Spiced Turkey Drumsticks & Paleo Planet Review

Sometimes Paleo cuisine gets a bad wrap for being little more than variations on bacon and lettuce. It’s great to see someone take it to new and exciting culinary territory, as in the case of the recently released Paleo Planet cookbook.

Written by Becky Winkler of A Calculated Whisk, the book contains over 125 Paleo recipes from around the globe. Upon first inspection, I was really wowed by Becky’s food photography (she photographed the entire book herself). After taking a closer look, however, what impressed me even more was the diversity of flavors and meals contained within the pages.

Paleo Planet: Primal Foods from The Global Kitchen, with More Than 125 Recipes

Just flipping through the Beef, Pork and Lamb chapter, for example, you’ll encounter: Bi Bim Banh, Lega Tibs, Moussaka, Australian Burgers, and Swedish Meatballs. I felt like I just took a trip around the world and didn’t have to endure the hassle of dealing with customs.

What also stuck out to me was how incredibly rich the book feels. Each recipe contains clear ingredient lists and thorough, easy to follow directions. Most recipes also contain side notes with preparation tips and ideas on what to do with leftovers. I find these notes to contain really valuable information; they are not always found in a cookbook to this degree.

The book does contain some recipes for standard Paleo fare–Fried Cauliflower Rice, Pecan Chicken, Butternut Squash Soup–but I think its shines brightest when it delivers exotic recipes made with common ingredients. I was particularly excited by the spice section. It contains approachable recipes for Za’Atar and Dukkah, two Middle Eastern spice blends that I’m unfamiliar with, but can’t wait to try.

The bottom line is if you are looking for a Paleo cookbook that contains recipes for familiar domestic meals, this might not be the one for you. However, if you a bit more adventurous and enjoy experimenting with exotic flavors (while still keeping it Paleo), you are going to love this book.

I decided to take a crack at Paleo Planet’s Spiced Turkey Drumsticks and Gravy. It looked like an intriguing combination of spices that are not commonly associated with turkey.

I was pretty excited about this spice blend: cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, and cloves. The recipe also presented and excuse to use kaffir lime leaves, something I’ve been passing by in the farmers market with no clue on how to use them (you can substitute with lime zest).

First, season 3-4 turkey legs with sea salt and pepper.

Heat some ghee in a large skillet and brown the drumsticks on all sides.

Remove the drumsticks from the skillet and add chopped carrot, celery, and leeks.

Once the leeks are tender, add the spice blend, kaffir leaves, and Thai chiles. Sauté for a few minutes until fragrant.

Pour in two cups of chicken stock and 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Bring to a simmer and nestle the turkey legs back in the skillet. Transfer to a preheated 275°F oven and roast for 2–2.5 hours.

Remove the legs from the skillet and strain the cooking liquid. I thought the juices tasted great just as is, but the recipe suggests thickening them up into a gravy.

Wipe the skillet clean, bring to medium heat and add a tablespoon of ghee and a tablespoon of tapioca starch. Cook for a couple minutes until thickened, then whisk in the strained liquid, 1/2 cup at a time, until your desired amount of gravy is formed.

The results of this recipe were incredible: tender turkey that fell off the bone and a spicy, intensely flavorful gravy. If this is any indication of how the rest of the recipes in the cookbook are, I’ve got some exciting meals in my future!

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Spiced Turkey Drumsticks & Gravy

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Paleo Planet

Ingredients

For the Braised Turkey

• 3 to 4 turkey drumsticks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs chopped
• 2 large leeks white and light green parts only, trimmed and chopped
• 6 fresh kaffir lime leaves or 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 2 dried red Thai chiles stemmed
• 1 4-inch cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon green cardamom pods
• 1.2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 2 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken or turkey stock
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

For the gravy

• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tapioca flour
• Flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the turkey

• Preheat the oven to 275°
• Season the drumsticks on all sides with sea salt and pepper.
• Heat the ghee in a very large, deep, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the drumsticks and sear until the skin is a deep golden brown all over, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the drumsticks to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the carrots, celery, and leeks. Use a spatula to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the lime leaves, chiles, cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, and cloves and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the stock and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Return the turkey to the pan, skin side up. if necessary, add more stock or water so the liquid reaches about halfway up the drumsticks.
• Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven and roast, uncovered, until the meat is very tender and falls off the bone easily, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Transfer the drumsticks to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
• Keeping in mind that the skillet handle is hot, carefully pour the cooking liquid through a fine-meshed strainer into a large heatproof bowl and discard the solids.

For the gravy

• Wipe out the skillet and melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the tapioca flour and cook, stirring constantly, until somewhat thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Whisk in the cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time, letting the gravy thicken before adding more, until you have the desired amount of gravy. You will probably not use all the braising liquid. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
• Carve the turkey and serve hot with the gravy.

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