Learn how to cook turkey drumsticks (gravy included). It is very simple to roast turkey legs in the oven; you only need a few things to make a tasty holiday meal.
Try cooking this turkey drumstick recipe. The meat is soft and the sauce is amazing, made with vegetables and roasting juices.
Do you think that cooking a whole turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas might be too much for your family? Extra-large turkeys can be too much for a small family.
Cooking juicy, flavorful turkey legs on the stovetop is a delicious way to enjoy this hearty cut of meat without turning on the oven. But to get the best results, it’s important to know exactly how long to cook turkey legs on the stove top.
Overview of Cooking Turkey Legs on the Stove
The basic process for stove-top turkey legs involves:
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Seasoning the legs generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, herbs, etc.
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Searing the legs in a skillet with oil to brown them and build flavor
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Adding broth, wine or water and aromatics like onions and garlic
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Simmering the legs gently, covered, until fully cooked and tender.
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Making a flavorful sauce from the cooking liquid.
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Allowing the cooked legs to rest before serving.
With the right timing. temperature control and a few simple techniques you can achieve mouthwateringly delicious turkey legs off the stove – no oven required!
How Long Does it Take?
When cooking turkey legs on the stovetop, the total time can vary greatly depending on:
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Size of the legs – Smaller legs may take only 45 mins to 1 hour while large legs can take 1.5 to 2 hours.
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Level of doneness – Legs for shredding need longer than legs cooked to 165°F.
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Temperature – Keeping the heat low ensures tender meat. Higher heat means quicker cooking.
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Amount of liquid – More liquid prolongs cooking. Reducing liquid expedites it.
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Additions – Vegetables and aromatics add more cooking time.
So while total time can range widely, a good rule of thumb is:
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Small legs (1 lb or less): Minimum 45 mins, up to 1.5 hours
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Large legs (1.5 lbs or more): Minimum 1 hour, up to 2.5 hours
Follow the visual and temperature cues in the steps below to determine when your stove-top turkey legs are done.
Step-by-Step Cooking Guide
Follow these steps for perfect turkey legs off the stove:
1. Prep the Turkey Legs
Rinse legs and pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt, pepper and spice rub or herbs of choice.
2. Sear the Legs
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add legs and brown well on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
- Browning adds tons of flavor!
3. Simmer the Legs
- Add 1-2 cups broth, wine or water. Liquid should come halfway up legs.
- Add aromatics – onion, garlic, herbs, etc.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Cover and let legs simmer until fork tender. This is the longest part of the process.
4. Check for Doneness
- After 45 minutes to 1 hour, start checking legs every 15 minutes.
- Meat should start shrinking back from the bones.
- Insert a fork – turkey should be very tender and easy to pierce.
- For shredding, cook until meat is falling off the bone.
- For intact legs, cook until fork tender and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
5. Remove Legs and Make Sauce
- Transfer legs to a platter to rest.
- Make sauce from strained cooking liquid.
6. Serve and Enjoy!
The resting time allows juices to redistribute for super moist, flavorful turkey! Dig in!
Tips for the Best Results
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Maintain a gentle simmer – high heat can cause overcooking.
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Use a tight-fitting lid to lock in steam and moisture.
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Baste legs every 30 minutes with cooking liquid.
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Add more liquid if pan gets dry.
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Let legs rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
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Carve away skin if desired – it gets nicely crispy!
Sample Cooking Times
To give you a better idea, here are some approximate cooking times:
- Small legs (12 oz): 50 mins – 1 hr 15 mins
- Medium legs (1.25 lbs): 1 hr 10 mins – 1 hr 30 mins
- Large legs (1.5 lbs): 1 hr 30 mins – 1 hr 45 mins
- X-large legs (2 lbs): 1 hr 45 mins – 2 hrs 15 mins
Remember, use a meat thermometer and visual cues to determine when your particular stove-top turkey legs are done to your liking.
Delicious Turkey Leg Recipes for the Stove
Once you’ve mastered the basic technique, try these delicious flavor twists:
- Honey Garlic Turkey Legs
- Soy Glazed Asian Turkey Legs
- Spicy Cajun Turkey Legs
- Maple Mustard Turkey Legs
- Moroccan Spiced Turkey Legs
The possibilities are endless! Adjust cooking times as needed.
Learning how long to cook turkey legs on the stove top – typically 1 to 2 hours – lets you enjoy juicy, fork-tender meat anytime without turning on the oven. Follow the tips above for best results. Experiment with flavors, adjust cooking times as you go, and use both temperature and visual cues to determine doneness. In no time, you’ll be a pro at making melt-in-your-mouth turkey legs on the stove!
Why you will love this recipe?
- Simple: A basic recipe for cooking turkey drumsticks. Brown and simmer for a short time on the stove, then move to the oven.
- Budget recipe using just a few simple ingredients. The drumsticks are a lot less expensive than a whole turkey, and all of the other ingredients are also very cheap. A delicious Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner without overstretching your budget.
- Great for a small family. You can change how much of the recipe you use.
- Gravy included.
- Turkey drumsticks: large ones weighing about 1 lb/500 g each.
- Onion, garlic, carrots, celeriac (or two to three celery sticks, depending on size), bell pepper, and celeriac. The legs will be fried and put on top of the vegetables. You will also need them to make the gravy.
- Stock: I use homemade turkey stock most of the time. You can use store-bought or homemade chicken stock, but if you buy it, make sure it’s low-sodium so your food doesn’t taste too salty.
- Spices: salt, ground black pepper, sweet paprika.
- Other ingredients: vegetable oil and one tablespoon of tomato paste.
- Large ovenproof pot with a lid. It would be best to use a Dutch oven, but any heavy-bottomed pot will do.
- To prepare the turkey, pat the drumsticks dry with kitchen paper and sprinkle them with a lot of salt, pepper, and sweet paprika powder.
- To brown and simmer, heat the oil in a Dutch oven or another large dish that can go in the oven. Brown the meat on all sides (2).
- Simmer: Put in 1 cup of chicken stock, cover, and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/ 200 degrees Celsius.
- Prepare vegetables while the drumsticks are simmering. Whisk the tomato paste in the remaining ¼ cup stock. Add both to the pot. Cover the pot (3).
- Bake covered for 35 minutes.
- Cover the meat and bake it for about 10 minutes, or until the skin is golden and the meat reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit (77 degrees Celsius).
- Move the meat to a big plate and set it aside for 15 minutes. In the meantime, make the gravy.
How to make the gravy?
- Take out about ⅓ of the vegetables and set them aside.
- Blend the remaining veggies until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper, but only if necessary. You might not need to add anything else if the stock was already salty.
Braised Turkey legs Just three easy steps
FAQ
How do you know when a turkey leg is done?
Why do turkey legs take longer to cook?