Turkey legs are my favorite type of turkey to smoke. These turned out incredible after spending a full day in the spicy brine and over 6 hours on the smoker. The turkey legs were covered in a sweet and spicy bbq seasoning dry rub that made every bite just as good as the last. The best part is, once you finish smoking these bad boys, you can simply pick them up by the bone using some butcher paper and chow down, just like the turkey legs served at the Disney parks!
Ingredients
- 3 large turkey legs, skin on
- 1 cup BBQ seasoning dry rub
For the brine
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt (or 3 tablespoons table salt)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon crushed black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
Instructions
brine the turkey
- Prepare the brine. In a large bowl, combine the salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Then add the boiling water and carefully stir until all of the spices are dissolved. Add the ice cubes, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and liquid smoke. Allow the brine to cool down. It should be cool to the touch. If it is still hot, add another cup of ice.
- Inject the turkey legs. Fill a meat injector and slowly inject the turkey legs in several areas. Change the angle of the needle several times.
- Soak the turkey legs. Fill a large bowl or container that can hold all of your turkey legs and pour the brine in with the turkey. If you do not have a large enough container, you can use gallon size Ziploc bags. Be sure the brine covers the turkey legs entirely. If it doesn’t, add cool water until the brine covers the legs. Leave the turkey legs in the brine, covered, for up to 24 hours.
prepare the turkey legs
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F. After your turkey legs are done brining, preheat your smoker. Use your favorite wood or pellets. I use a blend of maple, hickory, and cherry woods.
- Season the turkey legs. Remove the turkey legs from the brine and pat them dry. Thoroughly coat each turkey leg with the barbecue seasoning dry rub.
smoke the turkey legs
- Smoke the turkey legs. Place the turkey legs on the smoker at 225°F and cook for 6-7 hours, or until the internal temperature of the turkey at the thickest point reaches 175°F to 180°F (see notes).
- Baste the turkey legs. This will keep the turkey legs from drying out too quickly while smoking. Baste or brush the turkey legs with oil halfway through the cook and towards the final 30 minutes.
- Eat up! Remove the turkey legs from the smoker and allow them to rest before serving. I like to use a square of butcher paper to grab the turkey leg by the bone while eating. These really are best to eat just like you would at Disney, holding the entire leg in your hand and digging in!
Notes
- Use a trusty meat thermometer so you can monitor the cook and ensure the best results. I like to use the ThermoWorks Signals as a leave-in thermometer or an instant-read like the ThermoWorks ONE.
- FDA guidelines state that turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Since turkey legs have a lot of connective tissue, they get more tender if you cook them to an internal temperature of 175°F. That will give the connective tissue time to break down and get tender.
- If you have extra-large turkey legs, you may find it takes considerably longer to cook. Be patient, it will be worth the wait!
- Use the cooking time as a general guideline but rely on your thermometer to tell you when the turkey is finished cooking. Cook the turkey legs until they reach 175°F to 180°F.
