temperature before using.

TagsAmericanTurkeyPoultryPearl OnionOnionRoot VegetableVegetableLeekMainDinnerNut FreeMake AheadBraiseDutch OvenThanksgivingChristmasBon Appétit

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Charred Vegetable Ragù
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Our Favorite French Onion Soup
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio
Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.
Sofrito Bolognese
An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.
Slow-Smoked Chicken
An espresso-and-cumin-spiked rub (or brine) gives this smoked chicken impressive flavor.
Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Spaghetti With Cabbage, Pancetta, and Calabrian Chile
Cabbage is the unsung hero of the winter kitchen—available anywhere, long-lasting in the fridge, and super-affordable. It’s also an excellent partner for pasta.
Crispy Baked Wings With Berbere Honey Glaze and Fried Garlic
Berbere is a spicy chile blend that has floral and sweet notes from coriander and cardamom, and when it’s paired with a honey glaze, it sets these wings apart from anything else you’ve ever had.