One of my favorite aspects of this recipe is that it looks (and tastes) so delicious for how easy it is to whip up, making it an ideal crowd-pleasing centerpiece for a small holiday dinner or a fun handheld dish to serve on Game Day. However you make it, this roasted turkey leg recipe is sure to impress dark meat lovers everywhere.
For the roast turkey drumsticks, I used 12-14 ounce drumsticks, but feel free to use any size that’s available at your local grocery store. Turkey drumsticks (also sold as whole turkey legs) are more widely available during the holidays, but you can also find them year-round, depending on the store. Another option is to buy them when they’re available and freeze them for later use (just make sure to thaw the drumsticks before cooking). To make the simple rub, gather unsalted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika (or smoked paprika for a slightly smokey flavor), kosher salt, and black pepper.
Make a dry rub: If you’d like to skip the butter, a great option is to make a dry rub for your turkey leg recipe. My Turkey Rub Recipe combines various spices that you can apply straight to the turkey before cooking. Try garlic butter: You haven’t lived if you haven’t tried my Roasted Garlic Butter! This flavored butter consists of beautifully caramelized garlic mixed with fresh herbs, making it the perfect flavor enhancer for your oven-roasted turkey legs. Use poultry seasoning: To keep things simple, buy a premade poultry seasoning blend to use as a dry rub or to combine with butter.
Cook time: Cook time is directly related to the size of the turkey drumstick. Larger legs take longer to cook, while smaller ones cook in a shorter amount of time. A medium-sized turkey leg, which weighs around 12-14 ounces, should take about an hour to cook in a 400-degree F oven. You can lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F if desired, but keep in mind that a high-temperature oven helps you achieve a crisp outside and tender inside. If you prefer to bake them at 350 F, be prepared to add 10-20 minutes to the baking time. Internal temperature: The best way to test doneness is to insert a meat thermometer (affiliate link) into the thickest part of the turkey drumsticks. The temperature for cooked turkey leg should reach at least 165 degrees F to indicate that it’s cooked through.
Store: Once you roast your turkey legs, let them rest until they come to room temperature. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat: I recommend reheating your roast turkey legs in the oven to help them maintain their crisp outer layer using this foolproof method I learned from The Cooks Illustrated. Wrap your leftover turkey drumsticks in foil and place them on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Reheat the foil wrapped turkey legs in a 275-degree F oven for around 35-45 minutes (of course, the timing will vary based on the amount of leftover turkey). For a great way to achieve extra-crisp skin after reheating, place the legs in a lightly oiled skillet (use olive oil or your oil of choice) over medium heat and cook until you have a nice and crispy skin. Freeze: To freeze, let the baked turkey drumsticks cool to room temperature, wrap them tightly in foil, and place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw: Thaw your frozen turkey drumsticks overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, reheat per the instructions above.
Enjoy with Thanksgiving sides: Now that you have the turkey checked off your list, all that’s left to do is pick a few delicious, Healthy Thanksgiving Sides to serve with your Thanksgiving drumsticks. One of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes to serve is my maple cranberry sauce! Pair with a vegetable side dish: We love a good veggie here on the blog, and we have many Vegetable Side Dishes for you to choose from. Our autumn and holiday-inspired sides, like Rosemary Mashed Potatoes, Maple Roasted Carrots, Wild Mushroom Stuffing, and Sauteed Asparagus and Mushrooms, would pair especially well with a roast turkey leg for an easy dinner. Add some grains: Who doesn’t love some good carbs to pair with dinner? We like to keep ours on the healthy, grain-based side of things, so we have plenty of recipes for yummy grains like Quinoa, Wild Rice, and Wild Rice Pilaf. You can also serve white rice with your roasted turkey leg recipe for a kid-friendly option. Serve with a salad: Greens don’t have to be boring to eat. Any one of my healthy, hearty, and colorful Fall Salads would be a great accompaniment to this baked turkey legs recipe. Some of my favorite salads that truly embody the season are my Butternut Squash Salad, Kale Brussel Sprout Salad, and Wild Rice Salad.
Consider the size: As mentioned earlier, pay attention to the size of your turkey drumsticks and alter your cook time accordingly. I’ve found that a 12-14 ounce drumstick takes about an hour to cook in a 400-degree F oven, but you may need to decrease the time if your drumsticks are smaller or increase the time for big turkey legs. Roasting turkey legs and thighs together: Some stores sell turkey legs with thighs (similar to whole chicken legs), so we wanted to make sure we tested this recipe using turkey legs and turkey thighs together, and it worked well. However, as mentioned earlier, the roasting time depends on the size of the turkey parts. Think ahead: It’s difficult to spread that delicious butter rub on cold turkey, as the butter tends to harden quickly, so make sure to take your turkey drumsticks out of the fridge as your oven is preheating to give them a little time to warm up. Make sure to also use softened butter, which will make your job easier when mixing it with spices and spreading it on your turkey. Melted butter will make a mess as you’re trying to spread it on the turkey leg, so make sure not to soften it too much! Turkey leg marinade: We did not marinate our turkey legs in this recipe. However, if you have the time, you can use my Turkey Tenderloin Marinade to marinate your turkey drumsticks. However, if your turkey drumsticks are very large, I would recommend adjusting (perhaps, multiplying) the recipe accordingly. Check internal temperature: Take the guesswork out of cooking turkey and invest in an instant-read thermometer. I love this one (affiliate link.) Always use a meat thermometer to check doneness, and ensure the turkey reaches at least 165 degrees F before pulling it out of the oven. Also, make sure not to poke the turkey legs with the thermometer too many times, as this will cause all those yummy juices to run out. Cover with foil: It’s crucial to loosely (emphasis on loosely) cover your drumsticks with foil halfway through cooking, as this prevents them from browning too quickly. Tightly covering the turkey with foil will cause it to steam rather than crisp up, resulting in soggy, not-so-appetizing turkey legs. Let it rest: Here’s a secret that will take your drumsticks to the next level: let them rest for 10-15 minutes after cooking. Letting the turkey rest on the baking dish or in your roasting pan allows any remaining liquid to redistribute into the meat, creating that sought-after juicy inside. Try the convection setting: Have you ever wondered what that “convection” setting on your oven means? The convection setting uses a fan to circulate hot air around your oven, which allows your food to cook faster and more evenly. This article on convection ovens explains it in more detail. Try the convection setting when roasting your turkey legs, which will result in more even roasting and a super crispy exterior. Just keep in mind that it will cook faster, so I recommend checking your turkey at the second 25-minute mark. Don’t throw away the bones: I usually freeze the drumstick bones, and when I have enough, I make a quick turkey stock by mixing it with some vegetables, similar to how I make my Chicken Stock recipe.
Other Turkey Recipes You Might Also Like
Turkey is a high-protein, flavorful meat that can replace chicken any day of the week. Whether you’re searching for turkey recipes for the holidays or simply wish to add some variety to your diet, you’re sure to find inspiration by browsing the delicious turkey recipes below:
Healthy Turkey Meatloaf Three Bean Turkey Chili Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
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