I know there’s a few of you out there that can’t travel home during the holidays for Thanksgiving. Whether it’s from work, school, or just the fact that there’s not much family close by to make you want to celebrate. But, you might still be in the mood to enjoy a traditional type of holiday meal. Well, I’ve got a fantastic solution!
These Ren Fest inspired turkey legs really invoke memories of fun get-togethers and gatherings with friends and family. Plus, they’re simple as can be! No need to thaw a whole frozen turkey for hours on end, no need to slave away in the kitchen all day. From start to finish, these take just over an hour to cook – 10 minutes prep, 55-60 minutes of cook time.
Turkey legs are a great way to get your fix of holiday food in and still have it feel really festive without taking a toll on your wallet. They’re fantastic for couples, too, since one leg can feed two people! You don’t have to worry about what to do with leftovers for the next month, either. Don’t get me wrong, Thanksgiving leftovers are great, but sometimes they just last way too long!
Make sure to pair this up with a delicious fatty side dish. Or, enjoy a fantastic dessert with your meal that’s packed full of fats. While turkey legs do contain fat, it’s not enough to make up for the amount of protein in the legs.
Note: If you can’t seem to find any turkey legs in your local grocer, ask the butcher or meat counter for them to cut you off some legs. My local co-op was able to grab fresh turkey legs for me when I asked. Happy hunting and yummy eating!
Note 2: If you don’t have duck fat, you can use peanut oil or another type of animal fat. You want an oil with a relatively high smoke point.
Yields 4 servings of Oven Roasted Turkey Legs
The Preparation
- 2 medium Turkey Legs (each leg ~1 lbs. without bone)
- 2 tablespoonDuck Fat (or peanut oil/other animal fat)
- 2 teaspoonsSalt
- ½ teaspoonPepper
- ¼ teaspoonCayenne Pepper
- ½ teaspoonOnion Powder
- ½ teaspoonGarlic Powder
- ½ teaspoonDried Thyme
- ½ teaspoonAncho Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoonLiquid Smoke
- 1 teaspoonWorcestershire
The Execution
1. Mix together all dry spices in a small bowl. Then, add wet ingredients and mix together into a rub.
2. Pat turkey legs completely dry with paper towels. Then, rub turkey legs well with seasoning.
3. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Bring 2 tbsp. of fat to medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet. Once the oil starts to smoke, add turkey legs into the pan and sear on each side for 1-2 minutes. You want the entire leg to have a sear on it.
4. Place in the oven at 350F for 50-60 minutes or until cooked through.
5. Remove turkey from the oven and let rest for a few minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite fatty side dish and enjoy the holiday meal! I served mine up with a slight variation on this Vegetable Medley – with plenty of duck fat and butter to be soaked up.
This makes 4 total servings of Oven Roasted Turkey Legs. Each serving comes out to be 382 Calories, 22.5g Fats, 0.8g Net Carbs, and 44g Protein.
Oven Roasted Turkey Legs | Calories | Fats (g) | Carbs (g) | Fiber (g) | Net Carbs (g) | Protein (g) |
2 Turkey Legs | 1280 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 176 |
2 tbsp. Duck Fat | 230 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2 tsp. Salt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1/2 tsp. Pepper | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1/2 tsp. Onion Powder | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1/2 tsp. Ancho Chili Powder | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1 tsp. Liquid Smoke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1 tsp. Worcestershire | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Totals | 1528 | 90 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 176 |
Per Serving ( /4 ) | 382 | 22.5 | 0.8 | 0 | 0.8 | 44 |
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This makes 4 total servings of Oven Roasted Turkey Legs. Each serving comes out to be 382 Calories, 22.5g Fats, 0.8g Net Carbs, and 44g Protein.
The Preparation
- 2 Turkey Legs (each leg ~1 lbs. without bone)
- 2 tbsp. Duck Fat (or peanut oil/other animal fat)
- 2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Pepper
- 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp. Ancho Chili Powder
- 1 tsp. Liquid Smoke
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire
The Execution
- Mix together all dry spices in a small bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix together. Pat turkey legs completely dry and rub well with seasoning.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F. Bring 2 tbsp. of fat to medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet. Once the oil starts to smoke, add turkey legs into the pan and sear on each side for 1-2 minutes.
- Place in the oven at 350F for 50-60 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve with your favorite fatty side dish (like this one)!
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FAQs
Place the turkey leg on a wire cooking rack on top of a baking sheet and cook at 350°F until an internal temp of 165°F. This took me about 35 minutes. The turkey legs are already safe to eat as they are pre cooked but taking them to 165°F ensures they are cooked through and hot.
What temp should turkey drumsticks be cooked to? ›
Roast uncovered until the legs are golden brown and the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (82 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Add more water if needed while roasting, and baste occasionally with the juices or melted butter.
Should I wrap my turkey legs in foil? ›
So, yes, you do want to cover the turkey with foil to give it a chance to roast without getting dry. But then, towards the end of the cook time, remove the foil so the skin—the best part in this writer's opinion—gets a chance to crisp up.
Do you separate turkey legs before cooking? ›
Why It Works. Separating the breast meat from the leg meat before roasting your turkey allows you to cook both white and dark meat to the proper temperature. Simmering aromatics and the turkey carcass in stock creates a flavorful base for gravy.
How to cook a ready to eat turkey leg? ›
Place in a 350°F oven and warm for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until heated through. Turkey legs are cooked when an instant read thermometer registers to 165°F.
How do you know if a turkey leg is fully cooked? ›
Check these places on your turkey and look for these temperatures:
- 180°F in thigh.
- 170°F in breast.
- 165°F in stuffing.
Can turkey drumsticks be pink? ›
The color of cooked meat and poultry is not always a sign of its degree of doneness. Only by using a meat thermometer can one accurately determine that a meat has reached a safe temperature. Turkey, fresh pork, ground beef or veal can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160°F. and higher.
How do you know when drumsticks are done with a thermometer? ›
Most reliable way is a meat thermometer. Stick the probe into the thickest part of the drumstick to the center near the bone. 160 F is a good temperature.
How do you know when drumsticks are done without a thermometer? ›
Poke the Meat
For properly cooked chicken, if you cut into it and the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked. If the juices are red or have a pinkish color, your chicken may need to be cooked a bit longer.
How do you not overcook turkey legs? ›
A long, slow braise converts turkey legs' abundant connective tissue to gelatin, leaving the meat ultra moist and tender. Braising is an easy, hands-off method that makes overcooking nearly impossible.
Wet brining your turkey legs involves submerging the drumsticks in saltwater and placing them in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours. Brining will soften the turkey meat, ensuring it takes less time to grill. It will also infuse the turkey legs with extra moisture to prevent the meat from drying out while it grills.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350? ›
Oven-Roasted Turkey
We recommend starting the turkey in a 425 degree oven for 30-45 minutes before tenting the pan with foil and lowering the temperature to 350 degrees until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the bird.
Do you have to wash turkey legs? ›
Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer. However, it's virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.
Why do turkey legs take longer to cook? ›
In a roasting pan, the high sides shield the bottom of the turkey — the legs and thighs — from heat, meaning they take longer to cook to temperature. Meanwhile, the breast sticks up over the top of the pan, which means it gets the bulk of the heat and dries out more.
Should you bake a turkey covered or uncovered? ›
To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.
How to cook a precooked turkey? ›
First, preheat your oven to 325° F. Remove the turkey from the aluminum foil wrapping and place in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan and cover the turkey with a tented sheet of aluminum foil. For a 10-12 pound cooked turkey, bake for one hour, or until the turkey is 125° F.
Do you remove the plastic holding the turkey legs before cooking? ›
It can be made of heat-resistant nylon or metal, and it's perfectly safe to leave it in the bird while it roasts. However," the Hotline specialist goes on, "it's more difficult to get a bird done evenly, especially in the leg joints, if the legs are locked or trussed together."
Can you over cook turkey legs? ›
A roasted turkey leg can overcook. And, fair enough, so can a braised turkey leg. But it's much much harder to overcook a braise. Braises come with gravy.
Do turkey legs take longer to cook than breast? ›
Roasted Turkey Legs
The cooking time is about 30 minutes less than the breast. Since the legs are cut off the bird, they cook more quickly. That's the secret to this process! Arrange the legs around the breast, skin side up.