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Slow cooker turkey leg confit

By: Emily Gussin
Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.

Published: 5 Nov 24
Updated: 5 Nov 24

Slowly cooking turkey legs in fat – like duck – takes the meat to a new level. It’s packed with flavour, juicy and melt-in-the-mouth tender. Use it shredded and tossed with greens, in pies or eaten as is with a few chips for a full Parisian bistro vibe. A slow cooker is perfect here – it’s hands-off, low energy and couldn’t be simpler to use.

Easy
November 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4-6
Prep time 10 min, plus at least 2 hours dry-brining. Slow-cooker time 5 hours

Nutrition: Per serving (for 6)

Calories: 669kcals
Fat: 44g (14g saturated)
Protein: 64g
Carbohydrates: 3g (0.7g sugars)
Fibre: 1.7g
Salt: 1.9g

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Before you start

Because they’re cooked low and slow, it doesn’t matter how big the turkey legs are as long as they fit in your slow cooker (separate into thighs and drumsticks if need be). No slow cooker? Confit the legs in a casserole in the oven for 3 hours at 160°C/ 140°C fan/gas 3.

Strain the leftover confit fat and chill in an airtight container for up to a month. Use to cook other meat, vegetables and potatoes.

You can confit the turkey legs in olive oil if you prefer.

Before you start

Strain the leftover confit fat and chill in an airtight container for up to a month. Use to cook other meat, vegetables and potatoes.

You can confit the turkey legs in olive oil if you prefer.

Ingredients

2 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp caraway seeds
4 tbsp sea salt flakes
2 turkey legs (see Know-how)
1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
2 bay leaves
3 rosemary sprigs
About 1kg duck or goose fat, at room temperature

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Method

Toast the peppercorns and caraway seeds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until fragrant. Lightly crush with a pestle and mortar, then stir in the salt flakes. Put the turkey legs in a lidded container and rub the salt mixture all over them. Seal the lid and leave at room temperature for 2 hours or in the fridge for up to 24 hours to lightly cure.
Brush the salt brine off the turkey legs, then sit them in the slow cooker. Nestle the garlic, bay and rosemary around the legs, then submerge in the liquid fat (you may not need it all, depending on the size of the legs/cooker). Cook on low for 5 hours or until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone.
Remove the turkey legs and pull the meat from the bones. Enjoy straightaway or keep in the fat in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also squeeze out the garlic cloves to enjoy alongside.