Slow Cooker Turkey Leg and Dumplings

We’ve talked about this before: Turkey legs and thighs are tough. But they pack a ton of flavor and make up about half of the useful meat on a wild turkey. A long cook at low temperature will make them tender and tasty, and the slow cooker is the perfect vessel for the task.

Since you’ll have a slow cooker full of extremely flavorful broth left over from cooking the legs and thighs, why not use it to make a comfort food classic? Hello, wild turkey and dumplings.

This classic comfort food recipe is the perfect way to use your wild turkey legs and thighs.

Simply cook the meat on low all day (or overnight) with 2-3 bay leaves and 2-3 teaspoons of salt.

When you get home that evening, the meat will be tender and easily shredded from the bone and connective tendons and such that make up the legs and thighs.

Remove the bones, tendons, and connective tissue from the cooked turkey.

Use a spoon to skim away any solids that have accumulated on the surface of the broth. While the meat is cooling enough to shred, mix up a batch of these easy dumplings.

Use a spoon to skim away any solids and foam that accumulate on the surface of the broth.

Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the lard, shortening, or butter and use a fork to work it into the dough.

Mix the dough ingredients in a large bowl.

Once the fat is evenly distributed into the flour, add the milk. Use the fork and then your hands to work the dough until it forms a shaggy ball.

Work the dough into a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll to about ¼ inch in thickness. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough into dumpling-sized strips.

Use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut the rolled dough into dumpling-sized pieces.

Return the meat to the slow cooker and turn it to high. Once the broth is nearly at a boil, add the dumplings, a few at a time, stirring occasionally as you go. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Let the dumplings cook for another 30-45 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through and the broth has thickened.

Cook until the dumplings are cooked through and the broth has thickened.

Just like that, you’ll have a meal with slow cooked flavor but without all the usual work.