Baking them at a high temperature ensures crispy skin and juicy meat. And with this method, this recipe takes just a little over an hour. Not everyone wants to roast a whole turkey for Thanksgiving. Perhaps you plan on a small gathering, or maybe your family members strongly prefer white or dark meat. Either way, roasting just a couple of turkey breasts or legs has clear advantages, such as a shorter roasting time and a better-tasting bird. Roasting just parts of the bird means avoiding the common issue of white meat that becomes too dry by the time the dark meat is fully cooked.
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe Card
Avocado oil spray: I use it to grease the rack and spray the turkey pieces after seasoning them. Medium-sized turkey legs: Bone-in and skin-on, weighing about 10 ounces each. Melted butter: I use salted butter in this recipe, but unsalted will work fine, too. Seasoning mix: Sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme, and paprika.
Pat the turkey pieces dry with paper towels. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle them with the seasoning mix, pressing to help it adhere.
Roast the turkey uncovered for 20 minutes in a preheated 450°F oven. Loosely cover the turkey drumsticks with foil and keep roasting them until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. For medium drumsticks, this should take about 30 more minutes. Let them rest, still covered in foil, for 10 minutes, then serve.
The method of roasting for a short time at a high temperature is perfect for medium legs weighing about 10 ounces each. If yours are much bigger - around a pound each - bake them for longer at a lower temperature.
Turkey legs weighing 1 pound should be baked in a 350°F oven for at least 90 minutes and up to two hours. Cover them loosely with foil once the tops are deeply browned, which should happen after 60-75 minutes.
Always check with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg and not touching the bone to ensure it has reached 160°F. After a 10-minute rest, it should climb to 165°F.
Here is the result of using this method on a one-pound turkey leg - dark crispy skin and perfectly cooked juicy meat:
When I make them throughout the year, I like to serve them with a side dish that I can roast in the same 450°F oven, such as roasted peppers, roasted broccoli, roasted okra, or carrot chips.
