Grilled Turkey Leg Recipe {Perfect for Father's Day} | Jo-Lynne Shane (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between a turkey leg and a turkey drumstick? ›

A turkey leg is technically comprised of the bird's thigh and the drumstick (the part of the leg below the knee joint), though in many recipes the term is used to refer to just the drumstick. Skin-on and bone-in, a full leg typically weighs between one and two and a half pounds.

Place the turkey legs on the side of the grill opposite the heat source for indirect grilling. Close the lid and let them cook for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for food safety.

Turkey booties, also known as turkey frills, are little paper caps that people stick on the end of turkey legs, to cover up the unsightly ends of the bones. They're shaped sort of like miniature chefs' hats, and might be frilled or rounded at the top.

Chicken and turkey meat have some similarities and differences in terms of nutrition, texture and flavor. Nutrition: Both chicken and turkey are good sources of protein, but turkey is slightly leaner and contains slightly fewer calories and fat compared to chicken.

Rich in selenium, zinc, phosphorus and iron, turkey meat makes a useful inclusion to support thyroid function, immunity, bone health and energy production. The darker cuts of meat like the leg and thigh are richer in certain minerals, such as iron.

Turkey skin stays rubbery if not enough moisture is cooked out of it during the smoking process. The moisture may come from leftover brine.

The most important thing to keep in mind with Turkey Drumsticks is that, especially for our pastured birds, they're going to be tough if they aren't cooked long enough. Just like a brisket, Turkey Drumsticks do best when cooked low and slow, to allow the muscle fibers to relax and become tender.

The wild turkey legs are filled with tendons that turn hard as rocks when you cook them, and this scares many people off.

How do you clean a turkey before cooking it? Well... you don't! Just like with other meat, the USDA recommends skipping washing your turkey before you cook it. It doesn't matter if you're roasting, frying, or smoking your turkey, there's no need to give it a rinse unless you've brined it (more on that below).

The turkey legs are already safe to eat as they are pre cooked but taking them to 165°F ensures they are cooked through and hot. To keep the turkey leg moist, place a foil pan underneath with some chicken broth. As the chicken broth warms and starts to create steam, it will help the turkey from drying out.

How do you know if a turkey leg is fully cooked? ›

The meat should feel soft and the leg will move easily when twisted. Another check is to run a long-tined fork into thick muscle; the meat should feel tender and the juice should show no pink tinge.

Scientists have found that pinkness occurs when gases in the atmosphere of a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give poultry a pink tinge. They are the same substances that give red color to smoked hams and other cured meats.

It's a protein-packed meat on a stick, best enjoyed outdoors in clothes that aren't white. The problem is turkey legs can be really tough. There are lots of tendons and bones in that leg for meat to cling to, and most vendors don't cook them long enough.

Thanksgiving Day Trivia: How the drumstick got its name.

The modern word drumstick, as in turkey drumstick, was named in the 16th century because it resembled what people in the 1500's knew to be percussion drumsticks.

The most important thing to keep in mind with Turkey Drumsticks is that, especially for our pastured birds, they're going to be tough if they aren't cooked long enough. Just like a brisket, Turkey Drumsticks do best when cooked low and slow, to allow the muscle fibers to relax and become tender.

In turkeys and chickens, dark meat is sourced from the leg or thigh. These animals carry more myoglobin in these locations in order to help deliver oxygen to their muscles as they run around.

It's the tibiotarsus, or long bone of the lower leg. In mammals that bone is known as the tibia, so why is it called the “tibiotarsus” in birds? Well, it's more than just a tibia. It's actually a tibia with tarsal (ankle) bones fused into the distal end of the bone.