How to Cook Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, and Gravy in One Instant Pot
Thanksgiving Dinner is a whole production, but if you’re only serving a couple of people, or just want to try some holiday flavors in, say, July, you can use your Instant Pot to make an elegant, delicious turkey mash. potatoes and gravy in less than an hour.
Is there something missing from a “Whole Thanksgiving Meal”? Yes, but you can always add some minced meat or casserole of your choice. Even if you make two additional side dishes, you have already reduced the amount of cooking utensils and freed up a significant portion of the space on the stove for this.
I used giant meaty thighs in this recipe because dark meat is the best meat, and also because a pressure cooker spell is useful on chunks with a lot of fat and connective tissue. To prepare a mini holiday for two on Turkey Day, you will need:
- One large turkey thigh, about 1 1/2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons duck fat, olive oil, lard, or schmalts
- 1 medium white onion, chopped in eight quarters
- 2 large carrots, chopped into eight pieces
- 1 large stalk of celery (I didn’t use it because I hate celery, but I know some of you like it)
- 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 4 small rusts or 2 large ones, cut in half or quarters
- A small bunch of herbs tied with kitchen twine (I used a sprig of rosemary, a few sprigs of marjoram and thyme, and about four sage leaves).
- 1/2 glass of white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup warm milk or cream
- Beurre Manie is a mixture of equal parts (2 tablespoons each) flour and cold butter mixed together to make a paste.
- A few drops of cream (optional)
- Salt and pepper
Turn on the Instant Pot by pressing the “cell” button. Season the turkey thigh with salt and pepper and when “HOT” appears on the display, add the fat of your choice and add a little color to the meat by frying for a few minutes on each side.
Remove the thigh from the pan and set aside, then add the carrots, onions and celery. Cook until the onion pieces are translucent and lightly browned and the carrots are tender (about seven minutes). Add garlic and a bunch of herbs and cook until flavorful (about 30 seconds). Add wine and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, scraping off any brown pieces from the bottom.
Turn off the Instant Pot and place the turkey thigh on top of the vegetables in the pot. Place a dish rack or steamer on top of the turkey, then place the potatoes on top and season with salt.
Close the Instant Pot, set the release valve to the seal position and set the time to 16 minutes using the + and – buttons. When the cooking time has elapsed, manually release the pressure by turning the valve to the “bleed” position.
After all the steam has escaped, open the lid, transfer the potatoes to a small saucepan and heat them over low heat to remove excess moisture. Place the turkey on a plate and cover with foil. Strain the liquid from the Instant Pot to remove all vegetables and herbs and return it to the Instant Pot.
Mash the potatoes with a wooden spoon or puree, add butter and warmed milk, season with salt and pepper to taste. While preparing the gravy, leave them on the stove over low heat. To do this, simply turn the Instant Pot back on using the saute button and add small pieces of beurre manie to the strained liquid, allowing each piece to dissolve completely until the desired sauce viscosity is reached. You can also add some cream if you like. Give the sauce its final flavor, add more salt and pepper if needed, and transfer to a gravy boat or other serving container. Slice the turkey, hand out the potatoes, and pour the sauce over the whole thing. Serve with cranberry sauce if desired.