A hen that stood at six foot four

Carnivores are tricky beasts to tempt, luckily the turkey legs of Walt Disney World provide a roadmap to the carnivore’s constitution. A catalog of required meat eats, if you will.

To be honest at the onset here, it had been years since I even nibbled at a one of the turkey legs found in a multitude of carts and kiosks around Walt Disney World. However, I felt that this classic Disney food, featured in everything from shirts to a child’s toy food set, was well overdue for a taste test on the Main Street Gazette. I must say, I was surprised by what I found.

Every time I see a guest wandering around with one of the world famous turkey legs, my first thought is always the same, “that must have been a giant bird,” and I am talking the Godzilla of Thanksgiving poultry. When they first handed me my turkey leg, it seemed even bigger than any I had seen in passing, and its size was evenly matched by its substantial weight. When securing your own gobbler limb, make sure to grab napkins, lots of napkins, as the juices will run everywhere.

Getting to the actual meat of the matter, there is definitely enough here to share with a friend if the turkey leg is not going to be the sole provider of your mealtime. The drumstick meat is tender, flavorful, and filled with the natural juices retained during the smoking process. The real prize of this savory, on-the-bone treat comes in the form of the skin. Take note that the skin has tightened and split along the mass of the turkey meat. This skin is the flawless combination of chewy and crispy, crunchy, while carrying a smoky flavor that lingers well after the skin has melted in the mouth.

With 1.8 million pounds of turkey legs sold every year at Walt Disney World, this is not a drumstick that is going to be in short supply anytime soon. With just a single turkey leg under my belt in the last handful of years, it is clear to see why these “big honkin’ pieces of meat,” (as my wife labels them) are classic theme park fare.