Go Back
–+ servings
close up round platter with two turkey drumsticks and cooked vegetables.
Print Recipe
4.62 from 13 votes

How to Cook Turkey Drumsticks

Roasted turkey drumsticks, tender meat, crispy skin, and delicious gravy included. Cooking drumsticks in the oven couldn't be easier.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Poultry
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 722kcal
Author: Adina

Ingredients

  • 4 turkey drumsticks Note 1
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 ¼ cup chicken stock divided (Note 2)
  • 1 onion
  • 3 medium carrots
  • 1 large piece of celeriac about 7 oz/ 200 g (Note 3)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 3-4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • sweet paprika powder
  • salt and pepper
  • some parsley

Instructions

Turkey drumsticks:

  • Prepare turkey: Dry the turkey legs with kitchen paper. Sprinkle them generously with salt, pepper, and sweet paprika powder.
  • Brown: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or another large, heavy-bottomed ovenproof dish. Brown the turkey drumsticks on all sides, about 3 minutes on each side.
  • Simmer: Add 1 cup (250 ml) of the stock, cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Preheat oven: In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/ 200 degrees Celsius.
  • Prepare vegetables: Clean and chop the vegetables. Whisk the tomato paste into the remaining chicken stock. Add the vegetables and tomato paste to the pot.
  • Roast covered: Place the pot in the oven and roast for about 35-40 minutes. Baste the drumsticks with the cooking liquid twice while roasting. If necessary, add a bit more chicken stock.
  • Roast uncovered for another 10 minutes to allow the skin to get crispy.
  • Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit/ 77 degrees Celsius (Note 4).
  • Rest meat: Transfer meat to a large platter and let rest for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, make the gravy.

Gravy:

  • Remove about ⅓ of the vegetables from the pan and set them aside.
  • Blend the remaining veggies and adjust the taste with salt and pepper if necessary.
  • Return the reserved vegetables to the sauce, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Notes

  1. Large turkey drumsticks, about 1 lb/ 500 g each.
  2. Chicken or turkey stock. If buying it, it is preferable to use low-sodium stock.
  3. If celeriac is unavailable, use 2-3 celery sticks or replace them with the same parsley root.
  4. The best way to check is with a digital meat thermometer (Amazon affiliate link); this ensures that the meat is safely cooked without being overcooked. Otherwise, make a small cut into one leg close to the bone; the meat should be white, there should be no traces of red anymore.

Nutrition

Serving: 1drumstick with gravy | Calories: 722kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 85g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 297mg | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 1662mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 8652IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 8mg