Deboning A Turkey Leg

The humble turkey leg, a symbol of rustic feasts, can be transformed into an elegant and stunning centerpiece. The key to this culinary magic trick lies in a single, empowering skill: deboning. Don't be intimidated by the thought of it. With a sharp, boning knife and a little patience, you'll unlock a world of possibilities, starting with a magnificent turkey roulade.

Deboning A Turkey Leg

Course: Entrees

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: thanksgiving, turkey

Difficulty: intermediate

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 0

Make a day ahead: 0

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Calories: 187kcal

Cost: $12

Don't be intimidated by the thought of it…

Equipment

1 Cutting board
1 Boning knife
1 Paring knife
2 Containers

Ingredients

1 each Turkey leg

Instructions

Deboning a Turkey Leg

Place the whole turkey leg skin-side down on your cutting board. You will see the two main bones: The thigh bone (femur) is the larger, straighter bone. The drumstick bone (tibia) is the smaller, connected bone with a knobby end. Using the tip of your boning knife, make a shallow cut along the entire length of the thigh bone. During the whole procedure, avoid puncturing the skin on the other side.
Using the tip of your knife, start cutting the meat away from the large bone. Work from the top of the bone down to the joint, keeping the blade as close to the bone as possible to avoid wasting meat. Use your free hand to pull the meat back as you free it.
Do likewise going to the opposite direction toward the thigh. Then slide your knife blade under the base of the thigh, and cut through to separate the bone from the meat.
Back to the drumstick, slide your knife blade under the base of the knobby end and cut to separate the attached skin.
Firmly hold the bone and cut away the remaining meat.
Continue working your way around the thigh bone until it is mostly freed from the meat. Your goal is to expose the ball joint where it connects to the drumstick. Use the tip of your knife to scrape along the bone, freeing the meat bit by bit.
Once the joint of the articulation is fully exposed, carefully slide the tip of your knife under and around the ball joint to sever the connection without puncturing the skin.
Cut off the base of the V-shape bones.
Remove the cartilages left behind.
Now, you will encounter two tough tendons at the narrow end of the drumstick. Do not try to cut through them.
The best method is to scrape and cut under to take them out.
Gently run your fingers over the inside of the deboned turkey leg to feel for and remove any remaining sinews or connective tissue. They all need to go. Discard everything but the bones.

Preparing the Deboned Turkey Leg

To create a more even rectangle, you can make a few shallow cuts into the thicker parts of the meat. Place scraps in the hollow spaces to even thickness.
Pounding the deboned meat with a mallet to even the thickness is an optional step. Since the dark meat is naturally tender and the piece is already a good size, it is not necessary for a successful result.
The turkey leg is now ready to be seasoned and stuffed for your Thanksgiving feast. For a different preparation, you can forgo stuffing and simply pan-sear or grill it before finishing it in the oven until fully cooked.