Grilled Butterflied Turkey Legs

Directions

Butterfly Legs:

Place the leg flat on the cutting board with the knuckle facing up. Run a boning knife along each side of the bone and press the meat down. Don’t cut all the way through.

Remove Tendons:

Feel around the meat looking for the hard tendons. Pull them out with your fingers and the knife. There will be several in each leg. Discard the tendons.

Season:

Sprinkle the salt, lemon pepper and smoked paprika on both sides of the legs. Let them rest at room temperature while you heat the grill.

Heat the Grill:

Whether you’re using a gas, pellet or charcoal grill, heat it to 400°F degrees with a direct heat zone.

Grill:

Spray the turkey legs with cooking spray and place them on the grill skin side down. Flip them every 5 minutes for 35 minutes.

Make Sauce:

While the legs are cooking, place a saucepot on the grill. Add the butter, juice and zest from half a lemon and the garlic. Let that melt together.

Baste:

After the legs have been cooking for 20 minutes, baste them with the lemon butter and continue cooking for 15 minutes, basting every 5 minutes as you flip them.

Rest:

Once the turkey legs reach an internal temperature of 170°F – 175°F degrees, remove them from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Note from the author:

“Grilled butterflied turkey legs with lemon butter sauce – crispy, buttery, handheld meat on a stick. Who doesn’t love that? The best way to serve these is on a platter where everyone can just reach for one and dig in.” – Christie Vanover, Girls Can Grill