I thought I’d do something slightly different with turkey quarters. I do note that I buy turkeys from Trader Joes (they only sell them in November). I usually only buy turkey from Trader Joes because they sell brined, and dry brined or kosher turkeys. When you buy brined turkeys you are getting the most BANG for your buck because brined turkeys always come out flavorful and usually moist. They are the closest to the most foolproof turkey that you can buy. The way this came out for me….I got my usual flavorful moist dark meat but what came out different was the skin. The skin got thin and crispy with a really great taste to it.
Today I marinated the turkey quarters (each weighted about 1 1/2 pounds) I mixed up normal ingredients like soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger. This mixture and the turkey quarters went in a gallon ziplock bag and marinated over night. The next day you blot the turkey quarters dry. You dump around 1/2 a cup of flour and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a gallon ziplock bag. Shake and add turkey quarters and shake and bake.
I discovered after I made the turkey quarters I had liquid gold in my pan and it couldn’t be wasted. It had an amazing aroma and taste. The only thing I had at home to use was a cabbage so there we go. After all the turkey quarters needed an hour to cool off anyway. Just rough cut a cabbage and an onion. Toss it around the liquid gold. Put it in the still hot 375F oven for a total of around 45 minutes stirring after around 30 minutes.
Ingredients for around 4 servings
2 preferably brined or dry brined turkey quarters (mine weighed around 1 1/2 pounds each. They can be any size but timing will differ)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (I used dark)
1 large head garlic – ground to paste
1 inch ginger – fresh grated
1/2 cup flour – (around this you don’t have to measure)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cabbage – core removed, rough cut
1 onion – skin removed – rough cut or slice
salt – to taste
pepper – to taste
Directions
To a gallon zip lock bag (you could use a bowl to support the bag) add soy sauce, sugar, garlic and ginger. Squish around so it is mixed. Add turkey quarters. Squish the liquid all around the turkey quarters. This needs to refrigerate over night. Occasionally keep turning the quarters so they marinate on all sides.
Next Day –
Pull the turkey quarters out and let them rest around 30 minutes.
Set oven to 375 and pour the oil in your pan. Set the pan in the middle of your oven to heat up.
Take the legs out of the bag and blot them dry.
Put some flour salt and pepper in a clean gallon ziplock bag. Add the turkey quarters and shake, shake, shake.
Pull the pan with hot oil out of the oven. Add the legs.
In my oven on the middle rack mine took 65 minutes to be done……YOURS MAY DIFFER! So you really do need to use a thermometer. According to the U.S. Department of agriculture the turkey leg meat is safe to eat at 165 degrees F but in my opinion it isn’t good at 165 F. I like it more at 180F or even slightly higher.I like mine to fall off of the bone and melt up some stuff in that area. Most people will agree 165F-180F is what you must aim for.
After 65 minutes.
Then I noticed I was left with liquid gold. The turkey quarters need to rest an hour. Take them out of the pan and place on a tray or preferably cooling rack.
Rough cut one cabbage (with core removed) and rough cut or slice a peeled onion. They go in your liquid gold pan. Mix up the cabbage and onion in the pan.
This goes in your still hot 375F oven. After around 30 minutes some of it will be lightly charred but stir and put back in for the remaining 15 minutes.
Add a good quality sea salt and any pepper you like. I used my homemade smoked pecan sea salt and Aleppo pepper.
This was easy.
Anyone can do this.
