Is 165°F done enough for the thigh?

Hello! 165°F is the internal temperature turkey must be cooked to for any harmful bacteria to be killed instantaneously. That goes for both the breast and the thighs. You're correct that some recipes do suggest allowing the legs to come to a higher temperature (i.e. 185°F), but this is only because the legs contain more connective tissue that tends to break down with a little more cooking.

In the case of this recipe, the majority of the cook time is at a 325°F oven temperature. That's pretty low and slow, so you should get super tender and juicy dark meat anyway. When you're ready, I would check the internal temperature of both the breast and the thighs with that 165°F target in mind. Keep in mind that carryover heat will cause the internal temperature to rise about 10 degrees even after the turkey comes out of the oven.

Hope this helps!

Noah T. - Food52 Test Kitchen

Hi! I’ve tried a couple of recipes that say the thickest part of the thigh should read 165°F, and the breast can be closer to 155°F when you take it out (since the residual heat cooks it the rest of the way). That said, if you’re a nervous nelly like me, I think it’s okay to do something between these two suggestions :)