This Turkey Legs Recipe skips the fuss of roasting a whole turkey. Just a few turkey legs, a handful of vegetables, and one pan come together to give you juicy meat and a rich homemade gravy. You've got all the flavor of a classic roast turkey dinner, but without the need to cook a huge bird. And you skip the classic problem of dry white meat while the dark meat finishes catching up.
It's perfect for a small Thanksgiving gathering. Dark meat lovers will love it too. You get juicy, fall-off-the-bone turkey without carving a whole bird.
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I make this slow-roasted turkey leg recipe any time of the year, as long as I can find turkey legs, drumsticks, or thighs. They are perfect for a family Sunday lunch as well as for special gatherings such as Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving.
And the leftovers are perfect for making scrumptious Turkey Shepherd's Pie or Leftover Turkey Pot Pie.
Why This Recipe Works?
- This turkey leg recipe takes very little hands-on effort, and you get a rich homemade turkey gravy from the pan drippings.
- It's sized for 2 to 3 people, but you can easily double or triple it using the button on the recipe card for bigger gatherings.
- It's perfect if you prefer dark meat over a traditional whole roasted turkey.
- The low and slow roasting gives you crispy skin and juicy meat every time.
- Turkey legs cost a lot less than a whole turkey, and there's no brining or trussing involved, so you can go from fridge to oven in minutes.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Turkey leg(s) - You can use drumsticks, thighs, or a whole leg for this recipe. If using a whole turkey leg, add an extra 45 minutes to 1 hour to the cooking time, and make sure that the piece comfortably fits into the dish you are using.
- Vegetables - I use a mixture of roughly chopped celery, onions, carrots, and a whole head of garlic, cut in half, to place on my turkey leg and also as a flavoring for the turkey gravy.
- Flavorings - I keep the seasoning and flavoring simple: salt - pepper, bay leaves, and thyme. You can add other flavorings such as lemon, rosemary, sage, paprika, cayenne, or chili.
- Stock - The best option is to use homemade Chicken Bone Broth, or turkey stock for the gravy. However, you can use good quality shop-bought low-sodium stock or stock cubes if that's what you have in hand.
How To Slow Roast Turkey Legs?
Roast the Turkey Leg
Preheat the oven to 180° C (360° F). Pat dry the turkey leg with a kitchen towel, rub it with half of the salt and pepper, and set it aside.
Prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion and cut it into 5-6 wedges. Peel and cut the carrot into chunks. Wash the celery stick and cut it into 4-5 pieces. Cut the garlic head in half. Place the vegetables along with the bay leaves and thyme in your baking dish. Sprinkle on the rest of the salt and pepper, and give them a good stir.
Pour 1 cup (250 ml) chicken or turkey stock over the vegetables and place the turkey leg(s) on top of the vegetables.
Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and roast the turkey for 40 minutes. Reduce the heat to 150° C (300° F) and keep roasting the turkey for another 2 hours, or until the meat is fork tender.
Flip it halfway through the cooking. When the turkey meat is cooked, remove it from the baking dish, wrap it in tin foil, and leave it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes while preparing the gravy.
Prepare the Gravy
To make the gravy, skim most of the fat from the juice of the roasted turkey and place the baking dish on medium-low heat. Add 1 cup (250 ml) of chicken or turkey stock and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan.
Let the gravy bubble for 15 minutes, pass it through a fine sieve, and transfer it into a small saucepan.
Place the saucepan on medium heat, and bring it back to a boil. Make a slurry with 1 tablespoon (8 g) of cornflour and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of cold water, and add it to the gravy, whisking continuously to avoid the gravy getting lumpy. Add any juices from the resting turkey, and then cook for about 5 more minutes.
Serve the turkey meat with your favorite side dishes and the delicious homemade turkey gravy!
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Pat dry the turkey leg with a kitchen towel before seasoning it to achieve a crispy skin.
- Flip the turkey leg halfway through the cooking.
- The cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken leg and the efficiency of your oven. The turkey drumstick I used for this recipe weighs 1 kilo (2.2 pounds). Allow extra time for larger pieces and cook them until they are fork-tender.
- Leave the roasted turkey meat to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving to allow the meat fibers to relax and juices to redistribute. Cutting the meat without resting will result in a tougher chew.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe if you’d like to feed a larger crowd.
Serving Suggestions
This turkey leg is right at home on a holiday table, but it's easy enough for a regular Sunday dinner too. Here are a few ideas for what to serve alongside it.
- For a classic holiday plate: Swede and Carrot Mash, Gluten-Free Yorkshire Puddings, and Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice round out a classic Thanksgiving or Christmas spread.
- To soak up the gravy: Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes or Potatoes au Gratin - Dauphinoise Potatoes are perfect for mopping up every last bit.
- For a pop of color and sweetness: Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips pair beautifully with the savory turkey.
- For a lighter side: Baked Cheesy Cauliflower balances out the richness of the gravy.
- As a starter while the turkey rests: Homemade Mini Pigs in a Blanket keep everyone happy.
- For an easy weeknight version: skip the fuss and just serve it with Crispy Sauté Potatoes With Garlic, Pomme Purée - Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Austrian Potato Salad, Turkish Rice, Beetroot Salad, or Lebanese Fattoush Salad.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Let the turkey cool completely before storing. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen turkey overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat, place the turkey in an oven-proof dish, cover it, and warm it in a 180°C (360°F) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until heated through. For smaller portions, a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of stock works well too, and keeps the meat from drying out. The microwave will work in a pinch, but the skin tends to turn rubbery.
Leftover turkey doesn't have to be reheated plain. Shred it and stir it into soup, toss it through a salad, or use it in Turkey Shepherd's Pie or Leftover Turkey Pot Pie.
Recipe FAQs
Your turkey legs are tough because you probably didn't cook them long enough. Turkey legs, especially the drumsticks require low and slow cooking, the same as lamb shoulder or beef cheeks. You need to cook them long enough until the muscle fibers relax and become tender.
Turkey legs are safe to eat at 165°F (74°C). Since the legs have more connective tissue than the breast, cooking them to 175 to 180°F (79 to 82°C) gives more tender, fall-off-the-bone meat. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part, without touching the bone, to check.
Yes, but thaw them completely in the refrigerator first, which usually takes 24 to 48 hours depending on size. Cooking from frozen gives uneven results and the meat may not reach a safe temperature evenly throughout.
Related Recipes
For more delicious Thanksgiving recipes why not try:
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I hope you enjoy the process of making this juicy Slow Roasted Turkey Legs With Gravy recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Turkey Legs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 turkey drumstick (2.2 - 2.6 pounds/1 kg - 1.2 kg)
- 1 head garlic
- 1 large onion
- ½ stick celery
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup chicken stock or turkey stock
For The Gravy
- 1 cup chicken stock or turkey stock
- 1 tablespoon corn flour
- 2 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180° C (360° F).
- Pat dry the turkey leg with a kitchen towel, rub it with half of the salt and pepper, and set it aside.
- Prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion and cut it into 5-6 wedges. Peel and cut the carrot into chunks. Wash the celery stick and cut it into 4-5 pieces. Cut the garlic head in half.
- Place the vegetables along with the bay leaves and thyme in your baking dish. Sprinkle on the rest of the salt and pepper, and give them a good stir.
- Pour 1 cup (250 ml) chicken or turkey stock on the vegetables and place the turkey leg(s) on top of the vegetables.
- Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and roast the turkey for 40 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 150° C (300° F) and keep roasting the turkey for another 2 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Flip it halfway through the cooking. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part, without touching the bone; it should read at least 165°F (74°C), or 175 to 180°F (79 to 82°C) for more tender meat.
- When the turkey meat is cooked, remove it from the baking dish, wrap in tin foil, and leave it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes while preparing the gravy.
- To make the gravy, skim most of the fat from the juice of the roasted turkey and place the baking dish on medium-low heat. Add 1 cup (250 ml) of chicken or turkey stock and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Let the gravy bubble for 15 minutes, pass it through a fine sieve, and transfer it into a small saucepan.
- Place the saucepan on medium heat, and bring it back to a boil.
- Make a slurry with 1 tablespoon (8 g) of cornflour and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of cold water, and add it to the gravy, whisking continuously to avoid the gravy getting lumpy.
- Add any juices from the resting turkey and then cook for about 5 more minutes.
Notes
- Pat dry the turkey leg with a kitchen towel before seasoning it to achieve a crispy skin.
- Flip the turkey leg halfway through the cooking.
- The cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken leg and the efficiency of your oven. The turkey drumstick I used for this recipe weighs 1 kilo (2.2 pounds). Allow extra time for larger pieces and cook them until they are fork-tender.
- Leave the roasted turkey meat to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving to allow the meat fibers to relax and juices to redistribute. Cutting the meat without resting will result in a tougher chew.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe if you’d like to feed a larger crowd.
- Turkey legs are safe at 165°F (74°C), but cooking them to 175 to 180°F (79 to 82°C) breaks down more connective tissue for a more tender, fall-off-the-bone result.
- As a rough timing guide: a 700 to 800 g (1.5 to 1.75 lb) piece is usually done in about 2 hours total at these temperatures, a 1 kg (2.2 lb) piece takes about 2 hours 40 minutes, and larger 1.2 to 1.4 kg (2.6 to 3 lb) pieces can take up to 3 hours. Always confirm doneness with a thermometer rather than the clock.
- If the gravy turns out too thin, mix another small slurry of cornflour and cold water and simmer it in for a few minutes. If it's too thick, whisk in a splash more stock.
- No fresh thyme or bay leaves on hand? Dried herbs work too. Use about a third of the amount, since dried herbs are more concentrated.
- Cool the turkey completely before storing. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen turkey overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it gently in a covered dish so it doesn’t dry out.
Laverne says
Giving this a try right now. You didn't mention a lid so I assume I do not need one. 🙏.
Ayla Clulee says
Hi Laverne, you don't need a lid. I hope you enjoy it!
Best wishes
Ayla
Lucy says
I followed your instructions to make the turkey legs fit thanksgiving. They were perfect! I’m making them again for Christmas.
Ayla Clulee says
Lovely to hear that Lucy!
Best Wishes
Ayla
Max says
This was so delicious, best turkey I ever cooked! Incredibly moist and tasty. This will definitely be on my thanksgiving menu.