Description
This Roasted Turkey Leg recipe features succulent, bone-in turkey drumsticks seasoned with a fragrant blend of fresh rosemary, thyme, and butter. The turkey legs are slow-roasted in the oven wrapped in foil to lock in moisture and then finished under the broiler for a crispy golden skin. Perfectly tender and flavorful, this recipe is ideal for a comforting dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter Herb Mixture
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Turkey
- 4 skin-on, bone-in turkey drumsticks (10 to 12 oz. each)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Butter Mixture: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the room temperature unsalted butter with chopped fresh rosemary, chopped fresh thyme, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to create a flavorful herb butter.
- Prepare Turkey Legs: Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels. Generously coat each drumstick with the herb butter mixture, making sure to rub some of the butter under the skin using your hands to infuse flavor deeply into the meat.
- Wrap and Arrange for Roasting: Wrap each buttered turkey leg individually in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped legs on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet, or alternatively use a large baking dish tightly covered with foil. This setup helps to retain moisture and promotes even cooking.
- Roast the Turkey: Bake the wrapped turkey legs in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C), approximately 2 hours. This slow roasting ensures tender and juicy meat.
- Broil to Crisp Skin: Remove the foil wrapping from each turkey leg (or uncover the baking dish). Set your oven broiler to high and broil the turkey legs, watching carefully, until the skin turns crispy and golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Rest and Serve: Allow the roasted turkey legs to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Resting helps the juices redistribute, ensuring moist and flavorful meat.
Notes
- Make sure the turkey legs are fully thawed before cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches the safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- If you prefer extra crispy skin, you can broil for a few minutes longer but watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 turkey leg (approx. 10-12 oz)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 0.3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 39g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
