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Braised Turkey Thighs with Potato-Apple Pancakes

I’m a dark-meat guy. It’s rich, nuanced, tender, and moist, and I’m always carving myself the leg and thigh off the Thanksgiving turkey while everyone else clamors for the breast meat. I also don’t think turkey should be limited to one holiday a year plus the sandwiches that follow—this simple braise is a great year-round dinner. Serve the turkey with potato-apple cakes that are inspired by classic potato latkes. Any leftovers are great for brunch; reheat the pancakes in a hot oven, then top with a soft-boiled egg.

Serves 6 as a main course

For the Turkey Thighs

2 tablespoons canola oil

6 whole turkey thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 medium carrots, diced

4 celery stalks, diced

1 medium yellow or white onion, diced

10 whole black peppercorns

6 juniper berries

4 allspice berries

½ cinnamon stick

1 small bunch thyme

2 bay leaves

1 sprig rosemary

4 cups chicken or turkey stock

For the Potato-Apple Pancakes

4 russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled

1 medium yellow onion, peeled

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground

white pepper

½ cup canola oil, plus more as needed, for frying

½ cup chicken or duck fat, plus more as needed, for frying (clarified butter can be substituted)

All-purpose flour, if needed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Special Equipment: Cheesecloth; kitchen twine

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Make the turkey thighs: In a large Dutch oven or heavy high-sided skillet, heat the canola oil over high heat. Season the turkey thighs on all sides with salt and black pepper. When the oil is hot, add the turkey thighs, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown on the skin side, about 6 minutes (reduce the heat if the skin begins to burn). Flip the thighs and cook until golden brown on the second side, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a rimmed plate or baking sheet and set aside.

Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Place a square of cheesecloth on a work surface. Put the peppercorns, juniper berries, allspice berries, and cinnamon stick in the center of the cheesecloth, gather up the edges to form a sachet, and tie with a piece of kitchen twine. Add the sachet to the vegetables, along with the thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary.

Return the thighs to the Dutch oven, skin-side up, and add enough stock so that the thighs are halfway submerged. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise the turkey thighs until the meat is very tender and the connective tissue has dissolved but the meat is not falling from the bone, about 1 hour.

While the legs are braising, make the potato-apple pancakes: Grate the potatoes, onion, and apple on the large holes of a box grater. Take handfuls of the grated mixture and squeeze firmly over the sink to eliminate extra moisture (the enemy of crispy pancakes!). Place in a large bowl. Add the egg, flour, salt, and white pepper and mix well to combine.

Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet, line the wire rack with paper towels, and place nearby. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the canola oil with 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat over medium heat until it is hot and shimmering. Spoon heaping tablespoons of the pancake mixture into the oil, spacing them about 2 inches apart, and flatten slightly with a fork.

Fry the pancakes until golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes, then flip and fry on the second side until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the pancakes to the paper towel–lined rack to drain and season with salt. Fry the remaining pancakes, adding more oil and chicken fat to the skillet as needed.

When the turkey thighs are tender, remove them from the oven, turn the oven off, and place the potato pancakes on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm.

Carefully remove the thighs from the pot and transfer them to a large platter. Tent with aluminum foil and return to the oven to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan (or back into the Dutch oven), discarding the solids and the sachet.

Bring the braising liquid in the pan to a rapid boil over high heat. Boil until the liquid has reduced by half and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it is still too thin, whisk in a tablespoon of flour and simmer until the sauce has thickened and no longer has a floury taste, 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter and remove from the heat.

Remove the turkey thighs from the oven and drizzle the sauce over the top. Serve with the potato-apple pancakes alongside.