The best turkey leg recipes for all foodies. Get inspired!

Are you interested in turkey leg recipes because you want to liven up your diet?

Tired of eating the same foods over and over again?

It’s high time to be inspired by something new and tasty, which thighs fulfill 100%.

Roasted turkey legs

Dark meat lovers will love this delicious and very easy turkey leg recipe. It’s the perfect way to enjoy turkey without having to roast the whole bird. It can be a light lunch, a small dinner, but also an appetizer while sitting with friends.

Combining the right ingredients will ensure an excellent dish. If you enjoy poultry delicacies, try meat other than turkey. For example, try recipes for the best chicken broth .

Ingredients:

  • 3 boneless turkey thighs
  • 1/2 cube of softened butter
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 cup turkey stock (can also be chicken stock)

Method:

  • We start by drying the turkey legs thoroughly with paper kitchen towels.
  • Put it on a plate and prepare the “marinade”.
  • Put softened butter, salt, pepper, garlic, sage and thyme in a bowl and mix everything well.
  • We run our fingers under the skin of all three thighs to form a pocket.
  • Divide the mixture into two halves and the other into three equal parts.
  • We rub each part under the skin of the leg and then put it back.
  • Divide the other half into three parts and spread it on the surface of all the legs.
  • Place the thighs prepared in this way in a smaller baking dish and cover with turkey stock.
  • Let it bake for about 70 – 90 minutes.
  • Then take out the baking pan, cover it with foil and let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 – 15 minutes.
  • Finally, all you have to do is serve. Baby potatoes are good as a side dish.
A luxurious leg baked in the classic way.
Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/

Baked thigh with mustard

With this recipe, you are guaranteed to enjoy juicy, highly flavorful and delicious turkey legs that you will love to come back to.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cube of unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 2 – 4 turkey legs
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 – 2 cups of water
  • 1 large onion
  • 5 stalks of celery stalks
  • 5 medium sized carrots
  • 4 sprigs of rosemary
  • 2 sprigs of thyme

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  • We will prepare a small pot in which we will put the butter and let it melt.
  • Add 1 chopped sprig of rosemary and thyme, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard and maple syrup.
  • Mix thoroughly and slowly bring to a boil.
  • Then remove from heat.
  • We take out a roasting pan with a grate, put the salted and peppered turkey legs in it.
  • First, half of the maple syrup mixture is needed from the bottom side.
  • Then turn the thighs over and rub on the other side.
  • Put the onion, celery, carrot and the remaining rosemary and thyme into the baking dish.
  • Cover with water and bake.
  • Bake for about 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the juice from the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Finally, take the baking pan out of the oven, cover it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  • We serve the way we like it.
Turkey meat with maple syrup and smoked paprika.
Source: https://www.jocooks.com/

Butter roast

If you love roast turkey, but you definitely don’t feel like roasting it whole, try these luxurious thighs. They have such an excellent taste and juiciness that your taste buds will be delighted. It will literally be an explosion of taste. The combination of honey, butter and the right spices will surprise and delight.

Ingredients:

  • 2 turkey legs
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 spoons of honey
  • 2 teaspoons Harissa paste
  • 4 cloves of garlic

Method:

  • First, preheat the oven to 200°C.
  • Salt and pepper the thighs on both sides.
  • We stack them in the baking dish with the skin down and put them in the oven for 7 minutes.
  • Then we take them out again, turn them skin side up, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
  • Let the meat cook and prepare a small pot.
  • Heat the butter, honey and harissa paste in it.
  • Let it bubble and set aside.
  • We reduce the temperature in the oven to 170°C.
  • Remove the foil from the turkey and pour the butter sauce with honey and harissa over the thighs.
  • Bake for another 45-50 minutes until golden.
Leg baked with honey and butter.
Source: https://www.wenthere8this.com/

Quick Spicy Legs

If you like interesting spice mixes and enjoy trying something new, then this recipe will definitely please you. This time we have chosen a recipe using a popular American spice, or rather a mixture of spices that is used to season meat, fish and salads.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cube of softened unsalted butter
  • 5 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 boneless turkey thighs
  • Coarse sea salt
  • Ground black pepper

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 230 degrees.
  • Take a small bowl, add butter, Old Bay Seasoning, lemon juice and mix thoroughly.
  • Dry the turkey legs with paper kitchen towels.
  • Salt and pepper the thighs.
  • Insert your fingers between the skin and the meat to loosen it.
  • Spread the prepared seasoned butter on the meat under the skin and smooth it evenly.
  • Prepare a baking dish or a smaller baking pan.
  • Stack the thighs inside, add a little sauce and bake for 40-60 minutes.
  • After baking, let the legs rest for 10 minutes.
  • Only then cut the legs and serve.
Turkey meat with the popular American seasoning mixture Old Bay Seasoning
Source: https://www.marthastewart.com/

Bacon Coated Turkey Thighs

Almost every meat lover loves bacon, and when combined with turkey legs, you can conjure up a delicious dish. You will love to come back to this recipe. It’s a simple lunch, a quick dinner, but also delicious for a social party.

Ingredients:

  • 6 boneless turkey thighs
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 – 3 spoons of sweet ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
  • 24 – 30 slices of English bacon

Method:

  • Dry the boned thighs with a paper towel and tap them one by one with a mallet into thin slices, similar to steaks.
  • Season them on both sides with salt, pepper, paprika and thyme and wrap them like a roll.
  • On each slice, place 4-5 slices of bacon right next to each other and bend the ends under the leg.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper and stack the drumsticks in it.
  • Bake for about 35-40 minutes.
  • After baking, let it rest for about 5 minutes and then serve with mashed potatoes.
Bacon-scented meat.
Source: https://www.canadianturkey.ca/

Italian turkey rice

This recipe will appeal to all lovers of Italian cuisine and all the delicacies it offers. Thanks to the preparation in the slow cooker, you are sure that you will not burn anything.

So if you like not only turkey, but also dishes with rice, then you have a great candidate for a super dinner. You will definitely want to try this delicacy again, because it is extremely easy.

Ingredients:

  • 3 medium-sized carrots
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • 1 red capsicum/pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 cup of water
  • 4 turkey legs
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry long grain rice
  • 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
  • 1 cup of a mixture of 6 types of Italian-style cheese, or it can be cheddar.

Method:

  • We will prepare a slow cooker, which should have a volume of approximately 4 liters.
  • Peel the carrot and cut it into equally thin slices.
  • Clean the celery and pepper and cut them into pieces of the same size.
  • Put both in a slow cooker and add basil.
  • Pour everything with water and mix.
  • Salt and pepper the turkey and place it in the slow cooker for the vegetables.
  • Cover and let it cook at a medium temperature for about 6 hours.
  • Then remove the turkey, mix in the dry rice with oregano and mix.
  • Return the turkey to the pot, cover and let it cook for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  • Once the rice is nice and soft, it’s almost done.
  • We take the turkey out of the pot again and put it aside under the foil.
  • Mix the cheese into the mixture of vegetables and rice and wait until it spreads.
  • Then mix and serve together with the turkey legs.
Slow cooker turkey with rice and vegetables.
Source: https://www.bettycrocker.com/

Tips for preparing turkey legs

If we really want the most delicious meat, the turkey should not be older than one year. The skin on the legs should be scaly but soft and the color of the skin off-white. If it’s not like that, then believe that the turkey is much older than it seems.

When baking, it is good to pierce the thighs with bacon to make them juicy. We remove the remaining feathers, which can occasionally appear on the turkey, using tweezers.

Milan & Ondra

We are both fans of good food and enjoy cooking. On this website, we want to inspire you with traditional, but also less common recipes. We will be happy if you try our recipes and let us know how you liked them. Bon appetite! :)

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