Sherry Vinegar Brown Sugar Glazed Turkey Drumsticks Food

BROWN SUGAR-SOY TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• For the brine: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart water to a boil. Add the salt, ginger, peppercorns and star anise, if using. Turn the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Pour into a large container with 1 quart orange juice and 2 quarts water and stir well. Add the turkey legs and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight (no more than 18 hours).
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Remove the turkey legs from the brine and place on the prepared baking sheet. Mix together the remaining cup orange juice and 1 cup water and pour into the pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
• For the glaze: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the brown sugar with 1 cup water, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sugar begins to melt. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until the caramel begins to bubble, about 4 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the soy sauce 1/4 cup at a time (the caramel will bubble and steam, so keep it at an arm's distance and allow it to calm down between additions). Stir in the fish sauce, scallion whites, garlic and jalapenos. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce comes to a simmer. Remove the foil from the turkey legs. Baste the turkey legs with half of the caramel sauce, flipping the legs over to coat both sides, and bake for another 20 minutes. Repeat the process with the remainder of the sauce, and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg registers 165 degrees F, about 15 more minutes. Remove to a serving dish and cover with foil, then allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with the scallion greens.

SHERRY VINEGAR-BROWN SUGAR GLAZED TURKEY DRUMSTICKS

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill for indirect grilling or heat a gas grill to medium heat. Brush drumsticks with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill over the coals (if using charcoal grill) and grill until golden brown on all sides. Move the drumsticks to the cooler part of the grill, place the lid on and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, brushing with the glaze during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Remove from the grill, brush with more of the glaze and let rest 10 minutes before serving. If using gas, cook at medium heat the whole time with the lid closed after a crust has formed.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat on the grates of the grill. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until a light golden brown. Add vinegar and cook until reduced by half. Add sugar, paprika, tomatoes and chicken stock and cook until reduced by half and tomatoes are very soft. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and cook until thickened; season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

"BLUE THUNDER" TURKEY DRUMSTICKS

Steps:

• For the turkey: Remove the tendons from each drumstick (or ask your local butcher to do it for you): With a flexible boning knife, make a cut at the knob end of the drumstick to separate the tendons from the bone. Locate the major tendon that resembles a cooked piece of fettuccini and follow it up the drumstick with your boning knife to cut it out. Repeat for the 3 to 4 other major tendons. Using a pair of pliers, grab and pull out the minor tendon that resembles a cooked piece of spaghetti. Repeat for the 5 to 6 other minor tendons. Scrape the boning knife against the bone to clean up any leftover meat.
• For the marinade: Place the cranberries, rosemary, sage, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a large plastic container and add 1 to 2 cups boiling water just to cover. Allow to steep for 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the brine: In a large bowl, dissolve the salt with 1 to 2 cups boiling water, whisking until the salt has dissolved.
• For the injection mixture: In a 16-ounce pint glass, combine the garlic juice, onion juice, hot sauce, chile sauce, Worcestershire sauce and stir. Fill the glass with beer and stir.
• Add the marinade mixture to the brine mixture, and then pour in the remaining beer to cool it down.
• Inject each drumstick a couple of times with the injection mixture using a meat injector. Place the drumsticks in the marinade and add 1 gallon cold water to cover. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the smoker to 250 to 300 degrees F.
• Remove the drumsticks from the marinade and place in the smoker. Place the applewood chips in the smoker and smoke for 30 to 40 minutes. When they are done, they will have a light golden color and an internal temperature of 110 to 120 degrees F.
• Fill a turkey fryer with the peanut oil until it reaches the maximum capacity line. Light the burner and heat the oil until it is between 340 to 360 degrees F.
• Carefully drop each turkey drumstick into the oil and fry until the internal temperature of the drumstick registers 160 to 165 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel on a wire cooling rack. Allow a resting time of 10 minutes before serving.

TURKEY WITH BROWN-SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Let turkey sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Place neck, giblets, carrots, celery, and onion in a heavy-bottomed metal roasting pan. Set a roasting rack over vegetables and coat with cooking spray.
• Tuck wing tips underneath body of turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Rub turkey all over with 2 tablespoons butter; season with salt and pepper. Place turkey on rack in pan; roast on bottom oven rack until golden brown, 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Add 2 cups water to pan; roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh reads 125 degrees, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring vinegar, brown sugar, and orange juice to a boil over high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and orange zest.
• When thermometer reads 125 degrees, brush turkey with glaze. Rotate pan and roast, brushing turkey with remaining glaze every 15 minutes, until thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reads 165 degrees, 30 to 45 minutes (tent turkey with foil, if browning too quickly). Transfer turkey to a platter. Loosely tent with foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving. Reserve pan with drippings for Pan Gravy.