How to Reheat a Juicy Turkey Leg in an Air Fryer

The holidays often leave us with a bounty of delicious leftovers, including the quintessential roast turkey. While the bird itself often gets top billing, let’s not overlook another holiday favorite – the mouthwatering turkey leg. With its crispy skin enveloping tender, succulent meat, a turkey leg can be the pièce de résistance of any holiday spread.

But like any leftover proper storage and reheating is key to preserving that straight-from-the-oven quality we all crave. An air fryer can be a handy reheating tool to keep your turkey legs tasting their absolute best. Here’s a complete guide to reheating turkey legs in an air fryer so you can keep enjoying those flavorful leftovers.

Benefits of Using an Air Fryer for Reheating Turkey Legs

An air fryer offers several advantages when reheating turkey legs

• Crispy skin – The high heat and airflow of an air fryer is perfect for recrisping the skin, restoring that satisfying crunch.

• Speed – Air fryers reheat food very quickly, meaning you can enjoy those leftover turkey legs in just minutes. No need for extended oven preheating.

• Moist meat – The air fryer seals in moisture, so the turkey meat stays tender and juicy.

• More flavor – Turkey legs develop even more roasted flavor during the air fryer reheating process.

• Food safety – The air fryer heats food thoroughly and evenly, eliminating bacteria.

Step-by-Step Guide to Reheating Turkey Legs in an Air Fryer

Follow these simple steps for perfect turkey legs every time:

1. Prep the Turkey Legs

• If refrigerated, allow turkey legs to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before reheating.

• Pat turkey legs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Moisture can cause steaming instead of crisping.

• Rub or brush a small amount of oil over the skin to enhance crispiness.

2. Preheat Air Fryer

• Preheating is a must for good results. Set air fryer temperature to 350°F.

• Allow 3-5 minutes for preheating.

3. Cook Turkey Legs

• Place turkey legs in air fryer basket in a single layer, without overcrowding.

• Cook for 5-7 minutes at 350°F. Adjust time as needed based on size of legs.

• Flip legs halfway through for even cooking.

4. Check Temperature

• Internal temperature should reach 165°F. Insert a meat thermometer into thickest part.

• If needed, cook 1-2 minutes longer, checking frequently to avoid overcooking.

5. Let Sit and Enjoy

• Let turkey legs rest for 5 minutes before serving.

• The skin should be crispy, the meat juicy and flavorful.

• Dig in and enjoy!

Handy Tips for Reheating Turkey Legs

• For extra crispy skin, let turkey legs air dry in the fridge uncovered overnight before reheating. Pat dry before cooking.

• For added flavor, rub with a spice blend before reheating. Cajun seasoning gives a nice kick.

• If reheating multiple legs, work in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.

• Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness instead of cutting into the legs.

• For moist leftovers, store turkey legs with broth or gravy in an airtight container.

• Turkey legs can be safely reheated in the air fryer up to 3-4 days after cooking.

Common Air Fryer Reheating Mistakes

When using an air fryer to reheat turkey legs, avoid these common pitfalls:

• Not patting turkey legs dry before air frying. Excess moisture prevents crisping.

• Overcrowding the basket. Too many legs prevents even cooking.

• Not preheating air fryer properly. Food won’t heat evenly.

• Cooking at too high temperature. Can dry out turkey meat.

• Not checking internal temperature. Risks unsafe consumption.

• Not allowing legs to rest before serving. Juices won’t be redistributed.

Alternative Ways to Reheat Turkey Legs

While air fryers work wonderfully, other reheating methods include:

• Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat turkey legs on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes.

• Grill: Gets the skin extra crispy. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, flipping occasionally.

• Microwave: Fast option but skin won’t crisp. Heat for 2-3 minutes on 50% power.

• Sous vide: Keeps meat very moist. Immerse bagged legs in 140°F water for 1 hour.

• Slow cooker: Cook on low for 2-3 hours, adding some broth. Shred for sandwiches.

Serving Your Reheated Turkey Legs

Leftover turkey legs deserve to be more than just late night snacks. Here are some fun ways to serve reheated turkey legs:

• On a hearty sandwich with stuffing and cranberry sauce.

• Diced up in turkey noodle or rice soup.

• Paired with mashed potatoes and gravy for an easy meal.

• Chopped and tossed with barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomatoes for a chopped turkey salad.

• Sliced thin and added to a breakfast hash with potatoes and veggies.

• Shredded and mixed into casseroles, pot pies or turkey tetrazzini.

With proper reheating, you can keep enjoying leftover turkey legs in all sorts of delicious ways. Follow these air fryer tips for the crispiest, juiciest and safest turkey legs every time.