The following recipe is from “The Healthiest Slow-Cooker Recipes on Earth”, by myself and Jeannette Bessinger, available on Amazon.com – order here.
Savory Slow Cooker Tender Turkey Drumsticks
Turkey is a great, healthy source of protein (over 20 grams per serving) and turkey drumsticks are always a favorite. And you don’t have to wait till the holidays to enjoy them. This recipe is super easy, super fast, and when you use the slow cooker it cooks to a delicious tenderness in its own juices –no added fat calories. Yum. Seriously.
Perfectly healthy fat replaces the conventional gravy or commercial cream of mushroom soup that generally smothers a dish like this. (Note: a can of commercial cream of mushroom soup has an astonishing 1995 mg of sodium. Need I say more?)
Onions are a rich source of sulfur, so good for the skin, not to mention that they are one of the richest sources of a flavonoid called quercetin which is one of the most anti-inflammatory plant compounds on the planet. (Quercetin has also been shown to have significant anti-cancer properties.) Something to remember: Turkeys are frequently raised under horrific factory farmed conditions, so if possible, get the free-range variety. They’re almost always better for you anyway.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 turkey drumsticks
- Sprinkles salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thin coins
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried sage, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or use 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 lemon, halved
Directions
- Oil the bottom of the slow cooker and the drumsticks with olive oil.
- Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place onions and carrots in the bottom of the cooker and top with prepared drumsticks.
- In a small bowl, mix garlic, sage, parsley and thyme together and sprinkle evenly over the drumsticks.
- Gently squeeze the lemon halves to release their juices into the vegetables and nestle them in at the bottom of the pot.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours or until meat is cooked through and meat and veggies are very tender.
Yield: 4 servings
I just bought a turkey drumstick because how could I not! It’s not something you really find at a grocery store; I was at my local Sprouts because I had to buy a whole-wheat pie crust. Anyway, I needed a healthy crockpot recipe and found this one. I am about to put everything in the pot. I’ll let you know how it goes!
I made this with two large turkey drumsticks and it turned out good except that the lemon rinds made it very bitter. Next time I will probably use half the lemon juice and definitely will not put the lemon halves in the pot. The lemon overpowered the flavors of the carrots and onions.