Red Wine–Braised Turkey Legs

Ingredients

• 2 whole turkey legs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
• 2 medium cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 quart homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon sliced chives

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Salt and pepper the turkey legs well, making sure you get every side. Set a large straight-sided sauté pan over high heat, add the oil, and let it shimmer. Lay in the turkey legs with the skin facing down. Leave them alone until the skin is a deep golden brown, about 8 minutes. Turn the legs over and brown the other side, about 5 minutes longer, lowering the heat if the oil starts smoking too much. Move the turkey to a large plate.
2. Put the sauté pan back on the heat and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Stir often and let the vegetables take on good color, about 8 minutes total.
3. Pour in the wine. Once it reaches a boil, let it bubble until it has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bay leaves, then bring everything back to a boil. Set the turkey legs into the pan so they sit on the vegetables, with only the skin showing above the liquid. Move the pan to the oven, leaving it uncovered, and cook until the meat is soft enough to pull apart, the sauce has cooked down, and the skin is dark mahogany, about 2 hours. Take the pan carefully out of the oven, then use a slotted spatula to lift the turkey legs onto a plate.
4. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or medium saucepan. Throw away the solids. Skim off extra fat from the top and discard it. Keep the liquid nearby.
5. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns golden brown, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the hot turkey-cooking liquid until smooth. Bring it to a boil so it thickens, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Taste before salting, because the broth may already have done the job.
6. Cut each turkey leg at the joint between the thigh and drumstick, taking out the thigh bone if you like. Arrange the turkey on a serving platter. Scatter chives over the top and serve with the hot gravy.