How To Cook Villari Smoked Turkey Drums

Barbecue Smoked Turkey Leg on parchment paper on wooden table

You don't demand to fully cook smoked turkey drumsticks, just the best style to reheat them is in the oven.

Epitome Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages

Smoked turkey drumsticks brand a wonderfully nutritious addition to whatsoever repast. Technically, the smoking process fully cooks the meat, so while you don't have to cook information technology yourself, you'll need to know how to properly reheat them.

Reheating turkey drumsticks is pretty uncomplicated, and the best style to do it is in the oven at a roasting temperature. You want to be conscientious not to use loftier heat, or your turkey legs will come out tough and dry.

Fortunately, cooking smoked turkey legs to tender, juicy perfect isn't difficult — it simply involves a footling patience and a few elementary rules.

Tip

Turkey, whether you're cooking it at habitation or it comes pre-cooked and smoked, is prophylactic to eat at an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, per the USDA.

Yous tin reheat smoked turkey legs in your oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 6 to eight minutes per pound for a tender, juicy effect.

Are Pre-Smoked Turkey Legs Fully Cooked?

It'due south of import to eat meat that is cooked thoroughly to lessen the risk of getting a foodborne illness. Virtually all pre-smoked turkey legs are fully cooked, so it's almost certain y'all'll but need to reheat them before eating, non cook them from scratch, as you would with fresh turkey.

Smoked turkey legs are pre-cooked in a smoker, which gives the meat a distinctly smokey flavor and darker color compared to fresh turkey legs. Smoked turkey is typically more than expensive, also, because it's pre-cooked.

That said, it's still vital to check the label on the smoked turkey legs you purchase, every bit there may be some exceptions to this rule.

Tip

Even though smoked turkey meat looks pink, it's withal safe to eat, according to the USDA.

The colour is from the nitrites found in cured and smoked meats, so you lot should judge the prophylactic of the meat by internal temperature rather than colour.

What to Wait for When Ownership Smoked Turkey Drumsticks

Smoked turkey drumsticks are sold at most grocery stores. When you lot're shopping for smoked turkey legs, there are a few things y'all should await for:

The Meat

How the meat looks may give you an idea of the quality. Await for turkey legs that are plump with a expert amount of meat on the basic and take a red or chocolate-brown color.

The Price

Buying precooked smoked turkey legs isn't the cheapest selection, as you're paying more for the pre-cooking procedure.

Check the prices for a few different products and select once you're comfy with. Merely take note, cheaper products may not always be the best every bit they may compromise on meat quality.

Expiration or 'Sell-Past' Date

Make sure to look for an expiration or "sell-by" engagement on the packaging of smoked turkey legs. This volition help you determine if it will terminal until you programme to prepare it.

Keep in mind that the sell-by date doesn't indicate that the meat has gone bad, but information technology may help you determine whether information technology's fresh enough for your liking.

Other Ingredients

Before you purchase smoked turkey legs, cheque the ingredients listing and make sure it'south short. A product listing a ton of ingredients likely has artificial ingredients and preservatives that are probably all-time avoided.

Sodium

Smoked meat products can be high in sodium, which is not only bad for your centre, simply also gives the meat a very salty taste. Look for smoked turkey drumsticks that accept 500 milligrams or less of sodium, such as these from Diestel Family Ranch ($13.95, Diestel).

How to Cook Smoked Turkey Legs in the Oven

The best fashion to prepare pre-cooked smoked turkey legs is to put them in the oven to roast at a low temperature.

Co-ordinate to the USDA, here's how to reheat cooked turkey legs:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
On a big blistering canvas, place downward a piece of aluminum foil big enough to wrap your smoked turkey drumsticks in.
Sprinkle the turkey legs with a picayune h2o or broth, which will help you avoid tough turkey legs.
Heat the turkey legs until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F. It will probably have most half dozen to 8 minutes per pound to reheat pre-smoked cooked turkey. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature.

Avoiding Tough Turkey Legs

You don't desire your smoked turkey legs to come out tough and dry. To avoid information technology, sprinkle them with a liquid like water or broth before wrapping them in foil and cooking them in the oven.

Other Ways to Melt Smoked Turkey Drumsticks

Air-Fryer

It doesn't become much more convenient than putting your cooked smoked turkey drumsticks in the air fryer for a perfectly crispy outside and wonderfully tender inside.

Hither's how to utilise your air fryer to melt smoked turkey legs:

Preheat your air fryer to 375 F.
Place the smoked turkey legs in the air fryer basket.
Air-fry the turkey legs for about 5 minutes, then open the air fryer to plough the legs so they oestrus through evenly.
Cook the turkey legs for some other 3 to 5 minutes, or until they reach your desired crispness.

Slow Cooker

Another way yous can heat up smoked turkey drumsticks is putting them in the slow cooker with some liquid, which volition help the meat come out tender and juicy. Here'due south how:

Place your smoked turkey drumsticks in the slow cooker.
Add just plenty h2o or goop to comprehend the turkey legs and place the lid on the boring cooker. enough liquid of your selection, like craven stock, to the wearisome cooker, just enough to cover the turkey legs.
Set the slow cooker on depression and cook your smoked turkey legs for 45 minutes, or until the meat reaches a prophylactic internal temperature of 165 F.
Remove the smoked turkey legs from the slow cooker and allow to cool before serving.

Storing Leftover Smoked Turkey Legs

If you accept leftover turkey, you lot'll desire to make sure to store it in a way that preserves the flavor without drying out the meat.

To store them in the fridge or freezer, wrap your smoked turkey drumsticks in plastic wrap or foil and put them in an airtight container. they'll last three to four days in the fridge and three to 6 months in the freezer if stored correctly.

Tip

Brand sure to check the expiration date on the packaging for your smoked turkey legs.

Are Smoked Turkey Drumsticks Healthy?

Cooking smoked turkey legs make delicious dinner with some impressive nutritional benefits.

There are nigh 170 calories in a turkey leg, according to the USDA. They're besides low in saturated fat, and offering 32.half dozen micrograms of selenium, which is 59 per centum of the daily value (DV). Selenium is an important mineral for thyroid function and imme health, according to the ODS.

Just as mentioned, one potential downside of smoked turkey is the sodium — a 3-ounce serving of this item brand has 847 milligrams, which comes close to the daily limit of 1,500 milligrams per mean solar day as recommended by the American Heart Association.

Source: https://www.livestrong.com/article/540068-how-to-cook-pre-smoked-turkey-drumsticks-in-the-oven/