Ashely Loader gives turkey a toasty twist. She dresses turkey legs with a healthy dose of Old Forester bourbon and leaves them to simmer in chicken stock until the meat is nearly fall-off-the-bone tender. “When I think of fall, I think homey, hearty dinners that are just really easy to make,” says Loader. “This is still very homey. I think about my mom making this, and it feels very family oriented.”

Bourbon-Braised Turkey Legs | Makes 4 servings
Recipe courtesy of Revolution Grille

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup canola oil
4 turkey legs, patted dry
1 carrot, peeled, loosely chopped
3 onions, peeled, loosely chopped
1 celery stalk, loosely chopped
1 shallot, diced
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup Old Forester bourbon
8 cups chicken stock

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 F. Add canola oil to a Dutch oven and heat gently over medium heat. Add turkey legs and brown on all sides. Remove legs and set aside. Add carrots, onion and celery, and cook over medium heat until soft (about 7 minutes). Add thyme sprigs and saute until leaves start to pop (about 2 minutes). Add shallots and garlic and saute until browned (about 3 minutes). Carefully add bourbon to the pot and cook until bourbon is almost dissolved. (You will have some flames as the alcohol cooks off.) Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add turkey legs, making sure they are fully submerged in liquid. Cover and place in oven for 3 hours or until the meat is just shy of falling off the bone. Remove turkey legs from braising liquid and transfer to a serving platter. Strain braising liquid and keep for au jus or to make gravy.