Easy Baked Turkey Legs
These Easy Baked Turkey Legs are very flavorful and ready in around an hour. They're perfect for small Thanksgiving gathering or a quick weeknight meal!
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 782kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 lbs turkey legs
- 3 Tbs ghee, olive oil, or unsalted butter
- turkey rub
Instructions
- Bring turkey legs to room temperature then pat dry with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin by inserting one or two fingers under the skin and carefully lifting away from the muscle.
- Rub turkey with olive oil, ghee, or softened butter, including under the skin. Mix turkey rub ingredients in a small bowl, then sprinkle seasoning generously on all sides of the turkey and lightly under the skin. Allow the turkey seasoning to infuse the turkey flesh for a couple of hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 450℉. Place the turkey legs in a roasting pan or high rimmed baking sheet and insert a probe into the thickest part of the thigh or leg. Set probe temperature to 180°F.
- Roast turkey legs, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Brush turkey legs with rendered juices then turn temperature down to 400°F.
- Loosely cover the turkey legs with foil and bake for another 35 to 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the probe or meat thermometer reaches 180°F.
Notes
- If you decide to season both under and over the turkey skin, you may want to season more lightly so that the turkey does not end up too salty. Another option is to reduce the amount of salt in the turkey rub.
- When inserting the probe or meat thermometer, make sure it does not touch the bone.
- Oven temperatures vary greatly, so more than anything, you'll want to pay attention to the internal temperature of the turkey more than the roasting time. Remove turkey legs once they reach 180°F.
- Allow the turkey to rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute; however, don't tent with foil. The condensation created between the foil and the turkey will cause the crispy skin to soften.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- The roasting times may need to be adjusted if the turkey legs weigh more or less.
- Use leftovers to make creamy turkey soup!
- If you're looking for an easy side dish idea, season roughly chopped potatoes or potato wedges with the same rub and scatter them around the turkey thighs. The potatoes will cook in the rendered juices and will be ready when the turkey legs are.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 782kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 92g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 363mg | Sodium: 349mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g
