Braised Filipino-Style Coconut Turkey Adobo

Susan Vu
Susan Vu
October 27, 2022
Adobo is a dish and cooking method that is native to the Philippines. The process involves marinating the protein of your choice (the most popular being chicken) in a soy sauce-laden marinade then braising the meat in that exact marinade (along with some additional aromatics) until it is unctuously tender. Here, we use turkey drumsticks and thighs and add a touch of unsweetened coconut cream to create a rich, almost gravy-like sauce to spoon on the braised turkey and accompanying steamed jasmine rice.
Serves
8
Prep Time
12:15
Cook Time
02:10
5 (1)
210
Ingredients
⅔ cup
soy sauce
3 Tbsp
granulated sugar (40g)
10
garlic cloves, smashed (50g)
2.5 lb
turkey drumsticks (2 to 4 total)
2.5 lb
bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs (2 to 4 total)
2 Tbsp
vegetable oil
1
large yellow onion, finely diced (about 2 cups; 280g)
2 tsp
black peppercorns, lightly crushed (5g)
⅔ cup
unsweetened coconut cream
½ cup
turkey or chicken stock
⅓ cup
cane sugar vinegar or white distilled vinegar, plus additional to taste
3
dried bay leaves
Kosher salt, to taste
Sliced scallions, for garnish (optional)
Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Steps

1. Marinate Turkey Legs and Thighs

Combine the soy sauce, sugar, and garlic cloves in a large bowl. Stir until dissolved. Add the turkey drumsticks and thighs, turn to coat in the marinade, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Give the turkey a good stir a couple of times during the marinating process.

2. Preheat Oven

Rack
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 25%
Temp: 300°F
Heat: Rear

3. Brown the Turkey

Remove the turkey from the marinade and place onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Scoop out the garlic, transfer to a small bowl, and reserve both the garlic and the marinade. Pat the turkey very dry with more paper towels. In a large Dutch oven or high-sided skillet set just below medium-high heat, warm the oil until it starts to shimmer. Brown the turkey in batches, making sure not to crowd the meat and turning the pieces as needed until all sides are deeply browned, 7 to 10 minutes per batch. Adjust the heat as needed so that the turkey does not burn. Transfer the turkey to a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and nestle the turkey into a single layer.

4. Sauté the Aromatics

To the now-empty Dutch oven, add the onion, reserved garlic, and the peppercorns. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender and translucent, 8 to 12 minutes. Stir in the reserved marinade, coconut cream, stock, vinegar, and bay leaves. Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Cook

Rack
Place the probe into the thickest part of the thickest thigh (be careful to avoid the bone) then pour or spoon the cooking liquid into the baking dish. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and cook until the probe reaches the set internal temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 25%
Temp: 300°F
Heat: Rear
200°F Probe Target

6. Remove the Turkey and Blend the Sauce

Remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the probe. Transfer the turkey legs and thighs to a large serving bowl or rimmed platter. Remove and discard the bay leaves and use a spoon to skim any excess fat from the sauce. Pour or spoon the cooking liquid into a blender, remove the cap, and place a kitchen towel over the opening to allow excess steam to escape. Blend the sauce until smooth. You should have about 4 cups of sauce.

7. Garnish with Sliced Scallions (If Using) and Serve

Pour the sauce over the turkey pieces and garnish with sliced scallions (if using). Alternatively, shred the turkey into larger bite-size pieces and mix in with the sauce. Serve with hot steamed jasmine rice.
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