Marinated Turkey Thigh

When Turkeys arrived at our house for Thanksgiving, they did not come frozen in a big white plastic bag, they arrived with attitude. They were very much alive and ready to run. By learning first hand about the reality of how meat arrived to our table, we gained an appreciation of the destiny of the live creatures that were about to grace our family table. It just had more meaning that way.

Turkey is not only served during the holidays, it is an affordable and traditional Italian meal that takes many forms. Thigh meat is moist and full of flavor, and because of its versatility, it remains one of my favorite meats.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless Turkey Thigh
1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary
Pinch of Sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper corns
3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, enough to coat the meat.
1 cup of Raspberry or Black Cherry flavored wine.

The most important step in preparing the thigh is proper marinating. It can be soaked for at least 30 minutes in all of the ingredients listed, or the thigh and the seasonings can be vacuumed bagged and refrigerated over night.

I prefer to grill this over charcoal. If you cannot do that, heat a frying pan to moderate heat; coat the meat with the EVOO, salt, pepper and rosemary. Cook each side until golden brown and then add the garlic and wine. Cover the pan and cook until the wine is reduced and the meat is thoroughly cooked. Do not initially drown the dish with all of the wine at once. This is to be grilled or fried, and not boiled.

When the thigh is served, it presents itself as a huge chunk of deliciously seasoned tender meat.

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