Miguel (my DH of over 17 years) tells me that in college he
and BIL used to roast turkey legs for a cheap and yummy meal,
and he's got a hankering for it this week. He doesn't remember
his method and my only experience beyond roasting a whole bird
was one disasterous Thanksgiving when I baked a turkey hindquarter
and got beautiful brown rubber as a result. That was a long time
ago, so I don't remember all of the details. I just recall using
a shallow ceramic coated baking pan, basting the turkey with some
butter and S&P, covering it with foil, and cooking it (not sure
of the tempurature, might have been 350) until the meat thermometer
said it was done. It was waaaay too chewy to eat. Any thoughts on
what I should do differently this time? I'm thinking deeper pan,
lower temp, longer cooking time...


--
"Little Malice" is Jani in WA
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

"Little Malice" > wrote in message
...
> Miguel (my DH of over 17 years) tells me that in college he
> and BIL used to roast turkey legs for a cheap and yummy meal,
> and he's got a hankering for it this week. He doesn't remember
> his method and my only experience beyond roasting a whole bird
> was one disasterous Thanksgiving when I baked a turkey hindquarter
> and got beautiful brown rubber as a result. That was a long time
> ago, so I don't remember all of the details. I just recall using
> a shallow ceramic coated baking pan, basting the turkey with some
> butter and S&P, covering it with foil, and cooking it (not sure
> of the tempurature, might have been 350) until the meat thermometer
> said it was done. It was waaaay too chewy to eat. Any thoughts on
> what I should do differently this time? I'm thinking deeper pan,
> lower temp, longer cooking time...
>
>
> --
> "Little Malice" is Jani in WA
> ~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

If I were to try cooking a turkey leg-thigh, assuming that's what you meant,
I would do one of two things.
Barbecue, browning the skin at a relatively high temp, and then roasting
slowly and indirectly over a drip pan to an internal temp. of 185, as you
would with a whole turkey. Use the pan drippings as the foundation for your
sauce. I always have turkey stock from the last turkey on hand to help with
this.
The second method, and somewhat more interesting would be to braise the
leg-thigh just as you would when making a coq au vin. You could make quite
an interesting dish with that.
I haven't tried either but I may.

Kent

Little Malice wrote:
> Miguel (my DH of over 17 years) tells me that in college he
> and BIL used to roast turkey legs for a cheap and yummy meal,
> and he's got a hankering for it this week. He doesn't remember
> his method and my only experience beyond roasting a whole bird
> was one disasterous Thanksgiving when I baked a turkey hindquarter
> and got beautiful brown rubber as a result. That was a long time
> ago, so I don't remember all of the details. I just recall using
> a shallow ceramic coated baking pan, basting the turkey with some
> butter and S&P, covering it with foil, and cooking it (not sure
> of the tempurature, might have been 350) until the meat thermometer
> said it was done. It was waaaay too chewy to eat. Any thoughts on
> what I should do differently this time? I'm thinking deeper pan,
> lower temp, longer cooking time...
>
>


That should have worked, especially since it was covered with foil.
Next time, try cooking at about 275 for a long time. 350 probably
cooked it too quickly.

I cook turkeys in a Nesco Bigass electric roaster until they start to
fall apart. They always turn out moist and tasty. Very long and slow
roasting, covered, is the trick. It works for just about any tough cut
of meat.

Bob

I bone them out and roll them up & tie(drumstick and thigh are boned as
one). However you do lose flavour as the bone is no longer present. I
roast very slowly with a bit of liquid in pan. 250F. Brown them off first
if you like. I always do so I don't know how brown they'd be if you didn't
brown them off. When they're boned out prior to roasting and tied and
allowed to rest they slice very nicely.

One time on Usenet, zxcvbob > said:
> Little Malice wrote:

<snip>

> > I just recall using
> > a shallow ceramic coated baking pan, basting the turkey with some
> > butter and S&P, covering it with foil, and cooking it (not sure
> > of the tempurature, might have been 350) until the meat thermometer
> > said it was done. It was waaaay too chewy to eat. Any thoughts on
> > what I should do differently this time? I'm thinking deeper pan,
> > lower temp, longer cooking time...

> That should have worked, especially since it was covered with foil.
> Next time, try cooking at about 275 for a long time. 350 probably
> cooked it too quickly.

You're probably right, and back then I still thought hotter and
faster were better, so I could have had the oven even as high as
400! This was at least 7-8 years ago (I remember that DS was just
a toddler at the time), and while I was aware of RFC, I didn't
have as much time to spend on Usenet as I do now. A few years of
hanging with you guys has taught me the value of "low and slow".

> I cook turkeys in a Nesco Bigass electric roaster until they start to
> fall apart. They always turn out moist and tasty. Very long and slow
> roasting, covered, is the trick. It works for just about any tough cut
> of meat.

I have a turkey roaster, can't recall the brand offhand (and I'm
too lazy to go look). I used it once for Thanksgiving, for a whole
bird, but the drippings burned in the bottom and ruined my gravy.
I've done a bird or two in the regular oven since then, and a couple
of years ago we switched to deep frying them. I need to try my
roaster again, and drop in my oven thermometer so my goodies don't
get burned.

Thanks for the advice Bob (and Jeff). I plan to try just legs or
hindquarters and/or a wing or two, later this week. I'll let you
know how it turns out... :-)


--
"Little Malice" is Jani in WA
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

In article >,
unge (Little Malice) wrote:

> Miguel (my DH of over 17 years) tells me that in college he
> and BIL used to roast turkey legs for a cheap and yummy meal,
> and he's got a hankering for it this week. He doesn't remember
> his method and my only experience beyond roasting a whole bird
> was one disasterous Thanksgiving when I baked a turkey hindquarter
> and got beautiful brown rubber as a result. That was a long time
> ago, so I don't remember all of the details. I just recall using
> a shallow ceramic coated baking pan, basting the turkey with some
> butter and S&P, covering it with foil, and cooking it (not sure
> of the tempurature, might have been 350) until the meat thermometer
> said it was done. It was waaaay too chewy to eat. Any thoughts on
> what I should do differently this time? I'm thinking deeper pan,
> lower temp, longer cooking time...

I cook these all the time, wings too.
I do it on the stove top and use sort of a braise...

4 turkey legs in a deep, covered, cast iron skillet with a little water
and your choice of chopped mixed veggies. halved carrots, quartered
onions, whole garlic cloves, whole mushrooms and a bit of lemon pepper
with mexican oregano fresh from the herb garden.

Cook on medium heat until the meat is falling off the bones. Usually an
hour or so, tops.

I do chicken parts the same way and sometimes add tomatoes if I want
that flavor combo. :-)
--
Peace, Om

Remove extra . to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

On Mon, 02 Oct 2006 05:46:48 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> wrote:

>In article >,
> unge (Little Malice) wrote:
>
>> Miguel (my DH of over 17 years) tells me that in college he
>> and BIL used to roast turkey legs for a cheap and yummy meal,
>> and he's got a hankering for it this week. He doesn't remember
>> his method and my only experience beyond roasting a whole bird
>> was one disasterous
<snip>>
>I cook these all the time, wings too.
>I do it on the stove top and use sort of a braise...
>
>4 turkey legs in a deep, covered, cast iron skillet with a little water
>and your choice of chopped mixed veggies. halved carrots, quartered
>onions, whole garlic cloves, whole mushrooms and a bit of lemon pepper
>with mexican oregano fresh from the herb garden.
>
>Cook on medium heat until the meat is falling off the bones. Usually an
>hour or so, tops.
>
>I do chicken parts the same way and sometimes add tomatoes if I want
>that flavor combo. :-)

Paula Deen hosted a guest chef Saturday and they braised turkey legs.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._34407,00.html
I'm not fond of legs because of all the cartiledge, but it looked good
so I might try it with thighs if I can find any.

In article >, sf wrote:

> On Mon, 02 Oct 2006 05:46:48 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> > wrote:
>
> >In article >,
> > unge (Little Malice) wrote:
> >
> >> Miguel (my DH of over 17 years) tells me that in college he
> >> and BIL used to roast turkey legs for a cheap and yummy meal,
> >> and he's got a hankering for it this week. He doesn't remember
> >> his method and my only experience beyond roasting a whole bird
> >> was one disasterous
> <snip>>
> >I cook these all the time, wings too.
> >I do it on the stove top and use sort of a braise...
> >
> >4 turkey legs in a deep, covered, cast iron skillet with a little water
> >and your choice of chopped mixed veggies. halved carrots, quartered
> >onions, whole garlic cloves, whole mushrooms and a bit of lemon pepper
> >with mexican oregano fresh from the herb garden.
> >
> >Cook on medium heat until the meat is falling off the bones. Usually an
> >hour or so, tops.
> >
> >I do chicken parts the same way and sometimes add tomatoes if I want
> >that flavor combo. :-)
>
> Paula Deen hosted a guest chef Saturday and they braised turkey legs.
> http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._34407,00.html
> I'm not fond of legs because of all the cartiledge, but it looked good
> so I might try it with thighs if I can find any.

Works well with wings too. :-)
--
Peace, Om

Remove extra . to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

One time on Usenet, unge (Little Malice) said:
> One time on Usenet, zxcvbob > said:
> > Little Malice wrote:

> > > I just recall using
> > > a shallow ceramic coated baking pan, basting the turkey with some
> > > butter and S&P, covering it with foil, and cooking it (not sure
> > > of the tempurature, might have been 350) until the meat thermometer
> > > said it was done. It was waaaay too chewy to eat. Any thoughts on
> > > what I should do differently this time? I'm thinking deeper pan,
> > > lower temp, longer cooking time...
>
> > That should have worked, especially since it was covered with foil.
> > Next time, try cooking at about 275 for a long time. 350 probably
> > cooked it too quickly.
>
> You're probably right, and back then I still thought hotter and
> faster were better, so I could have had the oven even as high as
> 400! This was at least 7-8 years ago (I remember that DS was just
> a toddler at the time), and while I was aware of RFC, I didn't
> have as much time to spend on Usenet as I do now. A few years of
> hanging with you guys has taught me the value of "low and slow".

> Thanks for the advice Bob (and Jeff). I plan to try just legs or
> hindquarters and/or a wing or two, later this week. I'll let you
> know how it turns out... :-)

I finally roasted two turkey thighs last night, along with
mashed potatoes and gravy. Everything turned out wonderfully!
Dropping the cooking temp. and extending the time made a huge
difference. Thanks again for the information... :-)

--
"Little Malice" is Jani in WA
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~