Best Soy Simmered Turkey Legs Recipes

BROWN SUGAR-SOY TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• For the brine: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart water to a boil. Add the salt, ginger, peppercorns and star anise, if using. Turn the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Pour into a large container with 1 quart orange juice and 2 quarts water and stir well. Add the turkey legs and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight (no more than 18 hours).
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Remove the turkey legs from the brine and place on the prepared baking sheet. Mix together the remaining cup orange juice and 1 cup water and pour into the pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
• For the glaze: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the brown sugar with 1 cup water, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sugar begins to melt. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until the caramel begins to bubble, about 4 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the soy sauce 1/4 cup at a time (the caramel will bubble and steam, so keep it at an arm's distance and allow it to calm down between additions). Stir in the fish sauce, scallion whites, garlic and jalapenos. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce comes to a simmer. Remove the foil from the turkey legs. Baste the turkey legs with half of the caramel sauce, flipping the legs over to coat both sides, and bake for another 20 minutes. Repeat the process with the remainder of the sauce, and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg registers 165 degrees F, about 15 more minutes. Remove to a serving dish and cover with foil, then allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with the scallion greens.

ROASTED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. rinse the turkey legs and pat dry.
• Stand the turkey legs upright (as if 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 lightly with salt. Lay the leges in a roasting pan.
• Roast uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until legs are golden brown and the internal temperature is 180 degrees F when taken with a meat thermometer. Add more water if needed while roasting and baste occasionally with the juices or butter.

EASY ROASTED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• In a large bowl pour in all of the Turkey Broth/Stock (Could also be Chicken Stock) and marinate the uncooked Turkey Legs overnight, or at least 3 hours, in the refrigerator.
• After 3-8 hours in the refrigerator, take a large roasting pan with a wire rack, remove the refrigerated legs from the bowl of broth---use tongs and place directly on the roasting rack/pan. Sprinkle generous amount of salt, black pepper, and onion powder on each leg. Spread foil across the top of the roasting pan to keep the legs covered while roasting in a pre-heated 350F oven.
• Meanwhile, melt a stick of butter in a saucepan---until it's liquified.
• 8 legs usually take about 1hour and 45 minutes to fully cook. The legs need to be turned/flipped with tongs, basted (brushed with the melted butter) and then re-seasoned with just the onion powder and black pepper--- every 20 minutes during roasting.
• Turkey legs are usually done after insterting a meat thermometer that registers 175F in the thickest part of the leg, however, they do keep cooking even after they're removed from the oven.
• The cooked turkey pan juices and drippings are usually used to flavor gravy and stuffing.