How to Break Down Turkey Legs for Easy Cooking and Eating

Gather Your Tools

Before you start breaking down turkey legs, you'll need a few sharp kitchen knives. A chef's knife and a boning knife will work well. You may also want to have a pair of kitchen shears on hand.

Remove the Drumstick

The first step is to remove the drumstick from the thigh. To do this, use your chef's knife to cut around the joint between the two bones. Once the drumstick is free, you can use your kitchen shears to trim off any excess skin or fat.

Remove the Thigh Bone

Next, you'll need to remove the thigh bone. To do this, use your boning knife to cut along the side of the thigh bone, starting at the top of the bone and working your way down. Once you reach the bottom of the bone, you can use your kitchen shears to cut through the remaining cartilage and free the bone from the meat.

Separate the Thigh into Two Pieces

Once the thigh bone is removed, you can separate the thigh into two pieces. To do this, use your chef's knife to cut through the meat along the natural seam that runs down the center of the thigh.

Trim the Turkey Legs

Once the turkey legs are broken down, you can trim them to your desired size. If you're planning on grilling or roasting the legs, you may want to leave them whole. However, if you're planning on braising or stewing the legs, you may want to cut them into smaller pieces.

Cooking Turkey Legs

Once the turkey legs are broken down, you can cook them using your preferred method. Turkey legs can be grilled, roasted, braised, or stewed. The cooking time will vary depending on the method you choose.

Serving Turkey Legs

Turkey legs can be served with a variety of sides. Some popular options include mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Turkey legs can also be served with a variety of dipping sauces, such as barbecue sauce, honey mustard, or ranch dressing.