How do you cook turkey legs in the oven

Q: How do you cook turkey legs together?

Cross the turkeys ankles (the ends of the drumsticks) one over the other. Wrap twine around them and make a regular (overhand) knot to secure them. For an even tighter knot, make a regular knot, and before tightening it, wrap one end through the loop a second time, then tighten it. That turkey aint going anywhere.

Easy Roasted Turkey Legs – tender and juicy turkey for lovers of dark meat! These perfectly seasoned oven-roasted turkey legs are a great alternative to roasting a whole turkey.

Table of Contents Show

Here’s what you will need
How To Roast Turkey Legs
How Do I Know My Turkey Legs Are Done?
Perfectly juicy turkey
Serving suggestions
Turkey Leftovers
How long do you cook fully cooked turkey legs?
Should I wrap my turkey legs in foil?
How do you cook turkey legs together?
How do you not overcook turkey legs?

Serve with my Goose Fat Roast Potatoes

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I am a firm believer that Roast Turkey is not just for Christmas and Thanksgiving! I was rather excited to discover giant turkey legs for sale at my local supermarket recently.

A whole turkey leg easily feeds four to six and is super economical too. Even better? You will be amazed how incredibly easy it is to prepare!

Forget brining, basting and getting hot and bothered about roasting the perfect turkey! Roast turkey legs are a great option if you are serving a smaller group of dark meat lovers.

PS: If you prefer white meat, check out my easy Roast Turkey Crown recipe! For a quick alternative to whole roast turkey, take a look at my Turkey Roll Recipe.

Here’s what you will need

Turkey leg (s) – my 1.6 kg (3 ½ pound) turkey leg came sliced into leg and thigh portions
Olive oil
Seasoning rub – salt, pepper, sugar, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, oregano, dried parsley and lemon zest
Onions, rosemary sprigs and lemons – these provide a bed for the turkey legs to cook on
Digital thermometer
A good carving set

How To Roast Turkey Legs

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

Rub the turkey with olive oil. Combine all the ingredients for the rub and then sprinkle liberally over the turkey on both sides.

Prehea the oven to 180C (350F). Line a roasting tin with baking paper or foil and spread the onion, rosemary and lemon slices over it.

Place the turkey leg on top, skin side down and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the legs over, skin side up, and continue to cook for a further 40 minutes or until the internal temperature is 75°C (167°F).

Rest the turkey, loosely covered with foil, for 20-30 minutes. Slice and serve with your favourite sides!

How Do I Know My Turkey Legs Are Done?

The best – and safest! – way to tell when your turkey legs are cooked to perfection is to check the temperature using a digital thermometer.

Insert the probe in the thickest part of the leg, avoiding the bone, and check it has reached a minimum of 75°C (167°F). The juices should run clear – another indicator that the turkey is cooked.

Roasting times will vary depending on the size of the turkey legs and the efficiency of your oven so do check earlier if you are cooking smaller turkey legs.

Perfectly juicy turkey

Rest the turkey legs before serving to allow the meat fibres to relax and juices to redistribute. If you carve the turkey immediately the meat will be tough!

Serving suggestions

Serve your roast turkey legs with your favourite sides or a simple green salad! Here are some suggestions

Lazy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Keto Brussels Sprouts – Creamy Sprouts With Bacon
Best Greek Lemon Potatoes
Perfectly Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Turkey Leftovers

Keep any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Leftover dark turkey meat is great in soups, curries, pies and pasta!

Easy Leftover Turkey Pie
Leftover Turkey Casserole
Leftover Turkey Soup – Ready in 30 Minutes!
Creamy Leftover Turkey Pasta

HAVE YOU MADE ROASTED TURKEY LEGS RECIPE? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!

Seasoning

▢ 1 tbsp dried oregano
▢ 1 tbsp dried parsley
▢ ½ tbsp garlic powder
▢ ½ tbsp sweet paprika
▢ 1 tsp cayenne
▢ 1 tsp brown sugar
▢ 1 tsp salt
▢ 1 tsp ground pepper
▢ 1 lemon , zest only

For the turkey

▢ 1.6 kg 3 ½ pounds turkey leg and thigh portions
▢ 3 tbsp olive oil , or as needed
▢ 1 lemon , sliced into rounds (use the zested lemon)
▢ 1 red onion , sliced into rounds
▢ Few sprigs fresh rosemary

Rub the turkey with olive oil. Combine all the ingredients for the rub and then sprinkle liberally over the turkey on both sides.
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a roasting tin with baking paper or foil and spread the onion, rosemary and lemon slices over it.
Place the turkey leg on top, skin side down and roast for 30 minutes.
Turn the legs over, skin side up, and continue to cook for a further 40 minutes or until the internal temperature is 75°C (167°F).
Rest the turkey, loosely covered with foil, for 20-30 minutes. Slice and serve!

How Do I Know When My Turkey Legs Are Done?
The best – and safest! – way to tell when your turkey legs are cooked to perfection is to check the temperature using a digital thermometer.

Insert the probe in the thickest part of the leg, avoiding the bone, and check it has reached a minimum of 75°C (167°F). The juices should run clear – another indicator that the turkey is cooked.

Roasting times will vary depending on the size of the turkey legs and the efficiency of your oven so do check earlier if you are cooking smaller turkey legs.

How long do you cook fully cooked turkey legs?

Reheating – To reheat, place in a baking dish and cover with a loosely fitted piece of foil. 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.

Should I wrap my turkey legs in foil?

Put the turkey legs in a roasting pan with a cup of water–just enough to cover the bottom so the turkey legs don't burn. Roast at 325F—if the legs are small, roast them for 1 hour. For larger legs, roast for 1.5 hours. Next, wrap each turkey leg in foil for another hour in the same roasting pan.

How do you cook turkey legs together?

Cross the turkey's "ankles" (the ends of the drumsticks) one over the other. Wrap twine around them and make a regular (overhand) knot to secure them. For an even tighter knot, make a regular knot, and before tightening it, wrap one end through the loop a second time, then tighten it. That turkey ain't going anywhere.