How long do you bake smoked turkey legs

These simple roasted turkey legs are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, perfect for a small-scale holiday dinner idea or an impressive entrée to serve any time of year."

Where to Buy Turkey Legs

Whole turkey legs are made up of the thigh and drumstick, but many people use "turkey leg" to refer to just the drumstick. Drumsticks should be readily available in the meat section of your local grocery store. Though whole legs are harder to come by, you may be able to find them at a butcher.

How to Cook Turkey Legs

It's easier than you think to roast turkey legs at home. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect:

Prepare the Turkey Legs

Rinse and dry the turkey legs. Use a sharp knife to create two or three pockets deep into the tissue, then press a piece of celery into each pocket. 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.

How Long to Cook Turkey Legs In the Oven

The turkey legs should be perfectly golden brown and juicy in about 90 minutes to an hour.

When the turkey leg is done, an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat should register 180 degrees F.

What to Serve With Turkey Legs

If you don't want to cook a whole turkey for Thanksgiving, consider serving these roasted turkey legs instead: They come together much more quickly and they're perfect for small groups. Pair the turkey legs with traditional holiday sides such as mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, or macaroni and cheese.

Need some delicious inspiration? Explore our collection of Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

How to Store Turkey Legs

Store your leftovers turkey legs in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. Enjoy them cold or reheat gently in the microwave.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"This turkey was amazing," raves Ang. "Something about the celery makes this sooo good and juicy, and my kids don't even like celery. Next time I will add garlic and thyme for more flavor, but that is just an option for a different flavor."

"The meat is so juicy and tender," according to Misty Paiement. "I also roasted vegetables alongside it to complete the flavor. For a side dish, I cooked some wild grain brown rice."

"Delicious," says Lisa P. "I used sweet onions (like Vidalias) since I don't care for celery. The flavor permeated the meat well and gave it added tenderness. I'll be doing this one again."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

How long do you bake smoked turkey legs

How long do you bake smoked turkey legs

before slow-baking

How long do you bake smoked turkey legs

after slow-baking

How long do you bake smoked turkey legs

smoked turkey stock

We love the flavor of pre-cooked smoked turkey legs, but they're very tough with lots of tendons in there ~ unless you reheat them SLOWLY (to dissolve the tendons).  This is a very easy way to reheat them ~ and then you can eat them as-is or use the meat in soups, pot pies or whatever else you want.

​I'll sometimes add carrots while I'm slow-baking them, so I have an easy no-brainer dinner (with a carton of fresh mashed potatoes from the refrigerated section at the grocery store ~ just reheat those in a casserole dish with lots of extra butter in the microwave).

SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

  I buy pre-cooked, smoked turkey at the grocery store.  But, they still need to be slow-baked to tenderize the tendons and make them meatier and easy to eat.

  Preheat oven to 250.  While the oven heats, put the turkey legs into a baking pan or large covered casserole dish (not touching).  Pour in about 2-3 cups water per 2 drumsticks (or enough to completely cover the legs ~ the bigger the pan, the more water you'll need). Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. or lid (Make sure the foil is tight and there aren’t any leaks or vents to the air). 

​Stick the pan in the oven and slow-bake for about 2 hours ~  turn the legs over after 2 hours, and then let them slow-bake for ANOTHER 2 hours

~ the longer they slow-bake, the more tender they'll be.  (If you want, you can throw in a few peeled carrots too, so you have a vegetable with dinner.)   The legs will now be fall-off-the-bone tender and the tendons inside should have dissolved.

OPTIONAL: I’ll usually put in a sprig of fresh rosemary (since I have 2 giant bushes) or crumbled sage too.

  You can now serve the turkey legs as-is, or pull off the meat to use in soups, stews or pot pies

​NOTE:  I've never tried this in my crockpot, but they should be just fine in there.  Cook on low for about 5-6 hours (longer is even better).  You'll probably need more water to cover them in the crockpot.

​BONUS!  You now have some fresh turkey stock to refrigerate and use in recipes **

How do you cook already smoked turkey legs?

Place in a 350°F oven and warm for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until heated through. Turkey legs are cooked when an instant read thermometer registers to 165°F.

How long does it take to cook smoked turkey legs?

Place the turkey legs in the smoker and let it do what it's designed for. Smoke the turkey legs, keeping the temperature between 245°F to 260°F (118°C to 127°C), until the internal temperature of the turkey registers 165°F (74°C), 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.

How long do you bake a smoked turkey?

Place the thawed, foil wrapped turkey into a 275 degree Fahrenheit oven for 3 to 4 hours, or until the temperature of the thigh and breast is between 145 and 150 degrees. If it warms to over 150, it will start to dry out. It's been my experience that a reheated smoked turkey loses some of the smoke flavor.

How do you cook pre cooked smoked turkey legs in the oven?

Turkey, whether you're cooking it at home or it comes pre-cooked and smoked, is safe to eat at an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, per the USDA. You can reheat smoked turkey legs in your oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 6 to 8 minutes per pound for a tender, juicy result.