Description
This roasted turkey leg recipe features succulent, tender turkey drumsticks infused with a fragrant herb butter of rosemary and thyme. Slow-roasted at a low temperature before broiling, the turkey achieves juicy meat beneath a crispy, golden skin. Perfect for a comforting family dinner or special occasion, this straightforward recipe highlights classic flavors with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Herb Butter 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
- Prepare Herb Butter: In a small bowl, combine the room temperature unsalted butter with chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, mixing thoroughly to create a flavorful herb butter.
- Coat Turkey Legs: Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels. Generously coat each leg with the prepared herb butter mixture, using your hands to rub some of the mixture underneath the skin to infuse flavor deeply into the meat.
- Wrap and Arrange: Wrap each butter-coated turkey leg individually in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped legs on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet, or alternatively, arrange them in a large baking dish and tightly cover the top of the dish with foil to retain moisture during roasting.
- Roast Turkey Legs: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Bake the turkey legs in the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F (74°C), approximately 2 hours. This slow roasting ensures the meat becomes tender and juicy.
- Broil for Crispy Skin: Carefully unwrap the turkey legs or remove the foil covering from the baking dish. Set your oven broiler to high. Place the turkey legs under the broiler and broil, watching closely to prevent burning, until the skin turns crispy and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the turkey legs from the oven and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, enhancing tenderness. Serve warm and enjoy your perfectly roasted turkey legs.
Notes
- For best results, use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness to avoid overcooking.
- Wrapping turkey legs in foil during roasting helps retain moisture and ensures tender meat.
- If fresh rosemary and thyme are unavailable, dried herbs can be used at half the quantity, but fresh herbs provide the best flavor.
- The broiling step is essential to achieve crispy skin; do not skip this step.
- Leftover turkey legs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently to preserve moisture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 turkey leg (approx. 10-12 oz)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
