Pan-Roasted Turkey Thigh Recipe: 5 Tips for Roasting Turkey
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 27, 2024 • 4 min read
Cooking whole turkeys is common during the holidays, but the process can be intimidating or yield too much food for one or two people. A pan-roasted turkey thigh allows you to get the essential components of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner: turkey with crispy, golden skin, and rich pan gravy, without having to fuss with a whole bird.
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What Is Pan-Roasted Turkey?
Pan-roasted turkey is made by searing a turkey breast or thigh in a pan on the stovetop before transferring it to the oven to finish cooking. This classic cooking technique ensures brown, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. Making a pan sauce with the drippings is an impressive and easy technique to finish the dish and takes advantage of all the delicious flavor developed during the cooking process.
Since a breast or thigh doesn’t typically come with giblets for turkey gravy, deglazing is an essential step to pick up all that roast-turkey flavor, called fond, developed during the roasting process. Pan-roasting is a technique that chefs love, as they can apply it to a variety of ingredients, including steaks, chicken, and even hearty veggies like cauliflower or honeynut squash.
5 Tips for Pan-Roasting Turkey
Use these turkey-cooking tips to bring all the flavor of a Thanksgiving turkey to a dish that’s suitable for one or two:
- 1. Temper the meat. Cooking the turkey directly from the refrigerator will cool the hot pan and create steam, causing the meat to cook unevenly. About thirty minutes before cooking the turkey, pull it from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature. If you’re using frozen turkey meat, thaw it completely in the refrigerator and then temper. (Tempering is also a good practice for cooking whole turkey and other cuts of meat.)
- 2. Use an oven-safe, heavy-bottomed pan. Cast-iron or other heavy-bottomed skillets can take high heat without scorching the food, creating perfect conditions for a richly caramelized and crispy sear on the skin and a seamless transfer to the oven. Swap the roasting pan and roasting rack for one of these heavy-bottomed options.
- 3. Give it time to sear. While a common instinct is often to lift, move, or check on meat while it’s cooking, leaving it alone ensures even caramelization. This process allows the fat to render from the skin, making it extra crispy and leaving plenty of pan drippings for sauce.
- 4. Rest the meat. Whether it’s a whole bird or a single portion, resting meat after the cooking process ensures it will stay juicy and tender. Cutting the meat as soon as it’s cooked will cause those juices to run straight out. A pan-roasted turkey breast or thigh portion should rest for at least five to eight minutes before slicing.
- 5. Make a pan sauce. Take advantage of the layers of flavor created during the pan-roasting process by deglazing the pan while the meat rests. Add more depth of flavor using wine, stock, and additional seasonings like fresh parsley or paprika. This gravy recipe uses a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, making it gluten-free.
Pan-Roasted Turkey Thigh Recipe
makes
1 turkey thigh or breastprep time
5 mintotal time
1 hr 10 mincook time
40 minIngredients
For the turkey:
For the sauce:
Note: The total cooking time includes resting and tempering.
- 1
Pull the turkey thigh from the fridge and let it temper for 30 minutes.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 3
Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat for a full minute or longer to get the pan hot.
- 4
Pat the turkey meat dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt and pepper.
- 5
Add oil to the pan and wait for it to shimmer without smoking, about 15 seconds.
- 6
Place the turkey skin-side down in the center of the pan. Sear until the skin is deeply golden brown and crisp, about 12–15 minutes, checking for color once about halfway through.
- 7
Add thyme or other whole herbs to the pan and flip the turkey over, setting the meat directly onto the fresh herbs, skin-side up.
- 8
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook the meat until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit for breast meat, or 170 for thigh meat, about 15 minutes more. Insert an instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to test for doneness.
- 9
Once cooked, transfer the turkey from the pan to a sheet pan, cutting board, or platter to rest; place the skillet back on the stovetop.
- 10
Drain all but two tablespoons of fat from the skillet and remove the herbs.
- 11
To make the pan sauce, heat the skillet over medium heat and deglaze the pan with white wine, bringing it to a boil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula to release all of the browned bits. Cook until the wine is reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes.
- 12
Pour 1 cup of stock into the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- 13
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining ¼ cup of stock to make a slurry.
- 14
Whisk the slurry into the pan and bring everything to a simmer. Let it simmer until thickened and glossy, a few minutes more. Stir in cold butter, and allow it to melt.
- 15
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- 16
Stir in the chopped parsley, and transfer the sauce to a warmed bowl or gravy boat to serve.
- 17
Once rested, slice the turkey and serve it with the pan sauce.
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