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When we cook, we often slow-cook drumsticks, because all the preparation is finished ahead of time. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Serve with colcannon, though steamed rice, simple boiled potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Colcannon

The recipe is easily doubled for extra guests – you’ll just need a larger pan.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Braised Legs:

• Sunflower oil or another neutral oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 bone-in turkey legs or drumsticks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 8 sage leaves preferably fresh
• 70ml white wine a dry variety
• 60-100ml chicken stock
• ½ tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream

For the Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage:

• 500g large floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Cooking Instructions

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a large, deep cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and brown, turning once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the cooking fat.

Place the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, until the shallots and bacon begin to brown. Deglaze with the wine, then place the seared legs on top of the vegetables. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then whisk in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and bake for one hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Key Point: Meanwhile, place the potato chunks in a large saucepan of water and cook for until tender, until easily pierced with a fork.

In another saucepan, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then add the garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a simmer, mixing from time to time, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In the meantime, in a pan, combine the milk and the remaining butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Puree the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and stir it through. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.