Best Smoked Turkey Legs Recipes

SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Several hours before planning on barbecuing, loosen the skin on the turkey legs by running your fingers under it as far as possible without tearing the skin.
• Combine the Worcestershire sauce and the oil. Coat your fingers with the mixture and rub really well into the turkey legs, getting as much as you can under the skin. Sprinkle the Dry Rub over the skin, liberally rubbing into the turkey legs and under the skin. Place the legs in plastic bags and refrigerate.
• Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 200 to 220 degrees F. Remove the turkey legs from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Re-warm the mop mixture over low heat.
• Transfer the turkey legs to the smoker. Cook until the legs are very tender and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Mop the legs at 45-minute intervals in a wood-burning pit, or as appropriate for your style of smoker. Serve the legs hot, to be eaten with your fingers, with a side of barbecue sauce.
• Mix ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Combine the mop ingredients in a small saucepan and warm the mixture over low heat.

SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Place the water, kosher salt and brown sugar in an 8-quart plastic container and stir until fully dissolved. Add the ice before submerging the turkey legs in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
• Set up your favorite smoker and add a handful of hardwood chunks. If you have heat control, set it to 150 to 170 degrees F and allow the wood to smoke for approximately 30 minutes.
• While the smoker is heating, drain the legs, pat them dry and arrange them on a rack. Smoke the legs on the rack for 3 hours, rotating the legs halfway through.
• Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Make 2 pouches out of double-layered heavy-duty tin foil, adding 3 legs and 1/2 cup of chicken stock to each pouch. Braise the legs in their pouches for 1 hour, then carefully drain and reserve the jus.
• Defat the jus, remove the skins and serve the legs alongside the smoky jus.

STATE FAIR SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• 1. Bring all ingredients EXCEPT Turkey to a boil. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Let it sit to room temperature. Put the brine in the fridge to get cold.
• 2. Slide your fingers under the turkey leg skins to separate the turkey meat from the skin. Do not remove the skin, but slide it to the bottom of the leg.
• 3. ***Note You want to brine the meat. So leave the skin around the bottom of the leg.
• 4. Place the cold marinade into a food-safe bucket....they are cheap and easy to find. Add the turkey legs with the skin around the turkey's ankles. Let sit in the fridge overnight and up to 24 hours.
• 5. ******Note Be careful, the longer it sits in the brine the less your meat will remain in a solid state....I personally prefer overnight.
• 6. Rinse the turkey legs under cold water and return the skin to cover the legs. Pat dry with paper towels.
• 7. Preheat the smoker to 250. I used apple wood chips. Place the turkey legs on the smoker girll and allow to smoke for 1 1/2 hours....flip the legs over and continue for another 1 1/2 hours.
• 8. Remove and enjoy, or do like I am doing and zip seal them in vacuum pack bags to take hiking on your next adventure.

SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Combine water, kosher salt, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, pepper, cumin, and sage for brine in a large pot. Bring to boil, making sure salt is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, cover, and let cool to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes. Pour into a container and refrigerate brine until cold, or to 35 to 40 degrees F (2 to 4 degrees C).
• Rinse turkey legs in cold water and pat dry. Place legs into cold brine, cover and refrigerate, 4 to 6 hours.
• Remove legs from the brine, rinse well in cold water, and dry with paper towels. Discard brine.
• Combine oil, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, cumin, and sage for spice rub in a small bowl; mix with a fork until well combined. Generously rub legs with spice rub until covered. Let legs sit on a cooling rack for about 1 hour.
• Preheat a smoker to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Place turkey legs, unstacked, onto wire racks. Place the racks into the preheated smoker. Smoke until meat is falling off of the bone, 4 to 6 hours. Remove from smoker and let rest, 20 to 30 minutes.

ROASTED POTATOES AND SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or an oven-proof pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, and chile pepper; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Place turkey legs on top; cover with diced tomatoes. Cover Dutch oven with lid.
• Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Turn turkey legs around to coat with tomato mixture. Stir cabbage and baked beans into the pot; season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Replace lid.
• Continue baking until turkey legs are tender, about 45 minutes. Pull turkey meat off the bones and cut into bite-sized pieces. Mix into the pot.

HICKORY SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• To make the sauce: In a saucepan, stir all the sauce ingredients together using a whisk.
• Bring mixture to a boil; lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the apples are cooked and the sauce is thickened.
• Throw out the cinnamon stick; let sauce cool for 5 minutes.
• Puree sauce in a blender or food processor.
• Equally divide sauce into 2 bowls; set aside.
• To make rub: In a bowl or heavy duty plastic zip-top bag add all the rub ingredients; stir or shake to combine.
• Rinse the turkey legs under cold water and pat dry.
• Coat turkey legs with rub mixture; let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature before grilling.
• Spray or lightly brush turkey legs with vegetable oil.
• Follow your grill manufacturer's instructions for using wood chunks.
• Grill turkey legs over indirect medium heat for approximately 1 hour or until meat thermometer reads 180° when inserted into the thickest part of the meat (baste occasionally with sauce from 1 reserved bowl).
• Take legs off grill and served with sauce from the 2nd reserved bowl.

SMOKED TURKEY OR CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Wash 4 to 6 turkey legs and place in roaster or large pot. They will have to soak in the brine for 12 hours, so make sure the pot is large enough for the legs to be completely covered in the brine.
• Heat the chicken broth in a large pot to a low boil. add all brine ingredients and stir to dissolve. Boil for 10 minutes, remove from heat. Add 1 gallon cold water to the brine pot, add cooled brine to pot cover legs, add more water if needed.
• Cover and let soak in cool place for 12 hours.
• Remove legs from brine and rinse. Pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Combined all ingredients for the rub and coat the legs. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and chill in fridge 6 hours or more.
• Make sure your fire is ready (250°) before adding soaked hickory wood chips. remove legs from foil. Fill drip/steam pan with broth listed above. Place in your smoker for 6-8 hours. You do not have to have constant smoke on these, so do not worry. You will want to add water to the drip pan after about 3 hours.
• Remove from smoker and let sit 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

BRIANA'S GRILLED SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• 1. Add turkey legs to a large pot, cover with water and add in spices to season water. Cover pot with lid, bring to a boil, then simmer until legs become somewhat tender. NOTE: DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU BUY THE SMOKED LEGS FROM, SOME BRANDS TAKES A LOT LONGER TO COOK THAN OTHERS. BRIANA PREFER TO GET THE ONE THAT ARE CRYOVAC PACKAGES FROM WALMART, WHICH TAKES LESS TIME TO COOK.
• 2. Once tender, remove the legs from the water, and add to a large 9X12 size disposable aluminum pan. Add in the chopped veggies.
• 3. Pull the outer skin of the legs back and brush with softened butter, then pull the outer skin back over the legs. SPRINKLE LEGS with additional seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and steak seasoning.
• 4. Pour about 1 1/2-2 cups of the turkey liquid over the veggies. Then cover the pan tightly with foil.Place pan on hot grill and allow to cook until vegetables are tender, about and hour or so.
• 5. If desired remove legs from pan and place directly on grill grate, and alow the outer skin of the turkey lgs to get crispy on the outside, about 15-20 minutes, or so or as desired. The vegetables in the pan are outstanding with all the flavors from the turkey.

FAUX SMOKED TURKEY LEGS RECIPE - (3.8/5)

Steps:

• In large bowl or pan, combine the water, quick salt, brown sugar, and liquid smoke. When salt and sugar have dissolved, pour mixture over turkey legs. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 72 hours. Drain brine from turkey legs and discard used brine. Gently pat turkey dry with paper towels. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place drumsticks in lightly greased roasting pan and bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Turn oven temperature up to 500°F and roast turkey legs until they reach a deep, dark brown color. Flip drumsticks and roast other side until equally browned. Note: DO NOT substitute regular or kosher salt for the tender quick salt (which is a mix of salt, sugar, and other curing agents), or you will end up with a too-salty, inedible mess. If you can't find the tender quick salt, look for a curing salt. If in doubt, ask your butcher.

SMOKED TURKEY LEGS RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Place gallon of water and all dry ingredients into a very large pot on medium to high heat. Stir occasionally until mixture comes to a boil. Once boiling occurs the heat can be turned off and the brine can be left to cool to room temperature. Once brine has cooled to room temperature, pour brine into a very large plastic container or two medium size plastic containers and place in fridge for further cooling. The brine must reach 40°F before adding meat to brine. When brine chills to required temperature, add 4 to 6 turkey legs to brine. Leave turkey legs in brine for 9 hours stirring around several times throughout the process. After nine hours, remove turkey legs from brine and rinse well under cool water. About 30 minutes before you are ready to smoke them, Coat the turkey legs with olive oil and sprinkle on a little cajun seasoning for good flavor. Try to get the seasoning up under the skin wherever possible as this is where the flavor will be the most tasty. Once you are finished, leave the legs on the counter and go get the smoker ready. I like to prepare the smoker for about 240°F with a mix of oak and pecan. Sometimes I use mesquite or other fruit wood just depending on what I am in the mood for and what I have on hand. Please note that I normally use a wood fired smoker but these can just as easily be done on propane, electric or charcoal as long as the temperature is right and you have smoke flowing, they will taste great. SMOKING THE TURKEY LEGS: Once the smoker is going and the temperature is at 240°F or so, get the turkey legs and place them right on the grate leaving about 1 inch between them to allow the smoke to be able to flow freely all around the meat. Occasionally.. about once every hour or so, I like to brush on some olive oil or you can use the spray olive oil to make it real easy. This will help to keep them moist and will help to crisp the skin while they smoke. If you are using an electric, propane or charcoal smoker then I recommend that you keep replenishing the smoke for at least the first 2 hours.. I like to do it the entire time but I like the smoke to be very prominent. If you like the smoke to be extremely subtle then you may want to go 2 hours and then finish with just heat. The turkey legs will take about 3 to 4 hours to reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the turkey drumsticks from the smoker once they are at temperature and wrap them individually in heavy duty foil. They can be placed in the oven to keep them warm or eaten immediately if you so desire.

SMOKED TURKEY LEGS {DISNEY WORLD COPYCAT}

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine kosher salt, Prague powder, brown sugar and worcestershire into distilled water. Stir until dissolved.
• Loosen the skin away from the flesh on each leg.
• Using a flavor injector, inject some of the mixture into several spots on the turkey legs.
• Place three legs each into two plastic storage bags.
• Pour half of the mixture into both bags. Toss a bay leaf into each bag and seal pushing put all excess air.
• Place bags onto a baking sheet to shield fridge from any leaks.
• Place in fridge and marinate for 24 hours.
• Discard marinade and rinse each turkey leg under cold water. Pat dry.
• In a small bowl, combine brown sugar black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Mix well.
• Season each leg liberally with the seasoning mixture.
• Using a smoker, smoke the legs on the highest grate over soaked hickory chips and charcoal for 3-5 hours or until the internal temperature on both sides of the bone reaches 170 degrees. Say grace and enjoy!