Instant Pot Turkey Thighs with Thanksgiving Flavors. Dark meat turkey with a traditional Thanksgiving flavor profile, done in about an hour thanks to pressure cooking.
Could you cook the whole Thanksgiving turkey in a pressure cooker?
The gauntlet was thrown at the writing workshop. What could I do to make an entire Thanksgiving dinner in the pressure cooker? Could I do the whole turkey?
Well…no. Turkey breast is too lean, with a narrow window where it is cooked properly. Go a couple of degrees too high and you’re dealing with dry, stringy white meat.
The dark meat, now, that’s a different story. It stands up to pressure cooking. In fact, it’s better when it’s a little overdone, tenderizing the tougher, harder working legs. So, as usual, I’m going to the dark side…of the Turkey.
Recipe: Instant Pot Turkey Thighs with Thanksgiving Flavors
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Instant Pot Turkey Thighs with Thanksgiving Flavors
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 thighs 1x
Description
Instant Pot Turkey Thighs with Thanksgiving Flavors. Dark meat turkey with a traditional Thanksgiving flavor profile, done in about an hour thanks to pressure cooking.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 turkey thighs, bone in and skin on (about 4 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 sprig fresh sage (or ½ teaspoon dried sage)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup turkey broth (or chicken broth)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (If using homemade broth)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Cornstarch Slurry (optional)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Brown the skin side of the turkey thighs: Sprinkle the turkey thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. Melt the butter in an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker on Sauté mode. (Medium heat in a stovetop PC). As soon as the butter is melted, add 2 of the turkey thighs to the pot, skin side down, and sear until the skin is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Move the browned thighs to a bowl, then sear the skin side of the remaining 2 thighs, about 3 more minutes. Add them to the bowl of browned thighs.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the onions, celery, carrot, and garlic to the pot, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté until the onions soften, about 5 more minutes, stirring and scraping the pot with a flat-edged wooden spoon to loosen any browned turkey bits stuck to the bottom.
- Simmer the herbs and the wine, then put everything in the pot: Add the sprigs of sage, rosemary, and thyme, then pour in the wine. Bring the wine to a simmer and simmer for 1 minute to boil off some of the alcohol. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon one last time, to make sure nothing is sticking. Pour in the turkey broth and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the turkey thighs - I put them in sideways, so they are all slightly submerged in the liquid - and add any turkey juices in the bowl. Scatter the dried cranberries over the top.
- Pressure cook for 30 minutes with a natural release: Lock the pressure cooker lid. Pressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes in an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker (or for 25 minutes in a stovetop PC). Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 minutes more. (If you’re in a hurry, you can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes).
- Thicken the sauce and serve: Unlock the lid, opening it away from you to avoid any hot steam. Move the turkey thighs to a platter with tongs or a slotted spoon. (Be gentle - they will be fall-apart tender). Scoop out the cranberries and onions with a slotted spoon and add to the platter with the turkey thighs, discarding the herb stems when you find them. Whisk the water and cornstarch in a small bowl, making a slurry, and then stir the cornstarch slurry into the pot. Ladle some of the pot liquid over the thighs and pass the rest at the table as a gravy. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dry white wine: I like Gewürztraminer or a dry Riesling wine with turkey. That said, we're adding wine for the acid and a hint of fruit - if you have a different white wine, throw it in there, it will be fine.
- Don’t want to use wine? Use apple cider, or more turkey broth.
Tools
- 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot 6-Quart Pressure Cooker)
- Flat edged wooden spoon
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Instant Pot Turkey Thighs, Pressure Cooker Turkey Thighs
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
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My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes
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Chelsea says
Great recipe! If I do boneless would I lessen the cooking time? If so then how much do you think would be best?
Love your page and recipes... found a new favorite go to site!
★★★★★
Mike Vrobel says
Yes, you would reduce the cooking time for boneless turkey thighs - but I've never done it, so I don't know exactly how much. 15 minutes at high pressure sounds about right, but check them when the cooking time is done, and cook again for 5 more minutes at high pressure if they're not ready.
Andy says
My go-to recipe for the last 3 years. Always a crowd pleaser 🙂
★★★★★
Mike Vrobel says
Thank you!
Ramona from Mississippi says
I’ve made this recipe twice and I just looked it up again cause I’m going to make it for dinner tonight. It’s wonderful. The first time I made it I was just looking for some way to cook some frozen turkey thighs in my instant pot in a hurry. I didn’t thaw or brown them and it still turned out wonderfully. I figured I should review this recipe (my first ever review) because I really love these flavors together and even though it’s June I’d like to have some Thanksgiving comfort for dinner tonight.
★★★★★
Mike Vrobel says
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy it.
Steven Field says
Made yesterday. Delicious! I did the browning on the stovetop and my "rub" was salt, Black pepper, Cumin, Roasted Garlic and a pinch of cayenne. They looked great sitting in the bowl. I put all 4 thighs in the IP on their sides and was happy it fit. I was considering using a basket so they would stand taller, but didn't try it.
After cooking and taking the thighs out, the skins looked re-hydrated and the rub was mostly off. Did not affect the flavor at all. But next time I might throw them under the broiler to re-brown the skins.
I did try to thicken the juices. My first time ever. And I realized I had almost 2-QUARTS of liquid, so maybe needed more cornstarch? LOL! I'm sure I can lookup the C:L ratio... I will also check how thick it is after an overnight in the fridge. This "gravy" tasted good. (I also made IP Stuffing...)
★★★★★
Roberta says
Made this last year for thanksgiving and it was soooooo good i passed this recipe to all my instant pot friends. You spoiled me, i won' eat turkey any other way!!!!!!
★★★★★
Mike Vrobel says
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for sharing it!
Sandi says
Looks amazing! Will this work with a thigh still connected to the leg?? It's pretty big but it will fit in the Instant Pot... Would love your thoughts. Thanks!
Mike Vrobel says
I haven’t found them connected - it will take longer under pressure, but I don’t know how long. If you try it, let me know it goes n