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Smoked turkey legs are popular at state fairs, amusement parks, and harvest festivals. Fortunately, there's no need to wait for one to roll around before enjoying your very own smoked turkey leg. Fire up your smoker, or adjust your grill for smoking, and enjoy homemade smoked turkey legs!
Ingredients
For the Brining Solution
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
For the Turkey Legs
- 5-6 turkey legs
- a few tablespoons of peanut or vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to season
Steps
Preparing the Turkey Legs
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1Make the brine. Combine all the brining ingredients in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir to mix it all together and cook it until it starts to boil. Remove the pot from heat. Let it cool to room temperature.
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2Pour the brine into containers. Place it in one large food-safe container or a couple of small containers. If using a large one, make sure it easily fits in your refrigerator.
- The brining liquid must be at 40 °F (4.4 °C). before using.
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3Add the turkey legs. Place the turkey legs in the brining liquid and cover with plastic wrap. Put them in the refrigerator and let the legs rest for 8 to 9 hours, or overnight.
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4Remove the turkey legs from the brine. Take the legs out of the brining liquid and discard the brine. Rinse the turkey legs with cold water.
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5Cover the turkey legs with the oil and season. Drizzle and rub some peanut or vegetable oil to coat the turkey legs. You can use a pastry brush or your fingers. Season the legs with salt and pepper or extra Cajun seasoning, if you want it a little spicier.
Cooking the Turkey Legs in a Smoker
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1Prepare your smoker. Follow your manufacturer's directions to get the heat between 250 and 275 degrees F. When you see smoke coming from the vents, you can add your turkey.
- You can use an electric, gas, wood, or charcoal smoker.
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2Place the turkey legs on the smoker grate and cook. Smoke the turkey legs for 2 to 2.5 hours.
- If you want smokier turkey legs, consider smoking them longer at a lower heat. Try 3.5 to 4 hours at 225 to 240 degrees.
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3Check the turkey legs. Use a meat thermometer and check to see if the legs have reached 165 °F (73.9 °C). If so, they're finished. If not, continue checking the temperature at regular intervals until they're at 165 degrees.
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4Remove the legs from the smoker. Serve the turkey legs immediately or wrap them in foil and refrigerate if using much later.
- To reheat the turkey legs, set the foil-wrapped cooked turkey legs in a 275 degree F. oven for 30 minutes.
Cooking the Turkey Legs on a Gas or Wood Grill
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1Prepare your grill. Prepare your charcoal or wood stove as directed, but add several large hunks of hardwood among the charcoal. This will release smoke during grilling and impart a smoky flavor to the turkey legs.
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2Prepare a smoky seasoning packet, optional. You could also create a small seasoning packet to place directly in the center of the grill, surrounded by the coals or wood. Take an aluminum pie plate and fill it with the following ingredients. Then, cover the plate with foil and poke holes around the top. When this starts to smoke, add your turkey legs.
- 1/2 cup white rice
- 1/3 cup black loose leaf tea
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 6 whole cloves
- 3 star anise pods
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3Place the turkey legs directly on the grate and cook. Smoke the turkey legs for 2 to 2.5 hours.
- If you want smokier turkey legs, consider grilling them longer at a lower heat. Try 3.5 to 4 hours at 225 to 240 degrees.
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4Check the turkey legs. Use a meat thermometer and check to see if the legs have reached 165 °F (73.9 °C). If so, they're finished. If not, continue checking the temperature at regular intervals until they're at 165 degrees F.
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5Remove the legs from the grill. Serve the turkey legs immediately or wrap them in foil and refrigerate them if you're going to eat them much later.
- To reheat the turkey legs, set the foil-wrapped cooked turkey legs in a 275 degree F. oven for 30 minutes.
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6Finished.
About This Article
To cook smoked turkey legs on a grill, place them directly onto the grill grates and cook them for around 2.5 hours, or until they've reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want the turkey legs to have a smokier flavor, grill them at a lower temperature for around 4 hours instead. To cook smoked turkey legs in a smoker, place them directly on the grate and smoke them for 2 hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. To learn how to brine turkey legs before cooking them, read on!
