These roasted turkey legs are perfect anytime and work especially well for small Thanksgiving gatherings. Baking them at a high temperature ensures crispy skin and juicy meat. Using this method, this recipe takes just a little over an hour.
Not everyone wants to roast a whole turkey for Thanksgiving. Perhaps yours is a small gathering, or maybe your family members prefer white or dark meat. Roasting just turkey legs (or turkey breasts) means a shorter roasting time and a better-tasting bird. Roasting just parts of the bird prevents the issue of the white meat becoming too dry by the time the dark meat is fully cooked.
Ingredients
Here's a look at the ingredients needed to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
- Avocado oil spray: I use it to grease the rack and spray the turkey pieces after seasoning them.
- Medium-sized turkey legs: Bone-in and skin-on, weighing about 10 ounces each.
- Melted butter: I use salted butter in this recipe, but unsalted is fine.
- Seasoning mix: Sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, and paprika.
Variations
- Sometimes, I use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a smoky flavor.
- Add more spices. I sometimes add ½ teaspoon of onion powder or ground cumin.
- You can use ghee instead of butter.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here's an overview of the steps for making this recipe:
Mix the spices in a small bowl. Pat the turkey pieces dry with paper towels. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle them with the seasoning mix, pressing to help it adhere.
Place the turkey drumsticks on a greased rack fitted into a rimmed baking sheet (it's a good idea to line the baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup). Spray them with avocado oil.
Roast the turkey uncovered for 20 minutes in a preheated 450°F oven. Loosely cover the turkey drumsticks with foil and keep roasting them until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. For medium drumsticks, this should take about 30 more minutes. Let them rest, still covered in foil, for 10 minutes, then serve.
Recipe Tip
You'll need to adjust the oven temperature and time to the size of the turkey pieces. The method of roasting for a short time at a high temperature is perfect for medium legs weighing about 10 ounces each. If yours are much bigger - around a pound each - bake them for longer at a lower temperature.
Turkey legs weighing 1 pound should be baked in a 350°F oven for at least 90 minutes and up to two hours. Cover them loosely with foil once the tops are deeply browned, which should happen after 60-75 minutes.
Always check with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg and not touching the bone to make sure it has reached 160°F. After a 10-minute rest, it should climb to 165°F.
Here is the delicious result of using this method on a one-pound turkey leg - look at the dark, crispy skin and perfectly cooked, juicy meat:
Featured Comment
I love turkey legs, but could never find a recipe that suited my taste. This recipe was excellent! I had a bigger leg so I increased the time and lowered the temperature as instructed and it was wonderful so delicious!! I’ll be making this recipe many times. Thank you. - Sara
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Recipe FAQs
It depends on their size. As long as they're not too large, baking them relatively quickly at a high temperature yields the best results: crispy, well-browned skin and juicy, succulent meat. If the legs are huge - around a pound each - it's best to bake them for at least an hour and a half in a 350°F oven.
The oil helps keep the spices and herbs moist and helps prevent them from burning in the hot oven.
The secret is to pick medium-sized legs and roast them relatively quickly at a high temperature. Then, let them rest for a few minutes before digging in to allow the temperature to climb a bit more and the juices to settle.
The resting period accomplishes two goals. The first is allowing the temperature to climb and reach 165°F. The second is enabling the juices to settle, ensuring juicy meat.
Serving Suggestions
At Thanksgiving, I serve turkey legs with cranberry sauce, cornbread, and side dishes such as sausage stuffing, cauliflower stuffing, roasted Brussels sprouts, and green bean casserole.
When I make them throughout the year, I like to serve them with a side dish I can roast in the same 450°F oven, such as roasted peppers, roasted broccoli, roasted okra, or carrot chips.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. Much like leftover chicken drumsticks, they are delicious when eaten cold!
Roasted Turkey Legs
Video
Ingredients
- Avocado oil spray
- 4 turkey legs - medium-sized, bone-in, skin-on, about 10 ounces each; see notes
- ¼ cup butter - melted
Seasoning mix:
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup, fit it with a rack, and spray the rack with avocado oil.
- Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels. Brush them all over with melted butter and rub them with the seasoning mix. Place them on the roasting rack and lightly spray them with avocado oil.
- Place the turkey in the oven. Roast it, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the skin is browned.
- Loosely cover the turkey with foil to avoid scorching the top, and continue roasting until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork and an instant-read thermometer not touching the bone registers 160°F, about 30 more minutes.
- Remove the turkey drumsticks from the oven and allow them to rest, still covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving. Do not skip this step - it will enable the internal temperature to climb and the juices to redistribute and settle.
Notes
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Michelle Joan Ladd says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. i bought a turkey leg weighing 2 pounds. Followed the directions and cooked at 350. it was absolutely perfect.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Michelle! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the review.
sally says
Excellent! My family thought they were THE BEST!!
I used smoked paprika in the Seasoning Mix and added 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp thyme, and 1/2 tsp sage.
I increased the total amount of the Seasoning Mix, since the turkey legs I bought were about 20 oz each. Took a little longer in the oven, but were perfect!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed this recipe, Sally. Thank you for the detailed review and for sharing your tweaks.
Jocelyn Sims says
I've made this exact recipe with turkey drums and it was delicious and perfect! I'm wondering if it would work with about 7 lbs of turkey drums AND thighs. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Jocelyn,
I think so, but I only tested this recipe with turkey drumsticks.
Mac says
Trying these for lunch today. 450 seems so hot for that long. Are we all sure??? Also do you flip them at all while cooking? Re-spray while cooking?
The 3 I’m cooking 10 ounces/11 and 12
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Mac,
I do not flip them or re-spray but I protect them with foil after the first 20 minutes. Feel free to roast at 350°F until they reach 160°F - start checking after an hour but expect it to take about 90 minutes.
BK says
Love this recipe. Simple to follow, looks great, tastes the best and explains why letting it rest. Never understood till now. Thank you!!!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome! Thanks for the comment.
Carol says
Hi! I’m having a smaller gathering than usual (7-9 people). I just purchase a 9.75 lb bone-in turkey breast, but now I am wondering if I should get a couple turkey drumsticks in case somebody prefers dark meat. Would it be too complicated to roast both of them at the same time? This will be the first time I’ve done a turkey breast - I just got a little tired of doing a whole turkey (30+ years) and it seemed easier to just do a breast. Now I’m second-guessing myself and getting a little nervous, lol.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Carol,
If the turkey breast is up to four pounds and the drumsticks are relatively small (around 10 ounces), you can absolutely roast both in the same 450°F oven. I've done it several times. The drumsticks are ready faster, so place them in the oven later than the breast.
Marsha says
We are deep frying the turkey, so I won't have any drippings to speak of. My son-in-law likes turkey legs so I thought I would roast some and save the drippings for gravy on Thanksgiving. Do you get very much drippings from roasting the legs this way? Should I put some water in the bottom of the pan to prevent the drippings from burning?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Marsha,
If you want drippings, use a rimmed 9 X 13-inch baking dish instead of a roasting pan and add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. The skin won't be crispy, but you'll have drippings.