Turkey Thigh

[mrbigjas]

OK folks, for some reason on a whim a couple of months ago, I bought a skinless boneless turkey thigh, which is now defrosting in my fridge. I'm trying to figure out what to do with it.

Since it doesn't have skin or bones or a bunch of extra fat, I'm worried about it getting dry if I roast it. But it's like 2.5 pounds or something, so it's a lot of meat (there are only two of us who live here, and neither of us is a big eater).

I'm thinking maybe browning and then braising it into some kinda turkey stew?

I really wonder why I bought this thing.

[Mottmott]

turkey sausage? turkey burgers? turkey fritters?

[vengroff]

Cut it into strips and stir fry it with some veggies.

[elyse]

Stew sounds good to me.

[melkor]

I'd make coq au vin

[Bicycle Lee]

sausage would be good...

if you are worried about drying it out when roasting then brine it....

[Dave the Cook]

Although it doesn't have much exterior fat, what with the skin off and all, poultry thighs still have some intramuscular fat. They also have a good bit of collagen in the form of connective tissue, which is why even skinless/boneless chicken thighs are more succulent than s/b breasts. Still, I'd brine it first, if for no other reason than you need the liquid insurance, because that collagen won't fully render until the meat gets to about 175 F (more specifically, 140 F for a good 15 minutes).

It's a nice-sized hunk o' meat. I'd consider flattening it out, stuffing it, and tying it into a roast shape. I'd sear it, then put it in a 350 oven until it hits 155. For the last stretch (155 to 165; pull it and let it carry up to 170), give it a glaze for color.

[KarenS]

I buy those frequently. You can make turkey and black bean chilli, whatever kind of pasta sauce, stuff it and put it on a rotisserie etc...

[mrbigjas]

Well, looking more closely at it, it was really in two pieces. I took off the smaller one and ground it for burgers. The larger piece I ... uh... not butterflied, but kind of cut along it to make a long flat piece, which I then flattened a little. Made a stuffing of day-old bread and shallots and garlic and savory, with some stock. Stuffed it and tied it up like Dave said. Roasted it till it was done (FYI, if you're taking the interior temp of somehting with one of those cheap instant-read dial thermometers, don't space taking it out of the meat before you put it back in the oven, or the plastic face will melt). Made a flour gravy of the pan drippings, shallots, some sherry and more chicken stock.

And because I bought a shitload of garlic today for a dollar, I roasted up a few heads of that, and used it to make roasted garlic mashed potatoes, because I am a born and bred yankee and stuffing alone just ain't enough starch for us up in this part of the country.

Thanks for yer tips...

[elyse]

Yum.