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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish Recipes » Easy Baked Turkey Legs In Oven Recipe

    Easy Baked Turkey Legs In Oven Recipe

    Published: Dec 27, 2022 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Oven Baked Turkey Legs Recipe Images with text overlay and Sip Bite Go logo

    Baked turkey legs in the oven is a great way to cook up some dark meat for the holidays. In Sip Bite Go’s baked turkey leg recipe, you’ll have a super moist turkey leg with a crispy skin to devour! Grab your dark meat lovers and let’s get baking!

    Turkey Legs In Oven Sip Bite Go
    You’ll love these tasty BBQ baked turkey legs that are so easy to make.

    Make them for game day, or as an extra entree for a holiday meal…

    These are a great copycat version of Disney World turkey legs made in the oven.

    Dinner Entree Turkey Legs Baked In Oven with Crispy Skin

    Love easy recipes? Follow Sip Bite Go on Instagram and TikTok…

    Why Baked Turkey Legs are so yummy to cook…

    • Little prep time involved! In less than 30 minutes you’ll be good to start the oven baking the legs. 
    • Season as you’d like! Feel free to use whatever type of seasoning that you want for this roasted turkey legs recipe. Could use a BBQ rub, keep it simple with salt and pepper and garlic powder or marinated in a delicious sauce if you so desire. 
    • Results are so TASTY – In this Sip Bite Go recipe, your turkey legs will be juicy inside… and the turkey skin will be nice and crisp.
    Crispy Turkey Legs Baked in the Oven on a Sheet Tray

    New to cooking baked turkey legs in the oven? I got you!

    See my step by step video for beginners (scroll to bottom of page).

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you need to make Baked Turkey Legs.

    Ingredients list for baking turkey legs in oven with Jenna Passaro food blogger and Sip Bite Go logo
    • turkey legs, about 1 LB each
    • butter, salted, melted
    • bbq rub (any BBQ seasoning or poultry rub – see this review for Traeger pork and poultry rub)

    To get extra crispy skin on baked turkey legs 

    • butter, salted, melted

    How to make Baked Turkey Legs

    Now I’ll walk you through it…

    Infographic demonstrating how to bake turkey legs in oven with BBQ rub with Jenna Passaro and logo from Sip Bite Go

    Quick look at Baked Turkey Legs recipe

    1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and prepare the turkey legs with seasoning. 
    2. Cook turkey legs in the oven at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes in a pan covered with foil. 
    3. Remove foil and increase oven temp to 425 degrees F to finish baking for 20 minutes until done.
    4. Remove baked turkey legs at 165 degrees F internal temperature, rest for 10 minutes and enjoy!
    Fork holding oven baked turkey leg that is tender and moist

    See how to make a turkey gravy packet taste even better…

    Detailed recipe steps

    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
    2. Set aside a parchment paper lined, rimmed baking sheet.
    3. Prep turkey legs for baking. Pat turkey legs dry with paper towels. 
    4. Season the turkey leg meat by brushing them all over with butter or olive oil. Cover with BBQ rub or your favorite poultry seasoning blend. Massage seasonings into the skin. 
    5. Transfer turkey legs to the baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with foil. 
    6. Bake turkey legs in oven at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. 
    7. Remove turkey legs from oven (leave oven on and increase temperature to 425 degrees F). For reference, the turkey legs won’t be done at this time, but in the Sip Bite Go recipe video demonstration, the internal temp measured about 120 degrees F.
    8. Brush turkey legs with additional melted butter, leaving seasoning intact.
    9. Return meat to oven and continue baking turkey legs until done, which is when they measure 165 degrees F with an internal read meat thermometer. In the Sip Bite Go demonstration, they were done in 20 minutes. (~40 minutes total)
    10. Rest 5-10 minutes, let cool and enjoy.
    Turkey Legs Cooked In The Oven

    Get the best recipe for smoking a turkey on a pellet grill…

    Checkout these sides for turkey legs…

    • Smoked Mac & Cheese
    • Smoked Acorn Squash
    • Air Fryer Beets
    • Smoked Butternut Squash
    • Smoked Asparagus
    • Carrots with Garlic Butter
    • Smoked Mashed Potatoes

    FAQs 

    How long does it take to bake turkey legs?

    It should take ~40 minutes, depending on the size of your turkey legs. Ultimately cook the turkey legs to an internal temp of 165 degrees F measured in the thickest part of the leg.

    What temp to bake turkey legs?

    In this Sip Bite Go recipe, I used two temperatures, 375 degrees F and 425 degrees F. 

    Initially baked at 375 degrees F covered with foil to keep a steam like environment for the turkey legs. This method helps keep the turkey moist. Then raise the oven temp to 425 degrees F uncovered to crisp up the turkey skin without drying it out. 

    If you have other food that cooks at 350 degrees F, you could preheat the oven to 350 degrees F for the initial cook. The cooking process will be a little slower though. You should still increase the oven temp to 425 degrees F to crisp up the skin though. There’s no way around that!

    Where to buy turkey legs?

    You can usually purchase turkey legs at your local grocery store. Keep in mind time of year though. Some grocery stores don’t carry fresh turkey legs year round.

    How to store turkey legs?

    You can store cooked turkey legs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. 

    Alternatively you can freeze cooked turkey legs in the freezer for 2 – 3 months. Just thaw in your fridge first before reheating in the oven.

    What to serve with turkey legs?

    You can serve a ton of smoked sides with turkey legs. Mac and cheese, mashed potatoes or any of these potato side dishes… they’re all great choices.

    When are turkey legs done?

    Turkey legs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F measured with an internal read thermometer.

    How do you keep turkey legs from drying out?

    There’s a couple of things you can do to keep turkey legs from drying out. 

    First is to coat them with butter prior to cooking. Second is to use my foil cover method. After many tests, I found this method to be the best. 

    Start by baking turkey legs covered with foil at a lower temperature of 375 or even 350 degrees F. Once the turkey legs get to 120 degrees F internally, crank the oven temp up to 425 degrees F to crisp up the skin fast, so it doesn’t dry out.

    How do you reheat turkey legs?

    You can reheat turkey legs in a roasting pan by placing them in a 350 degree F oven flipping every ten minutes until heated throughout.

    Can you freeze turkey legs?

    Yes, you can freeze turkey legs. Once the turkey legs are cooked, store them in an airtight container or resealable bag in the freezer for 2 – 3 months.

    New recipes and foodie guides….

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    Meat thermometer recommendations

    Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly. 

    On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:

    1. Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
    2. ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill. 

    It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature. 

    How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.

    While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Hey home chefs, hope that answers all your questions about cooking these baked turkey legs in the oven. 

    Connect…

    • Instagram / TikTok / YouTube
    • Browse the Sip Bite Go recipe collection
    Turkey Legs In Oven Sip Bite Go

    Baked Turkey Legs In Oven Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Baked turkey legs in the oven is a great way to cook up some dark meat for the holidays. In Sip Bite Go’s baked turkey leg recipe, you’ll have a super moist turkey leg with a crispy skin to devour! Grab your dark meat lovers and let’s get baking! | sipbitego.com
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Main Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 1182kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Ingredients

    • 2 turkey legs about 1 LB each
    • 2 tbsp butter salted, melted
    • 1 tbsp bbq rub any BBQ seasoning or poultry rub

    To crisp skin on turkey legs towards the end of baking

    • 2 tbsp butter salted, melted

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
    • Set aside a parchment paper lined, rimmed baking sheet.
    • Prep turkey legs for baking. Pat turkey legs dry with paper towels.
    • Season the turkey leg meat by brushing them all over with butter or olive oil. Cover with BBQ rub or your favorite poultry seasoning blend. Massage seasonings into the skin.
    • Transfer turkey legs to the baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with foil.
    • Bake turkey legs in oven at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes.
    • Remove turkey legs from oven (leave oven on and increase temperature to 425 degrees F). For reference, the turkey legs won’t be done at this time, but in the Sip Bite Go recipe video demonstration, the internal temp measured about 120 degrees F.
    • Brush turkey legs with additional melted butter, leaving seasoning intact.
    • Return meat to oven and continue baking turkey legs until done, which is when they measure 165 degrees F with an internal read meat thermometer. In the Sip Bite Go demonstration, they were done in 20 minutes. (~40 minutes total)
    • Rest 5-10 minutes, let cool and enjoy.

    Video

    Notes

    See the recipe: https://sipbitego.com/baked-turkey-legs
    Watch the full-length YouTube recipe video for Baked Turkey Legs on Sip Bite Go’s YouTube channel.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1182kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 133g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 541mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 1869mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 773IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 12mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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