Turkey Legs and Thighs

[Hobbes_mobile]

Wild turkey legs and thighs require slow cooking until the meat will fall apart and all ligaments and bones become very easy to remove. Once that is done, you can use the meat however you like. I like to chop it and use it in tacos,but it works good in soup or other dishes.

I placed 8 thighs and legs in crock pots to cook on low overnight on Monday evening. I added a little seasoning and broth. The pots were really full so I rotated meat around in the morning.

A pressure cooker or insta-pot would be quicker but I usually just use a crock pot.

[Hobbes_mobile]

So these were cooked on low overnight and most of the next day. I would have preferred cooking them in chicken broth but only had beef broth. They would have finished up quicker on High. The second Crock-Pot with thighs only was cooked on high through the work day only and not overnight because I had failed to turn it on.

This is what they'll look like, meat coming off the bone.

Bones, tendon and ligaments all removed. These are what make the legs nearly impossible to eat without slow cooking and removal.

Leg and thigh meat ready for tacos, sandwiches, soups, etc. I prefer to chop it some instead of the big chunks of pulled meat.

[935]

That's the way I do them also. It don't take but a few minutes to remove the upper wings and they'll cook in the same pot.

[HunterGKS]

I think I have a post that is real similar to what you do but goes a little
further after the "cook off." I'll try to find it.

[Hobbes_mobile]

That's the way I do them also. It don't take but a few minutes to remove the upper wings and they'll cook in the same pot.

It's actually required in Montana. I've tried to fry them like chicken wings and make buffalo wings but they are just too tough.

[Hobbes_mobile]

I think I have a post that is real similar to what you do but goes a little
further after the "cook off." I'll try to find it.

I didn't recall that. I'll probably show some more photos when we eat it tonight.

[HunterGKS]

I think I have a post that is real similar to what you do but goes a little
further after the "cook off." I'll try to find it.

I didn't recall that. I'll probably show some more photos when we eat it tonight.

Sounds like a plan. The more pics, the better.

[Stinky J Picklestein]

NICE! I cooked up some legs and thighs in the wife's Insta-pot just the other night with some chicken bouillon, BBQ seasoning, BBQ sauce, and Dr Pepper. She added some kinda pasta to the leftover broth to make some kinda special soup. I can hear her rattling the spoon in the bowl now.

[Hobbes_mobile]

NICE! I cooked up some legs and thighs in the wife's Insta-pot just the other night with some chicken bouillon, BBQ seasoning, BBQ sauce, and Dr Pepper. She added some kinda pasta to the leftover broth to make some kinda special soup. I can hear her rattling the spoon in the bowl now.

Sounds good. I'll be eating either tacos or toasted BBQ sandwiches from it tonight.

[huntinsomd]

Very nice!

[Jbird22]

You did a heckuva lot better with yours than I did with mine!

I'm pretty savvy with my kamado smoker but when I tell you I flopped on my first attemt at wild turkey leg quarters, trust me! Those jokers were tough! That was smoked at 250 til they hit about 175 internal then wrapped em in foil til they hit 205 internal. That will normally make a choice brisket tender but didn't work on the wild turkey leg quarters. I'm thinking I should've smoked em for about 1.5 hrs for flavor, then submerge in a pan of broth, and seal the pan til they're tender. I'll definitely try again but definitely not the same way..lol

[Hobbes_mobile]

You did a heckuva lot better with yours than I did with mine!

I'm pretty savvy with my kamado smoker but when I tell you I flopped on my first attemt at wild turkey leg quarters, trust me! Those jokers were tough! That was smoked at 250 til they hit about 175 internal then wrapped em in foil til they hit 205 internal. That will normally make a choice brisket tender but didn't work on the wild turkey leg quarters. I'm thinking I should've smoked em for about 1.5 hrs for flavor, then submerge in a pan of broth, and seal the pan til they're tender. I'll definitely try again but definitely not the same way..lol

I met some folks last week that cooked their first wild bird for Thanksgiving. They couldn't chew the legs and thighs.

[spider316]

Mr. Hobbes, pics won't load but it's the only way we do legs and thighs to break em down. From there it's endless, kinda like Bubba Gump shrimps !!!!!