Learn how to prepare perfectly roasted turkey legs the easy way – no flipping or covering with foil required. Simply season turkey legs with a blend of salt, homemade spice mix, and oil, then bake them at 400°F until the skin turns crispy, and the meat cooks to perfection.
Turkey legs are a delicious alternative to cooking a whole turkey. Their rich, savory flavor makes them a treat for any occasion. However, achieving tender, juicy turkey legs with crispy skin can be tricky if you don’t know how long to cook them. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know for cooking turkey legs perfectly every time.
Factors That Affect Cooking Time
There are a few key factors that impact how long it takes to cook turkey legs
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Size of the legs – Smaller turkey legs, around 10 ounces, take less time compared to larger turkey legs weighing 1 pound or more. Larger legs need lower heat and more time.
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Bone-in or boneless – Bone-in turkey legs take longer than boneless since the bone partially shields the meat Remove the bone to reduce cooking time.
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Cooking method – The oven, grill, smoker, slow cooker etc all require different cooking times Faster, high-heat methods take less time.
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Cooking temperature – Higher oven temperatures like 450°F cook faster than lower temps like 325°F. Higher heat develops the crispy skin and tenderizes meat quicker.
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Brined or unbrined – Brining turkey legs in a saltwater solution seasons the meat and makes it more moist. Brined turkey legs cook faster than unbrined.
So weigh your turkey legs, choose a cooking method and temperature, and factor in brining to determine the time needed.
Oven Roasting Times
Roasting in the oven is a popular cooking method that yields delicious, browned turkey legs. Use these time ranges as a guide:
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Unbrined turkey legs at 450°F:
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10 ounce legs: 50-60 minutes
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1 pound legs: 90-120 minutes
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Brined turkey legs at 450°F:
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10 ounce legs: 45-55 minutes
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1 pound legs: 75-90 minutes
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Unbrined turkey legs at 350°F:
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10 ounce legs: 60-75 minutes
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1 pound legs: 120-150 minutes
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Brined turkey legs at 350°F:
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10 ounce legs: 55-70 minutes
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1 pound legs: 100-130 minutes
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Always rely on a meat thermometer rather than time to determine doneness. Check the thickest part of each leg for 165°F.
If browning too quickly, tent foil over the turkey legs to prevent burning. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.
Grilling Times
Grilling imparts delicious smoky notes while rendering the skin crispy. Use medium indirect heat around 350-375°F.
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Unbrined turkey legs: 60-90 minutes
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Brined turkey legs: 45-75 minutes
Rotate the legs and move to direct heat during the last 5-10 minutes to crisp the skin. Cook to 165°F internally before removing from the grill.
Smoking Times
For unmatched juicy, smoked flavor, cook turkey legs in a smoker at 225-250°F:
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Unbrined legs: 2-3 hours
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Brined legs: 1.5-2.5 hours
Use wood chips like hickory, apple, cherry, or mesquite for flavor. Cook to 165°F internally.
Slow Cooker Times
For hassle-free turkey legs, cook in a slow cooker on low heat:
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Unbrined legs: 6-8 hours
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Brined legs: 4-6 hours
The slow cooking time tenderizes the meat. Add broth, onions, garlic, and herbs for flavor.
Deep Frying Times
Deep frying turkey legs yields juicy meat with an ultra crispy skin. Fry at 350-375°F:
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Small unbrined legs: 8-12 minutes
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Large unbrined legs: 14-18 minutes
Fry brined legs about 30-60 seconds less. Use a thermometer to verify 165°F. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
How to Tell When Turkey Legs Are Done
Rather than solely relying on cook times, use these tests to check for doneness:
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Temperature – Insert an instant read thermometer in the thickest part without touching bone. Turkey legs are safely cooked at 165°F. If under, return to heat.
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Color – The meat should be white throughout with no traces of pink. The juices should run clear.
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Texture – Use a fork to test meat tenderness. Turkey meat should be tender and shred easily when fully cooked.
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Leg mobility – Gently wiggle the leg. It should twist loosely in the hip joint if thoroughly cooked.
Let turkey legs rest for 5-10 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Knowing how long to cook turkey legs results in tender, juicy meat every time. Smaller legs take less time compared to larger legs. Higher oven temperatures cook faster than lower temperatures. Brined legs reduce cooking time versus unbrined. Grill, smoke, slow cook, or deep fry based on desired flavor. Check temperature, color, texture, and mobility to test doneness. Mastering cooking times lets you serve phenomenal turkey legs for any occasion.
About roasting turkey legs
When an entire turkey is too much for your family, or you simply like dark turkey meat more, turkey legs are the perfect choice.
If you prefer white turkey meat, try our roasted split turkey breast.
As a big fan of bone-in poultry parts like chicken quarters, chicken wings, chicken legs, and of course, turkey legs. I often enjoy experimenting with various methods for preparing these delicious and juicy cuts.
Last year, I shared this air fryer turkey thighs recipe, which is also a popular one at our home.
I usually make 2 turkey legs for three of us (including one kid). But if you plan on serving them to your guests, prepare at least 1 whole drumstick per person.
I prefer a simpler approach without flipping, covering and uncovering them with aluminum foil that requires handling the hot pan multiple times.
I simply roast turkey legs using a high-sided glass dish (or a roasting pan) lined with parchment paper for less clean up. It creates a deep shallow space for the legs to bake evenly while leaving the skin exposed for that perfect crispiness.
Obviously, the roasting time will depend on the size of the legs, as some of them can be huge. But I also noticed, that the cooking time will also depend on the type of a pan (deep or regular baking pan) and whether you cover the meat or not.
From my experience, a regular baking sheet pan takes the least time. But the meat might turn out dry. Thats why I like using a deep dish and roast them uncovered – easy, juicy, and with delicious crispy skin.
You can find the quantities for each ingredient in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Turkey legs: fresh turkey drumsticks with the skin on. If you have frozen ones, let them defrost in the fridge overnight. You can also use this recipe to make turkey wings or thighs.
Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil. You can also use melted butter or a combination of both.
Salt and spices: I used my favorite home-made spice mix, made with salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried sage, dried oregano, black pepper, and a little bit of cayenne (optional).
Fresh rosemary(optional): it adds that extra pine-like woody scent, making even your house smell amazing while you roast the meat. You can also use other fresh herbs, such as sage, thyme, and Italian parsley.
1). Remove the legs from the fridge at least 15 minutes before baking them. Very cold meat will coon unevenly. Carefully, pat dry the legs on both sides with paper towels to get rid of access moisture. Especially, if they were thawed.
2). In a small bowl mix, salt, and the dried herbs. Brush each leg with some olive oil on both sides. You can also use melted butter. Rub the meat generously with the spice mix on all the sides.
3). Line a deep glass baking dish (or a roasting pan) with a large sheet of parchment paper. Place the legs in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with some fresh chopped rosemary on top. I usually break it into smaller pieces with my hands.
4). Roast turkey legs in a preheated oven (400°F) for about 60-70 minutes. After 60 minutes, carefully take out the pan and start checking if they are fully cooked by inserting the instant meat thermometer in the thickest part. If the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F, the meat is cooked.
Otherwise, place it back in the oven and check again in about 10 minutes. Let the meat rest before serving for about 10 minutes.
- My homemade spice mix (see the recipe card) never fails, but you can also use any of your favorite spices or store-bought poultry dry rub instead.
- To avoid cutting cooked leg just to check if the meat is cooked, use an instant-read thermometer.
- Store leftover turkey meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Cooking time will depend on the size of the turkey legs, the type of baking pan, and the type your oven.
Like any other poultry meat, there are so many ways you can serve this oven-roasted turkey leg. Below, I share a few of my and my familys favorite ways:
- Classic Thanksgiving dinner: serve them alongside traditional Thanksgiving dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted green beans or roasted sweet potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce.
- Main dish: To change things up, I like to serve turkey meat as a simple dinner idea with side dishes like rice, pasta, or roasted vegetables.
- Ideas for leftovers: you can use any turkey leg meat leftovers to make soup, add to salads, and sandwiches, or turn them into tacos and quesadillas.
- Bone broth: keep the bones and make a small batch of turkey bone broth. Simply add water, some whole vegetables, herbs and simmer everything on low for a few hours.
Marinating is optional, but it can enhance the flavor of the meat. You can season the turkey legs with the spice mix and let them marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before roasting.
Depending on the size of each leg, it takes between 1 to 1.5 hours to roast the turkey legs at 400°F.
Yes, you can roast them at 350°F but be prepared for a cooking time approximately 30 minutes longer.
If you have frozen turkey legs, it is recommended to thaw them overnight in the fridge before cooking. Cooking the meat from frozen will take much longer time and may result in uneven cooking.
My favorite simple seasoning is a mix of salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried sage, dried oregano, and black pepper.
Oven Baked Turkey Legs | Easy Baked Turkey Legs | Ray Mack’s Kitchen & Grill
FAQ
What temperature should a turkey leg be cooked to?
How do you know if a turkey leg is fully cooked?
Why do turkey legs take longer to cook?
Do turkey legs take longer to cook than turkey breast?
How long does it take to cook a turkey leg?
Rub butter and sprinkle salt under and over the skin. Roast the turkey legs: Place the legs in a roasting pan and roast in a preheated oven, basting occasionally with the juices, until the skin is golden brown. The turkey legs should be perfectly golden brown and juicy in about 90 minutes to two hours.
How do you cook a turkey leg in the oven?
Easy Roasted Turkey Legs – tender and juicy turkey for lovers of dark meat! These perfectly seasoned oven-roasted turkey legs are a great alternative to roasting a whole turkey. Rub the turkey with olive oil. Combine all the ingredients for the rub and then sprinkle liberally over the turkey on both sides. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F).
How long does it take to cook a turkey thighs?
Roast: Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, flip the legs so that the skin side is up and roast for another 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the internal temperature of the thighs reaches 170°F. Get an instant meat thermometer!
How do you cook a turkey leg in a tin?
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a roasting tin with baking paper or foil and spread the onion, rosemary and lemon slices over it. Place the turkey leg on top, skin side down and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the legs over, skin side up, and continue to cook for a further 40 minutes or until the internal temperature is 75°C (167°F).