Beer Braised Turkey

This recipe is a hybrid of four or five I tried to track down when I was looking for something that was sort of BBQ-y in nature, but wouldn’t hit you straight over the head with That Flavor.

The end product is a lovely sweet and savory shredded turkey that would be perfect over potatoes, polenta or a nice toasted bun!

Ingredients

• 3-5 lb turkey breast (skin on)
• ~2 T olive oil
• One onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (or grated if you prefer)
• 1/2 can tomato paste
• 1 can diced tomatoes (or two tomatoes, diced)
• 1/4 c apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 c water
• 1/4 c beer (look for an ale)
• 3 T brown sugar
• 1 t chili powder
• 1/4 t cumin
• 1/2 t salt (or to taste)

Instructions

• In a pot/pan with a lid (read: Dutch oven is ideal) heat olive oil over medium or medium high heat.  Place turkey (leave the skin on!) in oil and sear for ~1 minute/side.  Remove.
• Dump onions into pot and turn heat down to medium-low.  (This is the part of the show where we’re going to build the base for the braise.)  Allow to cook until translucent.  Add garlic, tomato paste and spices.  Stir.  Your nose will tell you when to continue.
• Turn heat to medium.  Add tomatoes, and other liquids.  Stir until incorporated.  Allow mixture to come to a boil.
• Place turkey into braising liquid, cover and turn heat to low.  Check every half hour or so to make sure that your dish isn’t getting too dry.  If so, add another 1/4 c of liquid (go with the beer or water…NOT more apple cider vinegar).
• Let the mix cook for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.  Trust me, two hours of commitment to the cause is a good thing here.
• Remove turkey from the braising sauce, bring the heat up to medium.  Remove the skin from the turkey and discard.  Place on a cutting board/plate and shred turkey (forks are a good choice for this).  Return to sauce and stir to coat.
• Serve!