Keto Oven Roasted Turkey Legs [Recipe + How To Cook] (2024)

FAQs

What temp should turkey drumsticks be cooked to? ›

Roast uncovered until the legs are golden brown and the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (82 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Add more water if needed while roasting, and baste occasionally with the juices or melted butter.

Place turkey breast side down on the rack: Place the turkey BREAST DOWN on a rack over a sturdy roasting pan big enough to catch all the drippings. How do you know the turkey is breast side down? The wings are up and the legs are down.

Wet brining your turkey legs involves submerging the drumsticks in saltwater and placing them in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours. Brining will soften the turkey meat, ensuring it takes less time to grill. It will also infuse the turkey legs with extra moisture to prevent the meat from drying out while it grills.

Simply heat your oven to 300 degrees, put the carved meat in a baking dish, and add some chicken broth or turkey stock to the pan. The meat will absorb some of the liquid as it heats, making it nice and juicy. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place it in the oven until the meat is hot, 20 to 30 minutes.

So, yes, you do want to cover the turkey with foil to give it a chance to roast without getting dry. But then, towards the end of the cook time, remove the foil so the skin—the best part in this writer's opinion—gets a chance to crisp up.

The meat should feel soft and the leg will move easily when twisted. Another check is to run a long-tined fork into thick muscle; the meat should feel tender and the juice should show no pink tinge.

Oven-Roasted Turkey

We recommend starting the turkey in a 425 degree oven for 30-45 minutes before tenting the pan with foil and lowering the temperature to 350 degrees until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the bird.

Place roast, skin side up, on a flat roasting rack in 2-inch deep roasting pan. Do not add water to pan. Roast uncovered according to Cooking Schedule or until meat thermometer in center of breast roast reaches 170° F and in center of turkey roast reaches 175° F.

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

The most important thing to keep in mind with Turkey Drumsticks is that, especially for our pastured birds, they're going to be tough if they aren't cooked long enough. Just like a brisket, Turkey Drumsticks do best when cooked low and slow, to allow the muscle fibers to relax and become tender.

Why are turkey legs hard to eat? ›

The problem is turkey legs can be really tough. There are lots of tendons and bones in that leg for meat to cling to, and most vendors don't cook them long enough.

In a roasting pan, the high sides shield the bottom of the turkey — the legs and thighs — from heat, meaning they take longer to cook to temperature. Meanwhile, the breast sticks up over the top of the pan, which means it gets the bulk of the heat and dries out more.

A roasted turkey leg can overcook. And, fair enough, so can a braised turkey leg. But it's much much harder to overcook a braise. Braises come with gravy.

Remember that the white (breast) meat of the turkey cooks quicker than the dark (leg) meat and wings, so it is best to cook your turkey breast side down to start with. This should keep the juices in the breast and prevent it from becoming dry. Another tip for even cooking is to loosen the trussing.

The food-safe temperature for a turkey is 165°F, and it's best to temp between the thigh bone and the breast.

Hold the thermometer still until the numbers stop increasing. If it is not ready, return it to the oven. According to the Department of Agriculture, a turkey must reach 165 degrees F to be safe, but you can take it out of the oven as low as 160 degrees F because the temperature will rise at it rests.

Turkey Doneness Temp: 157°F (69°C) in the breast—not 165°F!, and 175°F (79°C) in the thigh for moist turkey. (USDA charts here or read more below to see why this is safe.)

Tips for the Best Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks

High temperature: Baking at 425°F means a deep, golden brown exterior, with a juicy, tender interior. Use a rack: Allows for hot air to circulate around the drumsticks, leaving no spot soggy or underdone.