Try these Slow Cooker Turkey Legs instead of the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. They are very simple to make and come with a homemade sauce that will make them taste even better.
The slow cooker keeps the turkey legs moist and tender, making a hearty meal that the whole family will love. Perfect for Sunday dinners or for a shortcut holiday feast!.
Cooking turkey legs in a crock pot is a fantastic way to make this flavorful and inexpensive cut of meat incredibly moist tender and delicious. With just a few simple ingredients and steps you can transform tough turkey legs into fall-off-the-bone tender meat right in your slow cooker.
Benefits of Cooking Turkey Legs in a Crock Pot
There are several advantages to using a crock pot to cook turkey legs
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Tenderizes the Meat The low slow cooking of the crock pot helps break down the collagen in turkey legs resulting in very tender, juicy meat.
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Infuses Flavor: Seasonings and liquids have hours to permeate the meat, giving you incredibly flavorful turkey legs.
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Hands-Off Cooking: Just throw the ingredients in the crock pot in the morning and let it do all the work. Come home to a house filled with delicious aromas and perfectly cooked turkey legs ready to eat.
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Perfect Portions: Turkey legs are the ideal single-serve portion and cook up just right in the crock pot. No need to deal with a whole turkey.
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Budget-Friendly: Turkey legs are an inexpensive way to enjoy tasty turkey meat. The crock pot further helps tenderize this economical cut.
How to Cook Turkey Legs in the Crock Pot
Cooking turkey legs in the crock pot is simple. Just follow these easy steps:
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Choose 4-6 turkey legs depending on how many you need to serve. Look for legs that are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
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Season the turkey legs generously all over with seasoning of your choice. Good options include salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, thyme and more.
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Pour 1 cup liquid like broth, wine, apple juice or water into the crock pot. This adds moisture and extra flavor.
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Place seasoned legs into crock pot and cook on Low for 7-8 hours. The long cooking time allows the collagen to fully break down.
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Use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature reaches 165°F when done.
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Allow the cooked turkey legs to rest for 10 minutes before serving. The meat will be very tender and juicy!
Tips for the Best Crock Pot Turkey Legs
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Pat the turkey legs dry before seasoning so the seasoning sticks better.
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Rub seasoning under the skin for even more flavor.
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Use boneless legs for more evenly cooked meat.
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Add chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery, herbs and spices to the crock pot for extra flavor.
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Use broth, wine or juice instead of water for more moisture and taste.
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Turn the legs halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.
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Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the leg, avoiding the bone.
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Let the cooked legs rest before carving so juices can redistribute.
Flavorful Seasonings for Turkey Legs
The key to delicious crock pot turkey legs is getting that seasoning right. Here are some tasty seasoning combos to try:
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Poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
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Rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, pepper, olive oil
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Chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, garlic, salt, pepper
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Brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, onion, salt
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Lemon pepper, oregano, thyme, parsley, olive oil
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Jerk seasoning, allspice, thyme, brown sugar, cayenne
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Italian seasoning, fennel, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic
Make a Whole Meal with Turkey Legs
While delicious all on their own, turkey legs can be part of a hearty and healthy whole meal. Pair them with:
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Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
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Stuffing or dressing
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Cranberry sauce
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Roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts, carrots or broccoli
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Dinner rolls
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A fresh green salad
Use the delicious broth left over from cooking the turkey legs as the start of a tasty gravy or soup. You can even use the meat pulled off the bones in recipes like turkey pot pie, enchiladas, sandwiches and more.
Common Questions about Cooking Turkey Legs in a Crock Pot
Should turkey legs be cooked with the bone in or out?
For the most flavor and juiciness, cook turkey legs bone-in. The bones help lend flavor, moisture and gelatin to the meat. Remove bones after cooking.
Do you need to add liquid to the crock pot?
Yes, adding 1 cup of liquid like broth, wine or juice helps keep the turkey legs extra moist and adds great flavor.
How long does it take to cook turkey legs in a crock pot?
Cook on Low setting for 7-8 hours for fall-off-the-bone tender turkey legs. The extended time is needed to properly break down the collagen.
What temperature should turkey legs reach when done?
Cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the leg reaches 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to check doneness.
Can you speed up cooking turkey legs in a crock pot?
Cooking on High for 3-4 hours can reduce the cooking time, but the texture may not be quite as tender. Stick to Low for best results.
Satisfying and Simple Crock Pot Turkey Legs
Cooking turkey legs in the crock pot results in tender, juicy meat with incredible flavor. With just a few minutes of prep in the morning, you can come home to a wonderful home-cooked meal ready to eat. Experiment with different seasonings to find your favorite flavor combinations. This budget-friendly cut truly shines with the low, slow cooking of the crock pot.
About This Recipe
Guys youre going to love this recipe! It is from my Gammy – not Grammy. I am not sure why, but we called my grandmother Gammy. It may have been a carryover from my older cousins, I suppose!.
Gammy wrote down some of her recipes by hand, which I still have with me. It’s cool to see them when I go back to my parents’ house to visit.
There is something so personal about those handwritten recipes. Now that we live in the digital age, I guess we lose some of that. But on the other hand, technology makes it so much easier to share recipes and ideas!
These juicy turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender. After you learn how to cook turkey legs in the crock pot, it will be easy to make this dish for dinner during the week. It’s like having a mini Thanksgiving dinner whenever you want, lol. Especially if you are like me and really appreciate dark meat.
My mom makes turkey legs in the crock pot, but I’ve been cooking whole chicken in the slow cooker for years. I just recently learned that the sauce was a recipe from my grandmother!
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Feel free to make any changes you want to this crock pot turkey recipe. The slow cooker and barbecue sauce will keep your turkey legs from drying out too quickly.
- If a meat thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the drumstick reads 165 degrees F, the turkey legs are done.
- If you want the skin to be golden brown and crispy, put the turkey legs on a baking sheet and broil them for three to five minutes before the meal.
- In the fridge, leftovers can be kept for two to three days in an airtight container. Don’t forget to add some of the juices for when you reheat!
- Place the leftovers in a casserole dish with a lid and heat them in an oven set to 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until they are very warm. You can also put them in the microwave for one to two minutes at a time and turn the legs every so often, but the oven is the best way to do it.
A meat thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the slow-cooked turkey leg will read 165 degrees when the turkey is done. Put a knife into the thickest part of the cooked meat if you don’t have a meat thermometer. The juices should run clear.
Definitely not! Invest in a good quality instant read meat thermometer. They arent that expensive and youll know your meal is ready to serve to your family.
The USDA does not recommend rinsing poultry before cooking. It can easily spread bacteria. Just pat it dry with paper towels prior to cooking.
