Roasted Turkey Legs (Easy & Juicy)
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I love making these roasted turkey legs when I’m craving state fair food without the price tag. These turkey legs in oven recipes are my go-to for tender, fall-off-the-bone meat with minimal effort. Perfect for a small Thanksgiving or weeknight dinner, and ideal if you’re wondering how to cook a turkey leg that stays juicy. They’re even better paired with my Air Fryer Baby Potatoes.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Delicious and tender dark meat: These roasted turkey legs are dark meat, so they’re juicier and more tender than turkey breast. I use a similar method for keeping the meat tender in my Crispy Bone-in Chicken Thighs recipe.
- No brining or basting: This turkey leg recipe allows you to skip the brining and basting yet still create delicious turkey legs. The best part is you don’t have to try to work with a 9kg-14kg (20-30 pound) bird, just pop the quarters in the oven for juicy meat and crispy skin.
- Simple pantry ingredients: Most of the ingredients for this turkey drumstick recipe are likely already in your pantry/kitchen. If you love easy recipes like this, my Chorizo Carbonara recipe only needs 5 ingredients.
- Flavourful: Fresh herbs, butter, and seasoning help create a yummy option if you’re looking for a turkey leg recipe oven style.
If you have leftover turkey, consider making one of these yummy recipes; Leftover Turkey Salad, Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup or Turkey Sandwich in 10 minutes!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Turkey legs: This turkey recipe works with any size drumsticks or thighs. Use large or small turkey legs for roasting, but note that how long to cook turkey legs in oven depends on their size. If you’re looking for a turkey breast recipe instead, this 10-minute Turkey Steak Recipe is my favorite.
- Butter: Butter helps make these oven roasted turkey legs extra tender and flavourful. You can use olive oil or even ghee if you prefer, though it will slightly change the flavour.
- Fresh Rosemary Sprigs: Rosemary pairs beautifully with turkey leg meat, and it’s one of the key herbs in The Best Roasted Parsnips too. However, you can also use other fresh herbs, like lemongrass, sage, or thyme.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to know when roasted turkey legs are done?
The key to tender, juicy oven roasted turkey legs is knowing how long to cook turkey legs in the oven and when to take them out. If the turkey leg recipe cooks too long, the meat can turn dry and tough. Here are a few tips for knowing when to remove the turkey drumsticks from the oven.
How to keep the turkey skin from burning
I recommend cooking turkey legs in foil for the first 40 minutes, which will help keep the skin from burning, then uncover to crisp the skin without drying the meat. If you cook this recipe entirely without foil, the skin will likely be burnt and have shrunk.
How to keep turkey legs from drying out
There are a few methods for keeping turkey legs from drying out. For one, be sure not to overcook the turkey. Another method is using foil or a roasting bag, as these options help keep the meat tender and juicy while the skin gets golden at the end.
Using a meat thermometer
Cook the legs until the internal temperature is 175-180°F (79-82°C) for perfectly cooked dark meat. Once they hit this range, remove the legs and let them rest for 10-15 minutes. This step allows the juices to redistribute into the meat, so you can enjoy a juicier dish.
What to do with leftover turkey meat
Leftover turkey legs are great for meals the next day. You can use the meat in soups, salads, make turkey pot pie, fill tacos, or mix with mayo for a quick turkey salad. Plenty of ways to use them up!
Variations/ Adaptations
This turkey drumsticks recipe is easy to adjust to your taste preferences.
- Switch up the flavours: Change the spice blend to match your craving. Add smoked paprika and garlic for more kick, like in my Marry Me Shrimp Pasta, or lemon zest and oregano for a brighter flavour.
- Go global: Try soy sauce, ginger, and honey for an Asian-inspired glaze, or cumin and coriander for a Middle Eastern-style roast.
- Play with herbs: Swap out the fresh rosemary for thyme, sage, or lemongrass. Even dried Italian seasoning can be used if that’s all you have. Each brings a different aroma that complements the juicy oven roasted turkey legs perfectly. You can use any leftover herbs in this Easy Onion Gravy.
Adapt these recipes, by substituting the chicken with turkey to make some delicious soup recipes; Green Chili Chicken Soup, Vietnamese Inspired Noodle Soup and Creamy Spiced Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
How to make Easy Roasted Turkey Legs
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels (Image 1).
- Mix together the melted butter and the seasoning (Image 2).
3. Brush over some melted butter mixed with the seasoning on the roast rack (Image 3).
4. Cover both legs with the seasoning mix (Image 4).
5. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, allowing the skin to start to brown (Image 5).
6. Remove from the oven and then cover with foil and continue to roast for another 30 minutes until the juices run clear. Internal temp should be 165°F /74°F (Image 6).
7. Remove the turkey legs from the oven and remove the foil (Image 7).
8. Leave to rest for around 20 minutes and serve on a platter (Image 8).
Tips for the best result
- Let the turkey legs sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes after you take them out of the fridge.
- Keep the skin on for crispiness, or remove it before cooking for a leaner option.
- Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the turkey leg, so adjust as needed.
- Use a thermometer to check doneness. Once the internal temperature reaches 175-180°F (79-82°C), remove the roasted turkey legs. They’ll keep cooking as they rest.
- If the skin browns too fast, cover loosely with foil to stop it from burning. If you love that balance of juicy meat and crispy skin, try my Tender Cast Iron Chicken, which uses a similar technique.
Need inspiration for some main meal recipes? Try my; Mini Chicken Pot Pies with Puff Pastry Crust, Baked Chicken and Cauliflower and The Best Chicken Meal Prep (over 50g protein!)
Serving Suggestions
These roasted turkey legs pair well with many dishes. I love serving them with stock or broth gravy and stuffing for a classic combo. Add something creamy or fresh on the side to balance the rich, juicy meat.
Try them with:
Storage and Reheat Instructions
Leftover roasted turkey legs keep their flavour well if stored and reheated properly.
Refrigerator: Allow the turkey legs to cool fully, then store them in an airtight bag or container. They’ll stay good in the fridge for up to four days.
Freezer: You can also freeze leftover baked turkey legs for up to three months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Microwave the legs for a few minutes with broth, or toss them in the air fryer at 350°F (176°C) for about four minutes until heated through. Spray the air fryer basket with oil first to prevent sticking.
Here are a few reheat instructions for some of your favorite recipes: How to Reheat Rotisserie Chicken, The Best Way to Reheat Chicken Wings in the Airfryer and The Best Way To Reheat Salmon
Why roast turkey legs in the oven?
Roasting turkey legs in the oven is simple and consistent, giving you juicy meat and crispy skin without extra steps. The steady heat cooks the legs evenly, melts the fat, and keeps the meat tender and full of flavour.
Smoking or grilling turkey legs can work too, but they take more time and equipment. Oven roasting gives you that same flavour with a lot less effort.
FAQs
Yes, you can roast frozen turkey legs. However, I don’t recommend cooking them frozen, as there’s a higher possibility of making the turkey legs dry. Plus, with this method, you’ll need to keep the turkey in the oven for longer.
You can also cook this turkey leg recipe in a roasting bag. Like foil, it will help keep the legs moist in the oven.
I recommend wrapping them in foil for about half the cooking time to keep the skin from burning.
The time they take to cook at 350°F (176°C) will vary depending on how big the legs are. Expect the turkey legs to take about 1.5-2 hours to cook at this temperature. However, the best way to measure doneness is with a meat thermometer.
If you’re following this recipe, you don’t need to do either. However, if you’re planning on smoking the legs instead, you can brine and baste them beforehand to ensure they’re juicy and flavourful.
If you tried this Easy Roasted Turkey Legs recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Easy Roasted Turkey Legs
Ingredients
- 1400 g 2 turkey legs (£4.00×2)=(£8.00)
- 3 tbsp butter (£0.50)
- Fresh rosemary sprigs (£0.60)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Crack of black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
Method
Preheat oven to 375F° (190°C)
- Start by coating the turkey legs in a generous layer of salt. Place in the fridge for 10-20 minutes uncovered (or up to an hour if you have time).
- Remove the turkey from the fridge and use a paper towel to pat the skin dry. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan or in the microwave.
- Add all of the seasoning to the butter and stir to combine, adding an extra pinch of salt. Using a brush, evenly coat the turkey legs in the seasoned butter. Place a wire-wrack within a baking tray and pop the turkey legs onto the tray. Cover with foil and cook for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil and cook for a further 40 minutes, basting with the released juices/fat half way through. Cook until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 175-180°F (79-82°C)
- Once cooked, the skin should be crispy and golden.Leave to rest for 30 minutes before carving. I like to serve my turkey on a bed of rosemary for a festive twist. Season with flakey salt and pepper, then carve and dig in!
Note: Depending on the size of the turkey legs, adjust the roasting time.
Notes
- Remember to flip the turkey leg halfway through cooking for even crisping of the skin.
- Cooking times vary based on leg size; adjust accordingly.
- Use a cooking thermometer, ensuring it doesn’t touch the bone, to gauge doneness (175-180°F).
- Let the turkey leg sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before roasting for even cooking and juiciness.
- Cover with foil if skin browns too quickly to prevent burning.
Nutrition
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