Allow plenty of time for preparation, boil the legs first, and check the internal temperature frequently when grilling turkeys. Because turkey legs are a dense meat that cooks best at a low temperature, they can take a long time to prepare. However, boiling the legs first can help you save time on the grill. Furthermore, when cooking any meat, but especially dense meat, it is generally recommended to check the internal temperature of the meat during the cooking process to ensure it reaches the proper temperature before serving.
It’s best to plan ahead for the preparation of turkey legs, which can take anywhere from 25 minutes to 24 hours. If the cook intends to marinate the legs, the mixture and the legs should be kept in the refrigerator overnight. Because the container does not always allow for the entire turkey leg to be marinated at the same time, it may be necessary to turn the legs after four to six hours of marinating. Grilling turkey legs takes about 25 to 90 minutes from start to finish, plus five to ten minutes to cool. When you cook a turkey leg too quickly, it will be cracked and brown on the outside but raw on the inside.
Some people prefer to boil turkey legs before spicing or grilling them to cut down on cooking time. Although this piece of meat is usually good at retaining moisture without help, boiling a turkey leg can help it retain moisture while it is grilled. When a chef is short on time, boiling the food ahead of time can help. The legs can then be marinated or grilled as desired. Some people, on the other hand, believe that boiling turkey legs before grilling them is not the proper way to grill or make true barbecued turkey legs.
Ensure that the internal temperature deep inside the meat is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid food poisoning after grilling turkey legs (74 degrees Celsius). Because turkey legs are a thick, dense cut of meat, those used to cooking smaller cuts of meat may accidentally undercook them. When using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of a turkey leg, measure the thickest area of the meat, avoiding any bone or gristle, as these areas can measure differently than the meat.