Expertise the legendary style of turkey legs at residence with out the effort of establishing a grill or roasting a complete turkey.
These Southern air fryer turkey legs are seasoned with a superbly savory and smokey poultry seasoning mix to carry out the best-smoked turkey taste.
The end result is nothing lower than turkey legs with tender, juicy meat inside and a seasoned, flavorful outdoors, with a mouthwatering, smoky taste that’ll have you ever licking your fingertips!
Thanksgiving is all about household, associates, and scrumptious, home-cooked meals. However there’s no cause to let that vacation dinner grow to be a week-long venture!
The answer is easy: an air fryer recipe for cooking turkey legs.
With a smoky taste and crispy pores and skin, this nation fair-style turkey leg recipe within the air fryer will certainly be a scrumptious addition to your vacation feast! You possibly can skip the oily mess and greasy pans by cooking this turkey recipe within the air fryer.
How do you retain turkey legs from drying out?
First, boil the legs in an apple cider vinegar brine to tenderize the turkey leg darkish meat. Then, toss these brine-infused turkey legs within the air fryer for a straightforward, crispy, scrumptious appetizer or principal dish.
Crispy on the surface. Juicy on the within. And seasoned to perfection, identical to those you like to get at Disney parks and the state honest!
Much more, air fryer turkey legs are the proper strategy to get your turkey repair all 12 months lengthy!
Serve ’em for soul meals Sunday dinners, vacation feasts, and even only for a fast weeknight dinner after a busy day!
I’ve tailored this recipe from my On the spot Pot smoked turkey legs recipe HERE, accelerating the cooking time because of the air fryer!
What do you want to make air fryer turkey legs?
You should purchase turkey legs already reduce and pre-packaged out of your native butcher or grocery retailer. You solely want turkey legs, vinegar, garlic and herb seasoning, and poultry seasoning. To prepare dinner, boil, after which air fry in keeping with the simple step-by-step recipe directions beneath.
Kitchen tools for Southern air fryer turkey legs
Store my kitchenware HERE!
Components for the Southern air fryer turkey legs brine
4 turkey legs
3 quarts of water
2 tablespoons of salt
4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Components for Southern air fryer turkey legs
Directions for Southern air fryer turkey brine
You should utilize a big pot on the stovetop over medium-high warmth or open the On the spot Pot lid and pour the water, salt, and vinegar into the chrome steel interior pot (the brine).
Add the turkey legs to the salt brine contained in the interior pot.
To boil the turkey legs within the brine, activate the On the spot Pot sauté setting for half-hour. (It’s because the max period of time utilizing the sauté setting is half-hour.) you’ll want so as to add 10 minutes instantly when the primary half-hour end for a complete of 40 minutes on sauté.
With the On the spot Pot lid off, enable the turkey legs to boil on the sauté setting. (It’s going to take approx. 18-20 minutes for the pot with the turkey legs to get to a sluggish boil/simmer.)
When cooking is completed (after 40 minutes), drain the water by gently sliding the turkey legs from the interior pot right into a colander.
Set the turkey legs apart and permit them to chill.
Directions for Southern turkey legs within the air fryer
Combine the poultry seasoning and the roasted garlic & herb seasoning in a small bowl to create a Southern spice rub for the turkey legs.
Rub on and coat the turkey legs with the seasoning combination.
Spray the air fryer basket or tray with olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
Place the seasoned turkey legs within the air fryer basket or on the air fryer tray.
Make sure the turkey legs are skin-side up, and watch out to not overcrowd the legs.
Air fry at 360 levels F for 18 minutes.
Midway by way of, after about 9 minutes have handed, flip the turkey legs over within the air fryer and return to cooking.
Serve this Southern air fryer turkey legs recipe straight away, and luxuriate in!
What do you serve with air fryer turkey legs?
Air fryer turkey legs style scrumptious, however including further flavors enhances your meal. If you happen to’re craving these tasty turkey legs, strive serving them with finger-licking soul meals sides.
A few of the greatest choices are soul meals collard greens, Southern black-eyed peas, Southern creamy mashed potatoes, recent cranberry sauce, Southern cornbread dressing, and selfmade cornbread.
Southern air fryer turkey legs FAQs
What sort of air fryer is greatest for cooking turkey legs?
The kind of air fryer for this recipe is as much as you! What’s necessary is that the turkey legs match into the air fryer basket or onto the air fryer tray.
What number of turkey legs will slot in an air fryer?
This reply will fluctuate relying on the dimensions of your air fryer basket or tray.
What measurement turkey leg would you advocate for this recipe?
A mean measurement, 1-2 pound turkey leg ought to slot in most air fryers to work for this recipe.
Do you set oil on turkey legs earlier than frying?
The oil or spray is added to the air fryer basket or tray. So, there’s no want so as to add oil to the turkey legs as a result of the meat is already brined for tenderness earlier than air frying.
Are you able to prepare dinner frozen turkey legs in an air fryer?
You possibly can prepare dinner turkey legs in an air fryer – that’s what this recipe is all about! However frozen turkey legs within the air fryer could threat the meat not cooking totally or evenly.
To make use of frozen turkey legs, boil them within the vinegar brine first to thaw and tenderize. Then proceed within the air fryer for a scrumptious outer pores and skin crisp!
How lengthy does it take to make these air fryer turkey legs?
For tender, juicy Southern air fryer turkey legs recipe, use this two-step course of:
Boil the turkey legs in a vinegar brine for 40 minutes.
After that, air fry the for about 18 minutes.
Do you have to flip the turkey legs whereas cooking within the air fryer?
Make sure you flip every smoked turkey drumstick or leg midway by way of (after about 9 minutes) to get a fair quantity of cooking and a crispy texture on each side.
What temperature ought to a turkey leg be cooked to?
Air fry the turkey legs at 360 levels F to succeed in 165 levels F as the interior temperature. You possibly can at all times use a meat thermometer to double-check this.
Do you have to brine turkey legs earlier than air frying?
Brining meat earlier than cooking has many advantages. It tenderizes the meat so it may take in taste and render it juicy.
Are you able to freeze these Southern turkey legs for later?
Professional tip: Sure, I typically make an additional turkey leg to freeze for after I make black-eyed peas or collard greens later!
Retailer turkey legs in an air-tight container or freezer bag and freeze for as much as 3 months.
The turkey leg is way more healthy than utilizing a ham hock for taste in your soul meals collard greens recipe.
Did you get pleasure from this Southern air fryer turkey legs recipe?
Once more, there’s no cause to let a vacation dinner or Thanksgiving turkey grow to be a week-long venture!
You possibly can break down the turkey into smaller dishes to simply put together, like an easy-to-make, scrumptious Southern turkey breast recipe, flavorful soul meals turkey wings, turkey thighs, or this turkey leg recipe.
And it will get even higher in the case of air fryer turkey legs! The turkey meat is tastier and juicier, and the pores and skin is crispy!
As a result of not like deep frying, air fryers allow you to prepare dinner meals in much less time, offering a crisp exterior and a moist inside.
Turkey legs in an air fryer are excellent for many who wish to keep away from the effort of roasting a complete turkey. There is no such thing as a basting or stuffing, and the turkey legs nonetheless get cooked totally, with crispy pores and skin, with out drying out.
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Servings: 4 turkey legs
Energy: 1018kcal
Prepare dinner ModeForestall your display from going darkish
Components for the Southern air fryer turkey legs brine
4 turkey legs3 quarts water2 tablespoons salt4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Components for Southern air fryer turkey legs
2 tablespoons seasoning Well-known Dave’s Nation Roast Hen/Poultry Seasoning (or related) 2 tablespoons seasoning Weber Seasoning Roasted Garlic & Herb (or related)
Directions for Southern air fryer turkey brine
You should utilize a big pot on the stovetop over medium-high warmth or open the On the spot Pot lid and pour the water, salt, and vinegar into the chrome steel interior pot (the brine).
Add the turkey legs to the salt brine contained in the interior pot.
To boil the turkey legs within the brine, activate the On the spot Pot sauté setting for half-hour. (It’s because the max period of time utilizing the sauté setting is half-hour.) you’ll want so as to add 10 minutes instantly when the primary half-hour end for a complete of 40 minutes on sauté.
With the On the spot Pot lid off, enable the turkey legs to boil on the sauté setting. (It’s going to take approx. 18-20 minutes for the pot with the turkey legs to get to a sluggish boil/simmer.)
When cooking is completed (after 40 minutes), drain the water by gently sliding the turkey legs from the interior pot right into a colander.
Set the turkey legs apart and permit them to chill.
Directions for Southern turkey legs within the air fryer
Combine the poultry seasoning and the roasted garlic & herb seasoning in a small bowl to create a Southern spice rub for the turkey legs.
Rub on and coat the turkey legs with the seasoning combination.
Spray the air fryer basket or tray with olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
Place the seasoned turkey legs within the air fryer basket or on the air fryer tray.
Make sure the turkey legs are skin-side up, and watch out to not overcrowd the legs.
Air fry at 360 levels F for 18 minutes.
Midway by way of, after about 9 minutes have handed, flip the turkey legs over within the air fryer and return to cooking.
Serve this Southern air fryer turkey legs recipe straight away, and luxuriate in!
Energy: 1018kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 134g | Fats: 46g | Saturated Fats: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 13g | Monounsaturated Fats: 14g | Ldl cholesterol: 481mg | Sodium: 7518mg | Potassium: 2048mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 272IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 378mg | Iron: 17mg
