Smoked Turkey Leg Recipe
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Transform your usual Thanksgiving dinner with my smoked turkey legs– brined for juiciness and packed with smoky flavor, and ready with little hands-on time. Make them in the smoker, oven, or the grill.
If you are like me, you have fond memories of enjoying Turkey drumsticks at Disney, mainstream carnivals, or even my local Renaissance fair (seriously). Now, every time you crave them, my copycat recipe is your answer!
I typically bake turkey drumsticks, but I was inspired by my family’s favorite smoked turkey wings. I tweaked it a little so it works just with drumsticks, too. The secret to the juiciness comes from the brining liquid, which uses sweet and savory elements, like brown sugar and curing salt. It’s finished with my special dry rub, then smoked to perfection.
Why I love this smoked turkey leg recipe
- Perfect for making ahead. The recipe is pretty hands-off once you brine, dry rub, and set up the turkey legs for smoking.
- It’s a great alternative to whole turkey. While I love a traditional whole roasted turkey, making smoked turkey legs simplifies things. Also, if your family fights over the last turkey leg every time you cook one (like mine), no one misses out.
- Works for all occasions. This versatile recipe is a crowd-pleaser for a big family meal, backyard cookout, or Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Turkey legs. When buying turkey legs, check the percentage of retained water and whether the turkey is basted. We don’t need a pre-basted turkey because we’ll be brining them ourselves. Instead, look for plump turkey legs, ideally from a butcher, NOT a grocery store. If the turkey is lean and has less water retention, reduce the cooking temperature by 20-25°F.
- For the dry rub. I’m keeping things flavorful yet straightforward with brown sugar, coarse salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
For the brine.
- Water. Base for the brining liquid.
- Coarse salt. Kosher salt and sea salt work well with this recipe.
- Curing salt. This unique salt (Sodium nitrate) is used for wet-curing of meats. You get the perfect pink color inside (similar to a smoked ham).
- Brown sugar. Brining is all about balancing the flavors, and the sugar adds sweetness.
- Bay leaves, cloves, mustard seeds, and peppercorns. I prefer this spice mix for the brine. These four particular spices complement one another very well.
- Ice cubes. It cools down the hot brine so it can be safely placed in the refrigerator.
How to smoke turkey legs
Step 1- Prep. Rinse the turkey legs and place them in a large container. Add bay leaves, cloves, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and ice cubes.
Step 2- Make the brine. Combine brown sugar, coarse salt, curing salt, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Step 3- Assemble. Cool it down and pour it over the turkey legs. Lid the container and refrigerate overnight (or 12 hours).
Step 4- Make the dry rub. Combine the rub ingredients in a bowl.
Step 4- Coat. Remove the turkey drumsticks from the brine, pat them dry, and rub them with olive oil. Then, coat the turkey legs with the rub and place them on the preheated pellet smoker.
Step 5- Smoke the turkey legs. Smoke the turkey legs for 3-4 hours or until the inner temperature reaches 165F.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Use a meat thermometer. My #1 tip when working with any meat is always to check the internal temperature during the cooking process. Once the meat reaches 165F, it’s ready to enjoy. Ensure the thermometer isn’t touching the bone, or it will give incorrect results (usually show it MUCH hotter than it is!).
- Don’t cook on high heat. Avoid turning up the heat in an attempt to cook faster. Because turkey legs have a lot of muscles and tendons, it takes 3 to 4 hours for the collagen to melt. The result is beautifully moist, tender meat! Otherwise, you’ll end up with really tough turkey legs.
- Get perfectly crispy skin. If you enjoy the crispy skin of meat, I recommend broiling the turkey for 1-2 minutes at the end.
- Completely submerge the turkey legs. Dip the turkey legs entirely in the brining liquid for even brining and consistent texture and flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Although it really depends on the smoker, light wood chips like cherry or apple work well for this recipe because it isn’t overpowering. If you prefer a super smoky flavor, opt for oak or hickory.
No, that’s not required. In fact, you want it to retain the flavor as much as possible.
I don’t recommend brining the meat for over 24 hours. Overbrining will break down your meat and make it way too salty to consume.
Sure, you can! Remember to thaw your frozen turkey legs before brining them so they absorb all the beautiful flavors.
Yes- I tested this in the oven. Prep the turkey legs as instructed. Place them on a wire rack over a foil-rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 45 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Turn on the broil setting and broil for 2-3 minutes or until your desired crispness level.
Yes, you can. Here’s how I cook it on the grill: Once the turkey is brined and seasoned, place it on a hot charcoal grill with clean grill grates. Grill the turkey legs on each side for 12-15 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Storage instructions
To store. Allow the turkey legs to cool, and refrigerate them in an airtight container for three days.
To freeze. Place leftover turkey in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To reheat. Reheat smoked turkey legs in the oven, covered. Or steam them to prevent them from drying out.
If you tried this Smoked Turkey Legs recipe, please leave a star rating and comment. It helps others thinking of making this.
Smoked Turkey Legs Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 turkey legs
Brine
- 4 bay leaves
- 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 cup ice
- 5 cups water
- 1/4 cup coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon curing salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Dry rub
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 1/4 tablespoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Rinse the turkey legs and place them in a large container.
- Add bay leaves, cloves, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and ice cubes.
- In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, coarse salt, and curing salt. Add water and bring to a boil. Cool down the prepared brine and pour it over the turkey legs. Refrigerate for 12 hours.
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F-250°F with your favorite hardwood. I recommend oak or hickory.
- Remove the turkey legs from the brine and pat them dry. Rub the turkey drumsticks with olive oil.
- In a bowl, combine brown sugar, coarse salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Rub the turkey legs with the prepared spice mix and place them on the smoker. Smoke the turkey legs for 3 hours or until the inner temperature reaches 165°F. For extra crispy skin, broil the turkey for 2-3 minutes at the end.
Notes
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Crispy skin: Broil for the final 2-3 minutes.
What is difference between course salt and normal?
Brown sugar goes really well in preparing meat. Thanks for advice!
I just made this and it’s fabulous!!