The Legendary Renaissance Fair Turkey Leg: An Iconic Festival Treat

The massive, mouthwatering turkey leg is one of the most iconic foods associated with Renaissance fairs and festivals. Walk around a faireground and you’ll likely see attendees everywhere walking around while contentedly gnawing on these meaty behemoths. But what’s the story behind these colossal drumsticks that have become so intrinsically tied to the Renaissance festival experience? Let’s find out.

A Classic Festival Treat

Renaissance festival turkey legs have a long history as a fairground food favorite. Their popularity took off largely thanks to their presence at the original Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California in the 1960s. Faire organizers wanted to recreate the sort of hearty, rustic fare that would have been eaten at medieval festivals and fairs. Giant turkey legs, often served on wooden sticks or bones, perfectly captured that spirit.

The enormous salty legs also provided a satisfying snack that could be easily carried while walking around the festival. And of course picking out and brandishing one of the biggest, meatiest legs added an element of fun. The trend spread to Renaissance faires and festivals around the country, and turkey legs became a classic, must-have treat.

Why They Taste So Good

If you’ve ever sunk your teeth into one of these turkey legs, you know they don’t taste like your average roasted bird The skin is deep brown and crispy, while the meat is smoky, salty, and juicy with a distinctive pink tinge So why do they taste less like turkey and more like ham?

The answer comes down to how Renaissance festival turkey legs are prepared. Before cooking, the legs are submerged in a wet brine or cure, similar to how a city ham is made. This long soak seasons the meat, helps it retain moisture, and gives it a smooth, dense texture. Many brines also contain sodium nitrite, which firms up the meat even more and produces that recognizable pink color.

After brining, the legs are smoked over wood to impart flavor and further “cure” the meat. The smoke helps form a tasty browned bark on the skin. Additionally, smoking generates unique flavor compounds that penetrate beneath the surface.

So while the curing and smoking process is what makes the legs taste cured and “hammy,” rest assured it is indeed turkey beneath that uniquely flavored exterior.

Cooking Your Own Fair-Style Turkey Legs

Want to recreate the magical Ren fest turkey leg experience in your own kitchen? With the right techniques, ingredients and cooking method, you can make turkey legs with all the flavor, juice and lip-smacking goodness of the faire versions.

You’ll first want to brine the legs for at least 6-12 hours using a mixture of water, salt, spices and vinegar or other acidic components like fruit juice. This seasons the meat and helps it retain moisture.

Next, coat the legs with a flavorful dry rub. A blend of spices like brown sugar, chili powder, paprika and garlic brings that quintessential savory-sweet, slightly spicy turkey leg taste.

Now comes the fun part – smoking the legs to get that irresistible flavor. If you have a smoker, fantastic! Use it following the manufacturer’s instructions. Add some wood chips like hickory, apple, cherry or mesquite to get just the right smoky taste. If you don’t have a smoker, don’t worry – you can approximate smoky flavor on a charcoal or gas grill. Try adding soaked wood chips to the coals or placing them in a smoker box or foil pouch.

Finally, finish cooking the legs over indirect heat on the grill or in the oven at around 325°F until cooked through and browned. Baste with barbecue sauce for extra deliciousness.

With the right prep, you can absolutely achieve amazing fair-style turkey legs at home. It takes some time and effort, but the end result is so worth it.

Serving Suggestions

Now that you’ve put in the work to make these beauties, go all out when serving them! Some ideas for fun presentations:

• Serve on sturdy wooden skewers or pretend turkey bone “handles”
• Pair with bread bowls for dipping sauce
• Offer plastic gauntlets/gloves for eating
• Arrange on a “banquet” table with other Renaissance faire foods
• Present on platters decorated with scrollwork

Get into the spirit by dressing up in period costumes as you feast! Your friends and family will feel transported, like they’re enjoying a tasty turkey leg at a rollicking Renaissance festival rather than in your dining room.

A Meat-Free Alternative

For vegetarian or vegan fair-goers who don’t want to miss out on the turkey leg fun, there are plant-based options available too! Some festivals offer gigantic seitan or jackfruit legs that mimic the look and taste remarkably well.

You can also make meatless turkey legs at home using large portobello mushrooms or eggplant. Simply prepare them the same way described above – brine, coat in a dry rub, smoke them to impart flavor, and grill until cooked through. Pair them with all the classic fixings and decorations for a convincingly “meaty” vegetarian alternative.

A Unique Edible Experience

Love them or hate them, you can’t deny that giant turkey legs have become an iconic Renaissance festival food experience. They’re a perfect emblem of the classic faire spirit – big, bold, messy, tasty fun!

While the traditional preparation gives them a unique cured, smoky flavor, you can absolutely replicate that irresistible taste and enjoyment at home. Get ready for a hands-on eating experience that will satisfy your cravings and delight your guests!