Memphis Style Turkey Legs Alton Brown Recipes

MEMPHIS FRIED TURKEY

Steps:

• Figure out how much oil you need to fill your fryer: Put the turkey in the empty fryer and cover with cold water. Remove the turkey; mark the line where the water is in the pot. Empty the water and dry the fryer and turkey well.
• Mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle some of the spice rub inside the cavity of the turkey. Separate the skin from the breast meat with your fingers, starting at the top of the breast and sliding to the right and left, then working down. Massage some of the rub onto the meat under the skin. Sprinkle the remaining rub on the turkey's skin. Place the turkey on a sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours so the flavors can marry.
• Fill your fryer with peanut oil to the line you marked (do not fill more than three-quarters of the way). Preheat the oil to 400 degrees F; it will take about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature as your oil heats. Once the oil reaches 400 degrees F, very carefully lower the turkey into the hot oil. (Most turkey fryers come with a basket for the turkey that has hooks and a handle to lower and lift; otherwise, get yourself a long set of sturdy tongs to grip the inside cavity and breast and an industrial kitchen fork to hold the back side of the bird.) Make sure the oil maintains its temperature while frying. Fry the turkey until the skin is dark golden brown and crisp, or until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove the turkey from the oil and let it rest and drain on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. Do not cover the turkey with foil or it will lose some of its crispness. The internal temperature will rise to 165 degrees F while resting. Transfer the turkey to a board or platter.

SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Place the water, kosher salt and brown sugar in an 8-quart plastic container and stir until fully dissolved. Add the ice before submerging the turkey legs in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
• Set up your favorite smoker and add a handful of hardwood chunks. If you have heat control, set it to 150 to 170 degrees F and allow the wood to smoke for approximately 30 minutes.
• While the smoker is heating, drain the legs, pat them dry and arrange them on a rack. Smoke the legs on the rack for 3 hours, rotating the legs halfway through.
• Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Make 2 pouches out of double-layered heavy-duty tin foil, adding 3 legs and 1/2 cup of chicken stock to each pouch. Braise the legs in their pouches for 1 hour, then carefully drain and reserve the jus.
• Defat the jus, remove the skins and serve the legs alongside the smoky jus.

TRADITIONAL ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Two to three days before roasting: Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
• Combine the broth, salt, sugar, peppercorns, allspice and ginger in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate the brine.
• The night before you'd like to eat: Truss the legs of the turkey with kitchen twine if desired. Combine the brine, water and ice in a 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey, with innards removed, breast-side down in the brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover and refrigerate or place everything in a cooler. Turn the bird once halfway through brining.
• Day of roasting: Heat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from the brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
• Place the bird on a roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the bird with canola oil. Roast the bird on the lowest rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
• While the bird is cooking, fold and shape a double thickness of aluminum foil into a closely fitting breastplate.
• After 30 minutes, decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and cook until the temperature reaches 155 degrees F. Use the breastplate at any point during cooking should the bird become too brown.
• Rest the bird, covered lightly with aluminum foil, for 15 to 30 minutes. Carve and serve.

BUTTERFLIED, DRY BRINED ROASTED TURKEY WITH ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE PANZANELLA

Steps:

• For the turkey: Four days before service, place the salt, sage, thyme, black peppercorns, and allspice into a spice grinder and pulse until the peppercorns and allspice are coarsely ground, 5 to 6 pulses. Set aside.
• Set the turkey, breast-side down, on a large cutting board with the tail closest to you. Use an electric knife or heavy-duty kitchen shears to cut up one side of the backbone. Turn the bird around and cut back down the other side of the spine. Reserve the backbone for Giblet Stock. Discard any fat pockets or excess skin found inside the turkey. Turn the turkey breast-side up and use the heel of your hands to press down on both breasts, until you hear a cracking sound and the bird has flattened slightly.
• Rub the seasoned salt on both sides of the turkey. Place the turkey on a parchment paper lined half sheet pan, breast-side up with legs running with the long side of the pan. Store, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 4 days.
• Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.
• For the panzanella: Place the parsnips and rutabaga in a large nonstick roasting pan, toss with vegetable oil and set aside.
• Place one rack in the middle of the oven and a second one far enough below so the roasting pan will fit. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the turkey directly on the middle rack of the oven with the legs perpendicular to the metal bars of the rack.
• Place the roasting pan with the parsnips and rutabaga on the rack below the turkey and roast both for 30 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Add the red onion to the roasting vegetables and stir to combine. Continue to roast both the vegetables and the turkey until a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 degrees F, an additional 40 to 50 minutes.
• Remove the turkey from the oven onto a cooling rack set inside a half sheet pan and rest for 30 minutes.
• Add the Brussels sprouts, bread cubes and garlic to the roasting vegetables, stir to combine and roast for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the oven and immediately transfer to a serving bowl. Pour the apple cider vinegar in the warm roasting pan, stir and scrape off any browned bits from the pan. Pour the vinegar mixture over the salad, add the thyme and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Carve the turkey with an electric knife and serve with the panzanella.

TURKEY TAMALES

Steps:

• For the meat filling:
• Place chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, black pepper and turkey legs into a 6-quart pot and add enough water to completely cover the meat, approximately 2 1/2 quarts. Cover, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is very tender and falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the meat from the water to a cutting board, and set aside to cool. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot. Once the turkey legs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and shred, discarding any skin or cartilage. Place a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are semi-translucent, approximately 2 minutes. Add the garlic and chili and continue to cook for another minute. Add the meat and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and cook until heated through and the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• While the meat is cooking, place the husks in a large bowl or container and submerge completely in hot water. Soak the husks until they are soft and pliable, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours. If you have an electric kettle, place the husks in the kettle, fill with water and turn on. Once the kettle turns off, allow the husks to sit for 1 hour in the hot water.
• Place the masa, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and combine. Add the lard and using your hands, knead together until the lard is well incorporated into the dry mixture. Gradually add enough of the reserved cooking liquid, 2 to 4 cups to create a dough that is like thick mashed potatoes. The dough should be moist but not wet. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside until ready to use.
• To assemble the tamales:
• Remove a corn husk from the water and pat to remove excess water. Working in batches of 6, lay the husks on a towel and spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough in an even layer across the wide end of the husk to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the meat mixture in a line down the center of the dough. Roll the husk so the dough surrounds the meat and fold the bottom under to finish creating the tamale. Repeat until all the husks, dough and filling are used. Tie the tamales, around the center, individually or in groups of 3, with kitchen twine.
• To steam the tamales:
• Place a steamer basket in the bottom of an 11-quart pot and add enough water to come to the bottom of the basket. Stand the tamales close together on their folded ends and lean them in towards the center, away from the sides of the pot. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Check the water level every 15 to 20 minutes, and add boiling water by pouring down the side of the pot, if necessary. Steam until the dough is firm and pulls away from the husk easily, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Serve warm. Store leftover tamales, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the freezer, for up to a month. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and steam until heated through.

MEMPHIS-STYLE TURKEY LEGS - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Place the legs in a 13x9-inch baking pan and sprinkle with the seasoned salt.
• Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, gently uncover the pan and turn the legs over. Continue to bake for another hour.
• Remove from the oven and drain off any remaining water.
• Combine the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and glaze the turkey legs with the sauce.