By: Mike Reeber
Y’all, I’m happy to announce that the warm weather of spring is upon us once again, which also means that strutting gobblers are spending their days looking for love. If you look forward to spring turkey season as much as I do, then you probably also look forward to bagging a bird and cooking part of it right away at camp. There’s sincerely nothing more satisfying than celebrating a successful hunt with a meal that includes your recent harvest. So, when you’re back at camp celebrating your latest gobbler, do yourself a favor and save the legs(if you don’t already do so) from the bird. The thigh and drumstick are two of the most underrated pieces of meat on a bird and so often get left for the trash. Trust me, if you cook them properly, they’re shockingly delicious.
Now, I must admit that for the longest time, I used to throw some serious shade at this part of the bird. For years, all that we talked about was how they’re not like a Thanksgiving bird and since wild turkey’s run, they’re legs are super tough and full of tendons, blah, blah, blah. Right? And, despite all of these things being true, the one thing that wasn’t ever discussed was cooking them a different way. You’re right, it’s not a Thanksgiving turkey, so don’t cook it like one to start! Do y’all see where I’m going with this?
In the past, I’ve stewed them, braised them and cooked them low and slow for hours and have been really happy with the turn out. In the end, it comes down to breaking down the meat and separating everything away from any chewy tendons left inside. And though there are a number of ways to achieve tasty turkey legs, one of my new favorite tools to use is an Instant Pot. So if you have one, don’t forget to bring it to camp this spring, because this recipe is perfect for turkey camp lunches.
Remember to #SaveTheLegs this spring!
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Turkey Leg Tacos
Ingredients
2 turkey legs, skin on(if you have it!)
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock or game stock(my duck stock recipe is here)
1/2 apple, sliced
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Tortillas
Red onion, sliced for topping
BBQ sauce
Fresh cilantro, torn for topping
Recipe
Mix together all of the dried spices together, along with the light brown sugar. Once throughly mixed, season the turkey legs well on both sides. Heat up your Instant Pot on the sauté setting and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Once the oil is hot, add the turkey to the pot, lightly browning it on both sides. Remember, there is sugar in the rub, so be careful not to burn it! After 3-4 minutes, add the apples and cook for another minute. At this point, it’s time to add the liquid. Add the fresh lime juice and stock to the pot, cover and secure the lid. Set the pressure cooking timer for 35 minutes.
If your turkey legs have the skin on them, turn on your broiler(or you can use a hot pan to crisp up the skin). If they’re skinless, skip this step. After 35 minutes, allow the pot to naturally release. Once depressurized, remove the legs from the pot and place under the broiler for 5 minutes to let the skin crisp up. If you don’t have access to a broiler, a hot pan works great with a touch of oil in it. Pull the meat and skin from the legs and assemble your tacos, adding red onion, cilantro, BBQ sauce and all of your other favorite taco toppings! Two legs make about 4-5 tacos.
