Best Jerk Turkey Legs Recipes

ROASTED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse the turkey legs and pat dry.
• Stand the turkey legs upright (as if the turkey were standing). Press a knife downward into the deep tissue, creating 2 or 3 long pockets. Press a piece of celery into each opening. Pull back the skin on the legs, rub with butter, and season with a little salt. Put the skin back into place, rub with more butter, and season lightly with salt. Lay the legs in a roasting pan.
• Roast uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the legs are golden brown and the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (82 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Add more water if needed while roasting, and baste occasionally with the juices or butter.

JERK TURKEY

Steps:

• Brining - helps to keep the turkey moist during cooking.
• - Pour water into a pan or bucket.
• - Squeeze limes into water and leave the remains in the water.
• - Add salt.
• - Stir to dissolve salt.
• - Place turkey, neck and livers in mixture for 8-12 hours.
• Marinade.
• - Combine the seasonings below overnight before rubbing on the turkey.
• - Combine 3/4 jerk seasoning, soya sauce, pimento, cumin, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and butter.
• - Mix together into a paste.
• - Set aside 2 tablespoons of the mixture.
• - Remove turkey from brine and dispose of brine.
• - Rinse turkey lightly with fresh water.
• - Take 1/4 cup the butter marinade and rub directly on each turkey breast underneath the skin (this helps to keep the seasoning on the breast and ensures it is flavourful and moist).
• - Repeat this process for the thighs under the skin.
• - Rub remaining mixture on the outside of the turkey on top of the skin, front and back.
• - Put turkey, neck, and livers in a plastic bag tied tight to keep the marinade from leaking out. You may want to wrap it in a couple of bags and place in a bowl or foil tin to prevent leaks in the fridge.
• - Place turkey in fridge for 24-48 hours to marinate. Half way though your marinating time flip the turkey onto its breast so that the marinade isn't sitting just at the bottom of the bag.
• - When you are ready to cook, take the remaining 2 tablespoons of marinade and add thyme, rosemary, onions, carrots and orange.
• - Use this mixture to stuff the turkey (this helps to season the turkey during cooking).
• Cooking.
• - Pre-heat oven to 375 - 400 degrees (depending on your oven) - average 20 mins/1 lb of turkey.
• - Place turkey in roasting pan.
• - Pour 1 cup chicken broth around the edged of the pan - this helps to ensure there is enough juice to baste the turkey.
• - Put turkey in oven, covered with tin foil ('tented') so not too tight so foil sticks to the skin.
• - Baste turkey approximately every 30 minutes.
• - Leave turkey tented while cooking until the final 30 minutes of cooking, then remove foil.
• - Internal temperature of the breast should be 175 degrees when cooked - I highly recommend you use an oven safe one, that can stay in the turkey while you cook.
• - If you don't have a thermometer, when the cooking time has elapsed, make a cut between the thigh and the breast and look at the juice that's released - It will be clear when cooked. If the juice is at all pink or red, put the turkey back in the oven.
• - TIP: Another good test is to check the turkey neck that was cooking in the pan. If the meat on the neck is falling off the bone with ease, that's a good sign.
• Gravy.
• - Take 1 cup of the pan juices out of roasting pan and set aside.
• - Take 3 tablespoons of the vegetable stuffing out of roasting pan - (onions, carrots, thyme - TIP: Do not include orange as peel will make gravy bitter.
• - In a blender, combine the vegetables and 1 cup chicken broth.
• - Blend the vegetables into a puree.
• - Optional - for extra flavour add the cooked turkey liver to the blender with the vegetables to puree.
• - In a sauce pan combine the puree with 1 cup chicken broth and ½ cup orange juice and bring to a boil.
• - Slowly add ½ cup of the pan drippings. Taste mixture to ensure it is not too salty or spicy.
• - Add more pan drippings until it reaches a taste you prefer.
• - In a separate cup mix the cornstarch and 1/2 cup water until cornstarch is fully melted and pours easily.
• - Pour cornstarch mixture into the gravy, slowly and continue stirring until thickened. If the gravy is too salty or thick add more water as needed.

COUNTY FAIR TURKEY LEGS WITH SWEET AND SPICY BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• For the turkey legs: Set the turkey legs on a baking sheet and wrap the bone end with foil. Mix the paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt, thyme, garlic powder and pepper together in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the turkey legs liberally. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Roast the turkey legs until golden brown with an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, 40 to 45 minutes. Turn the oven to the broil setting. Brush the legs with the honey and return to the oven to broil until the skin is caramelized, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• For the sweet and spicy BBQ sauce: Meanwhile, mix the BBQ sauce, honey, hot sauce and soy sauce together in a bowl. Serve alongside the turkey legs.

JERK TURKEY TENDERLOINS

Steps:

• Sprinkle tenderloins with seasoned salt. Combine the oil, rosemary, jerk seasoning and brown sugar. Rub over tenderloins. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 7-9 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the salsa ingredients. Serve with turkey. Freeze option: Season turkey as directed. Transfer to a resealable plastic freezer bag; freeze. To use, completely thaw in refrigerator. Broil tenderloins and prepare salsa as directed.