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Copycat State Fair Turkey Legs

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Macheesmo
Updated May 18, 2017
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DIY your fair food with these giant seasoned turkey drumsticks fit for a king. They’re roasted until tender and crisped up on a hot grill—so they taste just like the ones you love at the state (or renaissance!) fair.

More About This Recipe

  • State fairs are known for their over-the-top food options. You can get pretty much anything fried, on a stick, or fried on a stick. You can find all sorts of crazy foods and treats, but my favorite food to snag at a state fair is the most classic: a giant turkey leg! The good news is that you don’t have to wait for the fair to come around, or pay $10 to get in and another $10 for a turkey leg. You can make this copycat state fair food right at home! The trick to making these turkey drumsticks really delicious is to stick to a simple spice rub and then do a dual method where you roast them in the oven for most of the cook time and then crisp them up on a hot grill right before serving. The spice rub I use is a simple mix of seasoned salt, chili powder, kosher salt and pepper. You could use a store-bought rub if you wanted, but this one has great flavor and you probably have most of the ingredient in your pantry anyway. So delicious and easy!

Copycat State Fair Turkey Legs

  • Prep Time 5 min
  • Total 2 hr 0 min
  • Servings 3
  • Ingredients 6
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Ingredients

  • 3-6 turkey legs
  • 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • Canola or olive oil, for grilling

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Preheat oven to 350°F and line a roasting pan with foil. Combine seasoned salt, chili powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Liberally rub mixture into turkey legs, and place turkey legs in your foil-lined pan.
  • Step 
    2
    Cover the pan with foil and roast for 75 to 90 minutes until the turkey legs are very tender and register 175-180°F in the thickest part of the leg.
  • Step 
    3
    Remove turkey legs from the roasting pan. Preheat a grill to high heat.
  • Step 
    4
    Right before serving, dry the turkey legs with a paper towel and brush them with some canola or vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Then grill turkey legs over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side to crisp up the skin. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

No nutrition information available for this recipe

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