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Turkey drumsticks are a flavorful alternative to chicken. They are best known for their savory dark meat and crispy brown skin. Drumsticks are much easier to prepare than a whole turkey, so they're a great choice for weeknight cooking. Learn how to bake, grill, slow-cook, or boil turkey drumsticks to perfection.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Baking Turkey Drumsticks

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Before you do anything else, switch on your oven. Let it warm up to 350 °F (177 °C) while you prepare your drumsticks.[1]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Grip the skin near the bone and gently peel it toward the top of the drumstick. Don't pull it off entirely; just peel it back, so you can tuck butter and seasonings underneath. [2]
    • Turkey drumsticks are much larger than chicken drumsticks, so you'll only need 1 per person (2 at most).

    Warning: Don’t rinse your turkey legs before cooking them. Rinsing raw turkey won’t remove bacteria effectively, and in fact it could spread harmful germs around your kitchen and increase your chances of getting sick.[3]

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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    This will keep the meat moist while the drumsticks bake. For larger drumsticks, you can use up to 3 tablespoons (42 g) of butter.[4]
    • To make the butter easier to spread, bring it to room temperature before applying it to the turkey.
    • Use olive oil in place of butter if you're calorie conscious.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    With the skin still pulled down, sprinkle salt and pepper all over the turkey legs. For more flavor, try rubbing a tablespoon (about 2-4 g) of chopped herbs onto the buttered turkey meat while the skins are still pulled back. Rosemary, thyme, and sage make great seasonings for turkey.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Stretch the skin back over the meat and rub another 1-3 tablespoons (14-42 g) of butter over the skin of the turkey. This will help the skin crisp up as it bakes.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Use a liberal amount of both salt and pepper to bring out the best in the turkey's flavor.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Use a pan large enough to easily hold all of the legs with no overlap. If you want to catch the drippings, use a metal roasting rack over a drip pan.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Place them in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Turn them over and cook them for another 45 minutes. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. They are ready when the internal temperature reaches 165 °F (74 °C).[5]
    • To ensure that the turkey stays juicy, you can baste it every 20 minutes with a turkey baster or spoon. Use the drippings as your basting liquid, or baste with extra melted butter.
    • Larger drumsticks may take a total of 2 hours to finish cooking.
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    This gives the juices time to reabsorb into the flesh, making the meat juicy. Serve whole or remove the meat from the bone.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Grilling Turkey Drumsticks

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Turkey drumsticks require almost an hour on the grill, and it's important to maintain a steady heat of about 300 °F (149 °C) so they don't burn or end up undercooked.[6]
    • Use a grill thermometer to test the heat of your grill.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Sprinkle the meat all over with salt and pepper. If you want to add spices and other seasonings, spread mixed spices all over each drumstick to coat the skin. Try these delicious combinations:
    • For hot and spicy drumsticks: combine 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
    • For herb-encrusted drumsticks: combine 1/2 teaspoon (.4 g) dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon (.7 g) dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Lay them on a part of the grill that isn't getting a stream of direct heat, since this will cook them too quickly.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    This will ensure they cook evenly on all sides. Keep going as each side turns golden brown and crispy.[7]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. The drumsticks are ready when the internal temperature reaches 180 °F (82 °C).
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Using a Slow Cooker

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Use as many drumsticks as you can fit in your slow cooker. Since the skin won't get crispy in the slow cooker, it's best to remove it before cooking.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper on each of the drumsticks to enhance their flavor as they cook.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Since the drumsticks are so large, you might have trouble fitting more than 2. You can lop off the ends of the bones if necessary.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    The liquid is necessary to flavor the turkey and help it cook evenly and slowly in the slow cooker. Fill up the slow cooker until the turkey legs are completely submerged.[8]
    • For extra flavor, add a packet of onion soup mix to the pot.
    • Or add the following: 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) pepper, and 1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Plan ahead so you can time the drumsticks to be ready for your dinnertime.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Transfer the drumsticks to a plate or other heat-proof surface and allow them to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    The turkey meat is delicious served with your favorite sauce over noodles or rice. You can also add it to a casserole or soup.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Boiling Turkey Legs

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Make sure it's big enough to comfortably hold all of the drumsticks you want to cook.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Fill the pot to within a few inches of the top of the rim, rather than right up to the edge. The drumsticks should be completely submerged.[9]
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Add a teaspoon (6 g) of salt, a half teaspoon (1 g) of pepper, and any other seasonings you desire. The seasoned water will penetrate the turkey meat to flavor it as it cooks.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then reduce it slightly to a low boil that won't splash. After an hour, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. The turkey legs are ready when the internal temperature reaches 180 °F (82 °C).[10]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Pour them over a colander to drain out the water, then let the meat cool for about 10 minutes before you try to handle it.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Turkey Drumsticks
    Be careful to make sure small bones are removed. Use the meat to make barbecue, soup, or a casserole.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I braise turkey legs?
    Jennifer Levasseur
    Jennifer Levasseur
    Personal Chef
    Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College.
    Jennifer Levasseur
    Personal Chef
    Expert Answer
    You can follow the same instructions as you would for coq au vin, but instead, sub in turkey legs. This ensures you have delicious, fall-off-the-bone turkey meat.
  • Question
    When temperature do I bake it in a fan oven?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    If there is only a conventional baking temperature and no fan forced temperature, fan forced will be about 20 degrees less than whatever the conventional temperature is, so if it says bake in a conventional oven at 400 degrees, it'll be 380 degrees for fan-forced ovens.
  • Question
    How long do I cook frozen turkey legs?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Thaw before cooking so that you can reach the proper safe internal temperature. Thawing overnight in the fridge is the safest method for poultry, but if you need to you can also thaw the legs in a bowl of cold water.
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Warnings

  • Don’t rinse raw turkey, since doing so could spread harmful bacteria around your kitchen. The best way to kill any bacteria in your turkey is to cook it thoroughly.[11]
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Things You'll Need

  • Roasting pan, grill, large stockpot or slow cooker
  • Meat thermometer
  • Turkey baster or large spoon

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about cooking, check out our in-depth interview with Jennifer Levasseur.

About This Article

Jennifer Levasseur
Co-authored by:
Personal Chef
This article was co-authored by Jennifer Levasseur. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. This article has been viewed 635,859 times.
2 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 17
Updated: March 19, 2024
Views: 635,859
Categories: Turkey Dishes
Article SummaryX

To cook turkey drumsticks in the oven, butter and season them underneath and on top of the skin before cooking them for 45 minutes per side in a 350°F oven. Alternatively, you can season them and grill them over indirect heat for 1 hour. Be sure to turn them every 10 minutes to cook them evenly! If you want to boil your drumsticks, instead, just put them in water or chicken broth and boil them for an hour with whatever seasonings you like. To learn how to cook drumsticks in a slow-cooker, scroll down!

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    Nov 26, 2021

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