Gammy's recipe for how to cook turkey legs and let me tell you, this meal can't get any easier! Throw some turkey legs in the slow cooker and top them with an easy homemade sauce, and in a few hours you'll be enjoying a delicious dinner!
Update Notes: This post was originally published in October 2013, but was republished with tips and step by step photos in August 2019.
Turkey Legs in Slow Cooker
Guys you're 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)!
My mother still has some of Gammy's recipes, and it is cool when I go back to my parents' house for a visit and see the ones that she wrote out by hand.
There is something so personal about those handwritten recipes. I guess we lose some of that now in the digital age, but the trade-off is that we can exchange recipes and share ideas so much more easily with all the technology!
This turkey is fall-off-the-bone tender! Once you've learned how to cook turkey legs in your crock pot, it will be an easy go-to weeknight meal!
I've been making whole chicken in the slow cooker for years, but my mother makes turkey legs in the crock pot, and I found out recently that the sauce was a recipe from my grandmother!
Crock Pot Turkey Legs
In any case, these turkey legs are SOOOOOO good! I actually had a hard time getting them ready for the photo because the meat was so tender, the legs kept falling apart as I was trying to position them on the plate.
Grocery list for Turkey Drumsticks in Slow Cooker
- turkey drumsticks
- ketchup
- brown sugar
- yellow mustard
- vinegar
- paprika
- salt and pepper
Easy stuff, right? I bet all you will need to pick up are the turkey legs!
Slow Cooking Turkey Legs
How do you know when turkey legs are done?
When the turkey is done, a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the drumstick will register 165 degrees.
If you do not have a meat thermometer, insert a knife into the thickest part of the meat and juices should run clear.
Can you eat undercooked turkey?
Definitely not! Invest in a good quality instant read meat thermometer. They aren't that expensive and you'll know your meal is ready to serve to your family.
Do you rinse turkey before cooking?
The USDA does not recommend rinsing poultry before cooking. It can easily spread bacteria. Just pat it dry with a paper towel prior to cooking.
How do you reheat turkey legs?
You can microwave them, but I'd recommend putting them in a covered casserole dish and reheating them in a preheated oven at 350 until the temp is about 155 degrees.
Of course, that is if you even have leftovers! Thing 2 rated this at 4.5 out of 5 biscuits, which is an extremely high rating. He liked it, yippee!
How to make turkey legs in the crock pot - Step by Step
Step 1.
Place the turkey legs in the crock pot and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Simply add seasoning before the sauce and these crockpot turkey legs are ready to cook!
Step 2.
Combine the ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and paprika in a medium bowl and mix well.
This six ingredient barbecue sauce is quick and easy to make for such an appetizing dish!
Step 3.
Pour the sauce over the turkey legs.
Drizzle this delicious sauce over your turkey legs and they are ready to cook in the crockpot!
Step 4.
Cover and cook on low. Then enjoy!
With this easy recipe, you can have a busy workday and have a scrumptious meal waiting when you get home!
HOW TO COOK TURKEY LEGS PERFECTLY EVERY TIME
- This method is very forgiving, so don't worry! The slow cooker and the barbecue sauce work together so that your turkey legs will not easily dry out.
- The turkey legs are done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the drumstick registers 165 degrees F.
- To get that delicious golden brown crispy skin, place the slow cooked turkey legs on a baking sheet and broil for 3-4 minutes before serving.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Make sure to include some of the juices for when you reheat!
- Reheat the leftovers in a 350 degree F oven in a covered casserole dish along with some of the juices until very warm (20-30 minutes). You can also microwave them for 1-2 minutes at a time, rotating the legs in between, but the oven method will give you the best results.
What can I serve with Crock Pot Turkey Legs?
Now that you know how to cook turkey legs in your slow cooker, what are the best side dishes to serve with them? Here are my suggestions:
- Potato and Grilled Corn Salad - love the crunch that grilled corn gives this salad!
- Boston Baked Beans - always a delicious side dish!
- and bread.... you'll definitely need some bread to sop up all that good sauce, right? Check out Slow Cooker Olive and Parmesan Bread or Crock Pot Garlic Parmesan Bread. Both are super easy and SO GOOD!
- Dessert? Well of course! This Lemonade Pie with a Sugar Cone Crust will have everyone smiling at the end of your meal!
Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
How to Cook Turkey Legs
📋 Recipe Card
How To Cook Turkey Legs: Crock Pot Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 turkey legs
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup brown sugar (loosely packed)
- 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (use regular paprika if you don' have this handy)
Instructions
- Season the turkey legs with salt and pepper and place in the slow cooker.6 turkey legs, salt and pepper
- Combine the ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and paprika in a medium bowl and mix well.1 cup ketchup, ⅓ cup water, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard, 3 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- Pour the sauce over the turkey legs, and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Notes
- Typically there is no need to worry about drying out your turkey legs. The slow cooker and the barbecue sauce work together to keep the meat tender and moist. However, due to differences in slow cooker temperatures, the first time you make this, check your turkey legs at the 6 hours mark to make sure they are not drying out.
- Check doneness with a meat thermometer, It should read 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the drumstick.
- Before serving, you may want to place the slow cooked turkey legs on a baking sheet and broil for 3-4 minutes to get a nice brown color and crispy skin.
- In a hurry? Just use your own premade barbecue sauce, or even store-bought barbecue sauce!
- Store leftovers for a couple of days, along with some of the juices from the crock pot, in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Oven reheating is best. Place the turkey legs with juices in a covered casserole dish in a 350 degree F oven until very warm (20-30 minutes).
- If you need to reheat quickly, you can use the microwave, 1-2 minutes at a time, rotating the legs in between, until warm enough.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Check out my Dizzy Busy and Hungry store on Amazon for other great kitchen products I love!
Happy cooking!
Margo
Haven’t made it yet, but it looks like it will be 5 stars!
If I want to use pre-made bbq sauce, how much do you think I should use for 2 turkey legs? Half a cup? More? Less? Thanks!
Kristin
I would say 1/2 cup. You just need enough to cover both turkey legs. Enjoy!!
Margo
I finally tried it. Since you suggested checking the temperature earlier when cooking 2 legs, I checked at 5 hours. The temperature was already 175 F and the juices ran clear. However, the meat was drier than I expected. Not sure if it was overcooked, or if the loss of the juices was the problem. I’ll try again & check at 4 hours, because the flavor was great 🙂
I don’t suppose you have a solution to losing all the juices? I have this problem with everything that requires a meat thermometer 🙁
Kristin
Sounds like your slow cooker may run hotter than mine. Definitely decrease the cooking time as you said. I totally understand what you mean about the meat thermometer! However, I don't know of another way to check the temperature that's as safe as the meat thermometer. Hopefully once you figure out the best timing for your slow cooker, you won't need to use it anymore.
Laurie Sabol
This looks great! Other than cutting the recipe in thirds, do you have an opinion on just cooking two turkey legs? Cut less time?
Kristin
Yes, I agree, they will probably be done quicker if there are only 2. If you have a meat thermometer, you can start measuring the temperature...I'm thinking at the 5 hour mark (just a guess). Once it reaches 165 degrees, you know it's done! Enjoy!
Kat
Can you use frozen turkey drumsticks? And does that change the time to cook them?
Kristin
I would definitely try using frozen! I don't think it would change the cook time much at all, but just check for doneness before you serve.
Lori
I follow step by step, it's tasty already. It's really hard to the person who do not usually cook like me but thank you for your sharing. I did it!
Kristin
Yay! So glad to hear that! 🙂
Laura
These were good. Just need more seasoning for my taste. Will make again and play around with my seasonings.
Kristin
Glad to hear it! I love when people customize for their tastes. I do that all the time myself, even with my own recipes, lol. Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have a great day! 🙂
Callie
This looks good. I have never had much success with Chicken and Rice but this looks just dandy.
Brian
Looks like a great recipe. About to try it.
I would be so happy if people would put their auto biography at the end of the recipe. That would eliminate having to scroll thru miles of irrelevant text!
Kristin
Hi Brian, thanks for your feedback. I do have a Jump to Recipe button at the top of each post which I encourage you to use if you are in a hurry. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Malissa
This was a very easy and tasty one pot dish! We thoroughly enjoyed it. Will definitely make again and again!
Kristin
Awesome, so glad you liked it! 🙂 Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Anthony Allen
Very good. Great for turkey pieces. We like turkey year 'round, and this recipe will be adapted to a dry barbecue rub this summer. I love crock-pot recipes. When it comes to seasonings, always use your own judgement.
Kristin
Thanks! I'm so glad you like this recipe! 🙂
peggy shreve
How many servings in gammy's crock pot turkey legs?
Why is there so many calories and fat?
Kristin
Hi Peggy, there are 6 servings (1 serving = 1 turkey leg). The nutrition information somehow got skewed, but I have corrected it. Thanks for pointing it out! 🙂
Anthony Allen
Excellent recipe. Makes delicious dip.Thanks for your sharing!