Greatest Smoked Turkey Legs Recipe

Home made smoked turkey legs are extremely scrumptious. A easy brine retains turkey legs moist whereas smoking. A do-it-yourself seasoning rub offers these smoked turkey legs the most effective taste.

This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Fall Off The Bone Smoked Turkey Legs

Exterior of Thanksgiving, you’ll be hard-pressed to seek out turkey aside from within the type of deli meat in most properties. That’s a disgrace as a result of turkey is a scrumptious and more healthy different to crimson meat and pork. And it may be loads of enjoyable, too.

Ask anybody who has tried Disney smoked turkey legs or purchased an enormous turkey leg at a Renaissance Truthful or Festivals! If you’re in search of one thing a bit completely different, do this recipe. 

Why Home made Cooked Smoked Turkey Legs Are Higher Than Any You Can Purchase at a Concession Stand

Business smoked turkey legs are ready in bulk and infrequently with the most affordable elements a enterprise can discover. However when you’ll be able to management the standard of the meat and every part else that goes into the dish, you’ll naturally wind up with a extra scrumptious meal. 

Ought to You Brine Turkey Legs Earlier than Smoking? 

Completely. Smoking is an extended, sizzling course of that may rapidly dry out lean turkey legs. So, to ensure that you’re not making an attempt to choke down turkey with the consistency of shoe leather-based, take the additional step and brine your legs. 

Components You Will Want 

For this smoked turkey legs recipe, begin with:

This recipe makes 4 massive turkey legs. Be happy to double and even triple the recipe if you wish to smoke extra meat.

For the smoked turkey legs brine, you’ll want:

• Water 
• Granulated white sugar 
• Salt 
• Black peppercorns
• Seasoned salt 
• Bay leaves 

Use Lawry’s or your favourite model of seasoned salt.

To make the dry rub for the turkey legs, you’ll want:

• Candy paprika
• Smoked paprika
• Floor black pepper
• Salt
• Gentle brown sugar
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Cayenne pepper

Find out how to Make Smoked Turkey Legs in Electrical Smoker

To brine the turkey legs:

1. Mix all of the elements for the brine in a container that’s massive sufficient to carry the meat however sufficiently small to suit into the fridge. A shallow plastic meals storage field with a lid is ideal. 
2. Give the brine a great stir. Add the turkey legs as soon as the sugar and salt dissolve. Ensure that the brine covers the turkey legs fully. You need to use sous vide sinker weights to make sure the meat stays submerged.
3. Depart the turkey legs to brine within the fridge for no less than 4 hours however ideally between 8 and 12 hours. 
4. After brining, drain, and rinse off the turkey legs. Place them on a wire rack over a rimmed baking tray to dry. Make sure to sanitize the sink the place you rinsed off the turkey meat to keep away from cross-contaminating the world. 

To season the turkey legs with the dry rub:

1. Pat the brined turkey legs dry with a paper towel.
2. Rigorously pull down the pores and skin of the turkey leg with out tearing it. Use a pointy boning knife to chop the membranes that maintain the pores and skin in place.
3. After exposing many of the meat, coat it liberally with the dry rub.
4. Gently pull the turkey pores and skin again into place, and season the pores and skin with a further mild sprinkling of dry rub. 

To smoke the turkey legs:

1. Preheat the smoker to 250 levels F.
2. Place the brined and seasoned turkey legs on the highest rack of the smoke. 
3. Shut the lid and smoke the turkey legs till they prepare dinner completely. The right smoked turkey legs inside temp is 165 levels F. See beneath for extra particulars about timing. 

How Lengthy To Cook dinner Smoked Turkey Drumstick 

For those who want a ballpark determine for planning functions, most turkey legs will attain 165°F inside two to 3 hours, relying on their measurement. Nonetheless, it’s important to go by the precise inside temperature of the turkey legs on the thickest a part of the meat.

Which means it’s essential to have a great instant-read thermometer. In case your turkey legs fluctuate in measurement, verify the smallest ones after two hours, and take away them from the smoker as they attain the correct temperature. 

To verify the interior temp of a turkey leg accurately, slide an instant-read thermometer into the rooster leg from the highest and alongside the bone to the thickest a part of the drumstick. 

What Sides Go With Smoked Turkey Legs 

Do you marvel what to serve with smoked turkey legs? Nicely, this Smoked Turkey Legs recipe is filled with taste, so the perimeters must be a bit on the tasteless aspect. Any type of potato dish is nice.

You may also strive mac and cheese or get a bit uncommon by serving Ambrosia Fruit Salad! You can be stunned how effectively the acidity of the fruit pairs with the spicy richness of the smoked turkey!

How To Retailer Leftover Turkey Legs

This recipe requires loads of time between preparation, brining, and smoking. So, why not make some further and save them for an additional day?

You may hold the additional smoked turkey within the fridge for a few week, however the longer you retailer them, the drier they may turn out to be. 

To refrigerate, cool the turkey legs to room temperature and wrap them in plastic wrap or butcher paper and place them in a container with a tight-fitting lid to assist stop the opposite objects within the fridge from smelling like smoke. 

To freeze any leftovers from this smoked turkey legs recipe, cowl tightly in plastic wrap or butcher paper after which wrap in aluminum foil. Put the smoked turkey in an hermetic freezer-safe container and freezer for as much as three months.

Find out how to Reheat Smoked Turkey Legs

Leftover smoked turkey legs are nice chilly, but when you’ll warmth them, don’t damage all that work by being lazy. There are lots of methods to rewarm this recipe, however some are higher than others: 

Find out how to Reheat Smoked Turkey Legs within the Oven

Warming thawed turkey legs within the oven might be the most effective heating methodology you probably have the time:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 levels.
2. Pour 1 / 4 cup of turkey broth or water right into a baking pan and add the turkey legs. 
3. Cowl the baking tray with aluminum foil and prepare dinner for 20 – 25 minutes. 

Find out how to Reheat Smoked Turkey Legs on the Grill

Smoked turkey legs are a unbelievable addition to any BBQ. If you wish to add some turkey to your subsequent outside grill occasion, right here is tips on how to reheat it:

1. Pour 1 / 4 cup of turkey broth or water right into a disposable aluminum pan. 
2. Put the thawed smoked turkey legs within the pan and canopy the highest of the pan with aluminum foil. 
3. Place the aluminum pan over a cooler a part of the grill. 
4. Cook dinner for about 10 minutes and flip the legs over.
5. Proceed to prepare dinner till heat.

Find out how to Reheat Smoked Turkey Legs in Microwave

Utilizing the microwave to warmth leftover smoked turkey could be the most handy, however it’s by far the worst possibility. Nonetheless, in case you don’t have another selection, do this:

1. Minimize the turkey meat from the bone.
2. Place the meat in a microwavable bowl and canopy the bowl with a plate. 
3. Warmth the meat on excessive for one minute. If the turkey isn’t heat sufficient for you, warmth it for an additional 30 seconds. 

Favourite Turkey and Thanksgiving Recipes

Common Smoked Meat Recipes

Take a look at extra of my simple turkey recipes and the most effective Thanksgiving dinner recipes on CopyKat!

Smoked Turkey Legs

Smoke Turkey Legs are tender, juicy, and deliciously flavored with a rub.

Print
Pin
Price
Add to Assortment Go to Collections

Course: Principal Course

Delicacies: American

Key phrase: Smoked Turkey Legs

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook dinner Time: 2 hours

Brining: 8 hours

Whole Time: 10 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 16

Energy: 247kcal

Components

Turkey Brine

• 1 gallon water
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• ¼ cup desk salt
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• ½ cup seasoned salt
• 4 bay leaves

Turkey Rub Seasoning Mix

• 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon floor black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Brine

• Use a big container. It must be massive sufficient for the turkey legs and a gallon of liquid and can slot in your fridge.

• Pour water into the container, then add sugar, salt, peppercorns, seasoned salt, and bay leaves. Stir to mix.

• When the salt and sugar have dissolved, add the turkey legs.

• Cowl the container and place it within the fridge.

• Brine for no less than 4 hours, ideally in a single day.

Turkey Legs

• Warmth smoker to 250°F.

• Take away turkey legs from the brine and pat them dry.

• Use your palms to coat the legs with the rub seasoning mix.

• Smoke the turkey legs for 1½ to three hours or till the interior temperature registers 165°F. Time will fluctuate primarily based on the scale of the turkey legs.

Vitamin

Energy: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 33g | Fats: 11g | Saturated Fats: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 3g | Ldl cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 210mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 229IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg