I have a recipe that I have made countless times in a crockpot. This recipe is in fact perfect for a crockpot. I decided to try it in the Instant Pot to see how it would come out. Basically, this is turkey and dressing for 2 to 4 people without cooking the whole turkey.
I first saw this idea years ago in the early years of Stovetop Stuffing. Obviously, you can make this with Stovetop Stuffing which calls for 1 1/2 cups of water per envelope. When using Stovetop Stuffing for this recipe you reduce the water to 3/4 cup.
Over the years I stopped using Stovetop Stuffing and decided to just make my own stuffing for the dish, which is below. If you decide to make this in your crockpot or in your Instant Pot they both come out great and is a favorite when the cooler temperatures come in the fall.
When I make this dish I use my pot in a pot method so that the stuffing is not real soggy.
Note: As poultry has become more popular the meat packagers have been injecting water into much of the poultry meat that we all purchase in our grocery stores. Please be aware of this and know that you can end up with almost soupy stuffing. I suggest keeping your stuffing on the dry side when cooking with the drumsticks in the stuffing. You can cook the drumsticks or thighs on top and cover your stuffing pot with aluminum foil to prevent excess liquid from getting in the dressing while cooking.
Here is the resolution. Have a side dish you can make in a pinch and next time adjust the liquid. You are the cook and cooking is a science.
Instant Pot Turkey Drumsticks and Stuffing
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 medium Onion fine chopped
- 2 stalks Celery fine chopped
- 1 Tablespoons Poultry Seasoning Adjust up or down to taste.
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Pepper
- 3 cups Bread cubed fresh or dried
- 1½ - 2 cup Turkey or Chicken Broth
- 2 Fresh Turkey Drumsticks or thighs
Instructions
- In a large 10 inch or more frying pan melt butter.
- Add onion, celery, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper and saute until onion is translucent.
- Add cubed bread and half the broth. Incorporate the ingredients. Note: Use less or more of the broth but the final stuffing before cooking should be just slightly moist. You can use the remaining broth in the bottom of the pot and just add enough water to make 1 cups called for in the recipe.
- Transfer the prepared stuffing to a bowl that will fit inside the instant pot liner on top of the trivet. This is where you decide to either cover the dressing with foil or leave it uncovered while cooking. If this is the first time you are making this recipe you may want to go ahead and cover the dressing with foil. If the dressing is too dry after cooking you can spoon some of the broth in the bottom of the pot to get it to the desired consistency.
- In the Instant Pot liner with the trivet in the bottom Add water or remaining broth to bring it up to 1 cup of water.
- Place the bowl of prepared stuffing on the trivet and make sure there is plenty of space around the bowl to allow steam to rise.
- Next place the turkey legs on top making sure that they are inside the Instant Pot liner. Season the drumsticks with some salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.
- Place the Instant pot liner with the drumsticks and stuffing in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Plug in the unit. (Off will show in the display)
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot pressure cooker and rotate the lid to the closed postion.
- Move the pressure valve to the Sealing postion.
- Select Poultry on the Instant Pot control panel and adjust the time to 60 minutes cook time. As long as you don't touch another setting the Instant Pot will begin the cooking process after 10 seconds.
- You will know when the Instant Pot cooking has completed when it beeps and goes to a warm cycle. The display will show and L with the time it has been in a warming state.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete you can release the steam by moving the Steam Release to the Venting postion or you can let the Instant Pot release the steam naturally. (Important: do not attempt to remove the lid until the float valve has dropped indicating that the pressure has dropped to a safe level)
- Once the steam has escaped you can remove the lid and you will have turkey drumsticks and stuffing hot and ready for dinner.
- Notes: Based on feedback, there have been some suggestions from others. To prevent excess moisture getting into the dressing, cover the stuffing pot. It can be difficult is you are using drumsticks but turkey thighs works much easier or even a partial turkey breast.
Gammy’s Crock Pot Turkey Legs – Throw some turkey legs in the slow cooker, cover them with this easy homemade barbecue sauce, and in a few hours enjoy a delicious dinner!
Sounds good. I think I’ll have to try that one with some turkey drumsticks next time.
Would like to try this with turkey thighs…how would I adjust the cooking time. Thanks!
Its funny you should ask this. I recently could not get drumsticks at my local grocery store but they had thighs. I bought thighs and I took it one step further I browned the thighs in a frying pan before adding. The difference in weight is not that much. The Instant Pot is really cooking the drumsticks to fall off the bone so I let the time the same the thighs were also fall off the bone done. If you are worried then Increase the time by 3 to 6 minutes for the Instant Pot. The rule of thumb for timing meat is 6 minutes per pound. In my experience it seems to be pretty consistent. Just keep in mind that when you have the dressing in the pot as well you have to account for the weight of the dressing in your timing.
Since you are using thighs it may all be down inside the pot in the pot and you can put some foil over it. There has been a few people that have had condensation making the dressing too wet and putting foil over it will prevent that.
BTW, sorry for my very late response. I have had a family crisis to deal with over the past few months that absorbed all my attention. I think it has settled down and I can resume a normal life again.