Turkey drumsticks rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 4 recipes to cook with them.

What are turkey drumsticks?

A turkey drumstick is the lower leg of the bird, the dark-meat club below the thigh. It is the same cut people call a turkey leg, all rich dark meat wrapped around a single bone and a bundle of tough tendons.

Drumsticks are cheap and hard to dry out. The trade-off is the sinew running through them, which only softens after a long, patient cook.

One drumstick is a generous single serving, often a pound or more. A pack of two or four feeds a small family for the price of a few dollars.

How to Cook Drumsticks

Drumsticks want time. The connective tissue needs a long, gentle cook to break down, so braising, slow roasting, and the slow cooker all suit them far better than a quick sear.

The slow cooker is the easy win. Crockpot Barbecued Turkey Legs sits drumsticks in sauce for hours until the meat falls off the bone, and Braised Turkey Drumsticks does the same on the stovetop in a savory liquid.

The grill works too, over indirect heat. Barbecued Turkey Legs cooks them low and slow so the skin colors without burning, and a Turkey Drumstick Dinner roasts them alongside vegetables in one pan.

Cook drumsticks to at least 175°F (79°C). Dark meat needs to climb past the 165°F (74°C) safe mark before the tendons relax and the meat turns tender.

Pairing and Pitfalls

Drumsticks take bold, sticky flavors. Barbecue sauce, garlic, smoked paprika, and brown sugar all suit the rich meat, and a splash of vinegar or citrus cuts the fat.

The main mistake is pulling them too soon. At 165°F (74°C) the tendons are still tight, so the meat eats tough and chewy; give it the extra heat and time and it slides off the bone.

A second slip is dry skin over moist meat. Roast uncovered too hot and the skin scorches before the inside is done, so go low or tent with foil until the last stretch.

Substitutes

Turkey thighs are the closest swap and cook a bit faster, with less sinew to manage.

Chicken drumsticks give you the same shape and dark meat in miniature; use several and cut the cooking time roughly in half. For a braise where shape does not matter, boneless turkey thigh delivers the same flavor with no bone to work around.

Buying and Storing

Look for drumsticks with moist, firm skin and no gray or slimy patches. They are easy to find around the holidays and from a butcher year-round, sometimes sold smoked and ready to reheat.

Keep raw drumsticks cold at or below 40°F (4°C) and cook within one to two days. They freeze well for up to nine months wrapped tight; allow a full day to thaw a heavy drumstick in the fridge, never on the counter.

Quick facts

In Chinese

火鸡鼓槌

British (UK) term

Turkey drumsticks

en français

pilon de dinde

en español

muslo de pavo

Recipes using turkey drumsticks

There are 4 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 4 recipes