Wondering what to do with turkey legs? This guide covers how to pick them, cook them, store them, and swap them, plus 9 recipes to put them to work.

What are turkey legs?

A turkey leg is the big dark drumstick from the lower part of the bird's leg, the giant smoked one you see people gnawing at fairs and theme parks. It is all dark meat: deeply flavored, a little chewy, and laced with tendons that soften only after a long cook.

One leg is a serious portion. A whole turkey drumstick can run a pound or more, enough to feed one hungry adult or split between two with sides.

The draw is flavor. Dark meat carries far more taste than breast, and the bone and skin add even more once you smoke or slow roast it.

How to Cook Turkey Legs

Time and moisture are the whole game. The leg is packed with collagen and tough tendons, so it needs a long, gentle cook to turn tender, whether you braise it in liquid or roast it slow under foil.

Smoking is the fair-style classic. A brine and a few hours over low smoke give you that mahogany skin and pull-apart meat. Grilled Turkey Legs gets there over indirect heat, cooking the legs through without scorching the skin.

Braising is the easy path indoors. Brown the legs, then simmer them in stock until the meat loosens from the bone. The same dark meat enriches Turkey Mole and New Orleans Turkey Creole, and it gives body to a Nine Bean Soup or a Hearty Hungarian Peasant Soup.

Cook turkey legs to at least 175°F (79°C). Like all dark meat, they need to climb past the 165°F (74°C) safe mark before the connective tissue gives up and the meat goes tender.

Pairing and Pitfalls

Turkey legs take a bold hand. Barbecue rubs, smoke, garlic, and brown sugar all suit the rich dark meat, and a tangy sauce or a splash of vinegar cuts through the fat. Greens and dirty rice round out a plate.

The biggest mistake is treating a leg like a quick roast. Pull it at 165°F (74°C) and the tendons are still tight, leaving the meat tough and stringy around the bone.

Another miss is skipping the brine. Lean as turkey is, a few hours in salt water keeps the meat juicy and seasons it through, which matters most on a cut you cook long and hard.

Substitutes

Turkey thighs are the closest swap and cook a little faster, with less sinew to work around. Turkey drumsticks are essentially the same cut sold on its own.

Chicken legs or whole chicken leg quarters stand in for a smaller, quicker version; expect roughly half the size and an hour or two less cooking. A bone-in pork shank gives a similar long-braise payoff if you want a change.

Buying and Storing

Look for legs with moist, firm skin and no gray or dry patches. Around the holidays they are easy to find loose; the rest of the year you may need a butcher or a smoked version at the deli.

Store raw legs in the coldest part of the fridge at or below 40°F (4°C) and cook within one to two days. They freeze well for up to nine months wrapped tight. Thaw in the fridge, allowing a full day for a heavy leg, and never on the counter.

Quick facts

In Chinese

火鸡的腿

British (UK) term

Turkey legs

en français

jambes dinde

en español

piernas de pavo

Recipes using turkey legs

There are 9 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 9 recipes