Roasted Turkey Legs
Roasted Turkey Legs are a great low fuss alternative to roasting a whole turkey. After roasting in a herb butter, the meat becomes super moist and richly flavoured while the skin is nice and crispy. This is a great option for anyone planning for a smaller Thanksgiving this year with just a few people.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to look very different this year, but smaller family gatherings of just a few people doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice cooking a turkey. These Roasted Turkey Legs are a great option alternative to cooking a whole bird. These roasted turkey legs are perfect for anyone that loves dark meat, but I have also included instructions if you would like to roast a combination of leg and breast together. The advantage of cooking them as separate parts is that they cook more evenly, and take just an hour and a half to two hours maximum.
Why you are going to love this Roasted Turkey Leg:
- Much less fuss and hassle than roasting a big turkey: Turkey legs are so quick to make! Unlike a large roast turkey which can take 4 hours + to cook, this is ready in just under 2 hours.
- Perfect option for a small gathering: This is a great option for anyone doing a smaller Thanksgiving this year, or if you are having a few different Thanksgiving themed meals. One large leg will serve 2-3 people, so you can adjust the numbers accordingly.
- Dark meat lovers rejoice! A great option for dark meat lovers. The meat is moist and has a much richer flavour than it’s white meat counterpart.
Tips and Tricks for getting the perfect Roasted Turkey:
- Take all of the guesswork out of cooking a turkey by using a meat thermometer. 170º Fahrenheit is the magic number you want to hit in the thickest part of the leg to ensure it’s cooked through.
- When spreading the ghee/butter and herb mixture over the legs, separate the the skin from the meat and spread it underneath for maximum flavour and extra juicy meat.
- Adding chicken or turkey stock to the bottom of the baking dish while it cooks will ensure the turkey is super moist.
- Baste and baste some more. I think there is zero downside to basting the turkey legs every 30-40 minutes. This ensures the meat will be super moist and give the skin extra flavour.
Would this work for a Turkey Breast too?
Yes definitely! If you would like both white and dark meat for a small dinner, you could roast a 2-3lbs turkey breast and 1-2 legs together. Place them all in a large baking dish and seasoning the breast the same way you do the leg. As long as the breast is 2-3lbs, it should be done at the same time as the legs (but be sure to use a meat thermometer to confirm this).
What should I serve with these Roasted Turkey Legs?
Save all of the liquid from the bottom of the roasting pan so that you can make this Flourless Gravy. It only takes a few minutes to prepare and is delicious poured over the turkey. I would also recommend making my 3-ingredient Cranberry Sauce to serve on the side.
What should I do with leftover turkey?
- Don’t let them go to waste! You can freeze any leftover sliced turkey and use it in future in soups, stews or as a substitute for chicken in recipes. Frozen cooked turkey will last up to 4 months in the freezer. To help it remain moist, I recommend freezing it in a container or ziploc bag with and of the excess liquid from the pan or alternatively 1/4 cup of chicken or turkey stock.
- Use leftover turkey in soup! My mom used to always make Turkey Mulligatawny Soup 2 days after Thanksgiving and it’s now something I make each year too. If you are looking for a more “classic” soup, you could substitute the chicken in my Chicken Pot Pie Soup recipe for turkey. Both of these soups also freeze well, so you can have them on hand for easy meals throughout the winter.
- Add it into other dishes such as this Creamy Broccoli, Bacon &
Chicken(sub Turkey) Casserole, BLTChicken(sub Turkey) Sandwich Wraps or CreamyChicken(sub Turkey), Spinach & Artichoke Dip.
Here are a few more recipes to add to your Thanksgiving spread…
- Brussels Sprout, Bacon & Kale Gratin
- Flourless (Grain Free) Gravy
- One Pan Green Beans & Bacon
- The Best Cauliflower Mash
- Caramelized Leek, Fennel & Onion Gratin
- Hasselback Butternut Squash
- Sheet Pan Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout & Bacon
- Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
- Cauliflower Stuffing
- 3-Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Roasted Turkey Legs
Ingredients
- 2 large turkey legs
- 1/3 cup softened ghee (or butter)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2/3 cup chicken or turkey stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit (175º Celsius)
- In a bowl stir together the softened ghee or butter with the herbs, garlic, salt and pepper
- Pat the turkey legs dry with a paper towel and place them in a baking dish large enough to allow them to lie flat.
- Use your hands to separate the skin from the meat of the legs. Rub the herb butter/ghee in between the skin and meat of each leg on both sides, as well as all over the top of the skin.
- Pour the chicken stock into the bottom of the baking dish. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and cook the turkey for an hour and 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg reads 170º. I like to baste the turkey legs with the liquid from the bottom of the pan every 30-40 minutes as it cooks.
Nutrition
Looking forward to doing the legs. Lost my husband and am cooking for me.
Watch parades, dog show and football, just like when he was here. Miss him.
Have relatives I could join, but being able to sit and put up my bad legs and feet suit me just fine.
Thank you for making it sound easy.
Have a blessed day.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Cell phones make keeping in touch so easy
Jane
Hi Jane! It’s sooo good to read your text.there is nothing the matter at staying at home for thanksgiving. I am single, I was invited to 2 dinners. But like you i am staying home watching TV. Movies and always hallmark channel! You have a happy and safe thanksgiving! 🐝🐝
I have MCAS and have to avoid high histamines like the broth. Could I subtitute water instead? Also could I roast on convection to cut the time?
Thank you for recipe! We’re just 3 for dinner this year and keeping it simple.
Why are some people still using Fahrenheit?
What kind of idiot gives a one-star rating based on the use of the standard unit of temperature measurement in the country where the recipe blogger resides?
I follow this recipe exactly, literally I will never make turkey any other way. A full bird? Waiting 6+ hours? Absolutely not. The legs are the best part anyway. Gone are the dark, dim days of ingesting the dry meat of elders. The dude who gave 1 star to the recipe is pushing this absolute gem down in the search — I literally scoured the Internet to find this again. Disregard Daniel who can’t make a simple conversion. 😎