Slow-Cooker Pulled Turkey with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 455
- Total Fat
- 18
- Saturated Fat
- 4
- Carbohydrates
- 34
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 25
- Protein
- 38
- Cholesterol
- 134
- Sodium
- 786
- Total: 8 hr
- Active: 1 hr
Ingredients
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 bone-in turkey thighs, skin removed (about 4 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cherry jam
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons molasses
2 canned chipotle chile peppers in adobo, minced, plus 1 tablespoon sauce 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
- Whisk the paprika, chili powder and cumin in a bowl. Season the turkey with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and all but 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey thighs, two at a time, and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side (reduce the heat if the meat is getting too dark). Transfer to a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Reserve the skillet.
- Whisk the ketchup, cherry jam, 1/3 cup vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, chipotles and sauce, and soy sauce in a medium bowl. Pour 3/4 cup of the mixture over the turkey; set aside the rest for the barbecue sauce. Cover and cook until the turkey is tender and easy to shred, 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
- Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce: Add the onion, garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the reserved skillet and cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved 1 teaspoon spice mixture and toast, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the remaining ketchup mixture and 1/2 cup water and simmer gently until the sauce is thickened but still pourable, about 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids with a rubber spatula. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Remove the turkey from the slow cooker, leaving the juices behind. Shred the meat, discarding the bones. Return the meat to the slow cooker and toss with the juices; season with salt and pepper. Keep on warm.
- Serve the reserved cherry-chipotle barbecue sauce on the side.