I grew up with dry turkey, no matter who made it: family, friends, family of friends. So, I’m not a big turkey fan. I eat it for Thanksgiving, but rarely otherwise unless it’s a random package of turkey bacon or a sandwich worth of turkey salad. Turkey is like the utilitarian domestic bird: big enough to feed an impressive number of people. It lacks the oily richness of duck, the variety and ease of chicken, or the fat succulence of goose. I’ve been around for fantastic turkey dinners, but they have been rare: common among all of them is preserving the earthiness of the flesh and keeping it moist.
Here is a terrific recipe (found near the bottom of the page) for drumsticks that braise for 2+ hours. Schwing!