🍗 Smoked turkey legs... 🍗

[The Tradition]

It seems the internet is all over the place on recipes for smoked turkey legs.

Some use curing salt; some don't.

Some brine; some don't.

Some use a rub; others don't.

Some cook them hot and fast; others cook them low and slow.

I've only done them once before: rubbed with poultry seasoning, no brine, cooked low and slow and I was not impressed with the outcome. They were tough and could have benefited from a brine to make the meat moister.

I want to knock them out of the park this time.

Anyone master the art of the smoked turkey leg?

 

[TJ8869]

Turkey doesn't have enough fat to benefit from cooking low and slow. I'd go about 275-300 to get crispy skin.

 

[ThorneStockton]

 

[TJ8869]

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I was just about to post this for the benefit of our FSU posters.

 

[UNIowaHawk]

It seems the internet is all over the place on recipes for smoked turkey legs.

Some use curing salt; some don't.

Some brine; some don't.

Some use a rub; others don't.

Some cook them hot and fast; others cook them low and slow.

I've only done them once before: rubbed with poultry seasoning, no brine, cooked low and slow and I was not impressed with the outcome. They were tough and could have benefited from a brine to make the meat moister.

I want to knock them out of the park this time.

Anyone master the art of the smoked turkey leg?

I am guessing smoked turkey legs are like BBQ sauce and there is more than one way to make it.

 

[The Tradition]

I am guessing smoked turkey legs are like BBQ sauce and there is more than one way to make it.

Thanks, professor.

Do you have a great recipe that works for you?

 

[SeaPA]

They about always smell great, and they are about always inedible. Somehow they are fatty/greasy as all hell, yet chewier than beef jerkey.

 

[Pepperman]

Never tried one but I have a hard time believing there’s not enough fat in a turkey leg to get a benefit of low and slow...

If you handed me one today and said “go” I’d dredge it in corn starch, salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Could toss in a shake or two of cayenne and paprika too. Low and slow with smoker chips using indirect heat on my Weber charcoal grill. The corn starch will let the skin get crispy almost like it was fried.

 

[Fijimn]

There a place here in Houston that stuffs them and smokes them. Incredible

 

[The Tradition]

Never tried one but I have a hard time believing there’s not enough fat in a turkey leg to get a benefit of low and slow...

If you handed me one today and said “go” I’d dredge it in corn starch, salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Could toss in a shake or two of cayenne and paprika too. Low and slow with smoker chips using indirect heat on my Weber charcoal grill. The corn starch will let the skin get crispy almost like it was fried.

Malcom Reed did that with chicken wings, but he didn't cook low and slow....

 

[QChawks]

with BAAAAARRRBBBBAAAAQUUUUUEEE sauce

 

[The Tradition]

with BAAAAARRRBBBBAAAAQUUUUUEEE sauce

No sauce. I want them dry like at Disney World.

 

[Silentobservance.]

Wild or farm raised?

 

[torbee]

There a place here in Houston that stuffs them and smokes them. Incredible

What are they stuffed with?

 

[The Tradition]

What are they stuffed with?

I going to go out on a limb here and guess stuffing?

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

It seems the internet is all over the place on recipes for smoked turkey legs.

Some use curing salt; some don't.

Some brine; some don't.

Some use a rub; others don't.

Some cook them hot and fast; others cook them low and slow.

I've only done them once before: rubbed with poultry seasoning, no brine, cooked low and slow and I was not impressed with the outcome. They were tough and could have benefited from a brine to make the meat moister.

I want to knock them out of the park this time.

Anyone master the art of the smoked turkey leg?

Brine them, use a rub and low and slow should be the recipe to get the best results.

There's nothing you can do about the disgusting tendons, cartilage and other monstrosities you'll find inside them however. Turkey legs are the government cheese of the poultry world.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

Brine them, use a rub and low and slow should be the recipe to get the best results.

There's nothing you can do about the disgusting tendons, cartilage and other monstrosities you'll find inside them however. Turkey legs are the government cheese of the poultry world.

Totally agree. They look and smell great, but once you bite into them, the tendons get in the way and make them borderline disgusting. Much better to carve them or pull the meat off and plate. I also hate the lazy sobs who don't remove the meat from the legs when carving Thanksgiving turkey and just place them on the plate whole.

 

[The Tradition]

Totally agree. They look and smell great, but once you bite into them, the tendons get in the way and make them borderline disgusting. Much better to carve them or pull the meat off and plate. I also hate the lazy sobs who don't remove the meat from the legs when carving Thanksgiving turkey and just place them on the plate whole.

The drumsticks are for the kids, you savage.

 

[Fijimn]

What are they stuffed with?

Dirty rice, etouffee, alfredo

theturkeyhut.com

 

[HIWB]

I’m doing mine this year the same way I spatchcock a chicken.
Overnight brine
Overnight rest uncovered in fridge
Spatchcock and cook at 300-350 until the breast hits a few degrees short of done.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

I miss Chuck jumping up on stage to sing " Long Tall Sally " with the " Rock Lobsters. " We bowled together nearly 50 years ago...

 

[The Tradition]

I’m doing mine this year the same way I spatchcock a chicken.
Overnight brine
Overnight rest uncovered in fridge
Spatchcock and cook at 300-350 until the breast hits a few degrees short of done.

The turkey legs will be in addition to a traditional oven-roasted bird.

 

[The Tradition]

Okay, so this is what I've decided to do:

YES I will use the curing salt in the brine.

YES they will sit for a day in the fridge once out of the brine to help the skin dry out.

YES they will get oiled up and rubbed with a flavorful seasoning.

YES I will cook them HOT AND FAST, not low and slow. Fire the PBC up and LET IT RIP!

YES I will apply a glaze during the last 20 minutes of cook time.

The adventure starts tomorrow.

 

[The Tradition]

The legs are in the brine/curing salt solution. See you guys tomorrow!

 

[Flie]

It seems the internet is all over the place on recipes for smoked turkey legs.

Some use curing salt; some don't.

Some brine; some don't.

Some use a rub; others don't.

Some cook them hot and fast; others cook them low and slow.

I've only done them once before: rubbed with poultry seasoning, no brine, cooked low and slow and I was not impressed with the outcome. They were tough and could have benefited from a brine to make the meat moister.

I want to knock them out of the park this time.

Anyone master the art of the smoked turkey leg?

I've smoked one turkey and it was good. The meet was juicy and had the nice smokey flavor. I did not brine, I used a dry rub (on and under the skin), and cooked it at a higher temp for less time than low and slow. Low and slow like you do for pork and beef usually dries out chicken or turkey. Keep the temp somewhere around 275-325. I don't do water in the pan for poultry but some people do. If I use water in the pan for my smoker, the temp usually won't get above 250.

If I do it again I'll probably try using a brine to see how it turns out.

 

[The Tradition]

I've smoked one turkey and it was good. The meet was juicy and had the nice smokey flavor. I did not brine, I used a dry rub (on and under the skin), and cooked it at a higher temp for less time than low and slow. Low and slow like you do for pork and beef usually dries out chicken or turkey. Keep the temp somewhere around 275-325. I don't do water in the pan for poultry but some people do. If I use water in the pan for my smoker, the temp usually won't get above 250.

If I do it again I'll probably try using a brine to see how it turns out.

If your rub had salt in it and you let it sit for a few hours then you effectively dry brined.

I've brined turkeys both ways and it can be good both ways.

 

[Nole Lou]

I'm going to salt my turkey overnight to dry brine it, then spatchcock it and smoke it about 300. It will be my first time spatchcocking a turkey.

Do any of you inject? I bought the creole butter injection stuff, but I'm ambivalent about using it, leaning no.

I won't wet brine my turkey again. I really did not like the texture at all.

I think the quest for super juicy turkey is a little quixotic. It's just not a juicy piece of meat, and the quest to have it super moist just results in a spongy soggy texture and degrades the flavor. To me, the wet brine left it with a gross mouth feel. Maybe manipulating the time/solution/etc would have had better results, but I was dissatisfied enough not to experiment with it further.

Yes, it can be easily overcooked, and overcooked turkey is too dry to enjoy. So just don't overcook it...if you cook it to 160, that's just how it's supposed to be, and if it's too dry for your taste, that's what gravy is for. I know I'm in the minority on this and people love to soak their turkey, but the mouth feel is just not for me.

I've actually found the best thing on Turkey is not gravy, but a North Carolina vinegar bbq sauce. A couple years I've done a butt as well as a turkey, and using the vinegar sauce on the turkey was a revelation. It's perfect...it resolves any sense of dryness, and enhances the flavor of the turkey without just covering it with another flavor. I'll have that on hand, and that's also leaning me toward not injecting.

 

[The Tradition]

I'm going to salt my turkey overnight to dry brine it, then spatchcock it and smoke it about 300. It will be my first time spatchcocking a turkey.

Do any of you inject? I bought the creole butter injection stuff, but I'm ambivalent about using it, leaning no.

I won't wet brine my turkey again. I really did not like the texture at all.

I think the quest for super juicy turkey is a little quixotic. It's just not a juicy piece of meat, and the quest to have it super moist just results in a spongy soggy texture and degrades the flavor. To me, the wet brine left it with a gross mouth feel. Maybe manipulating the time/solution/etc would have had better results, but I was dissatisfied enough not to experiment with it further.

Yes, it can be easily overcooked, and overcooked turkey is too dry to enjoy. So just don't overcook it...if you cook it to 160, that's just how it's supposed to be, and if it's too dry for your taste, that's what gravy is for. I know I'm in the minority on this and people love to soak their turkey, but the mouth feel is just not for me.

I've actually found the best thing on Turkey is not gravy, but a North Carolina vinegar bbq sauce. A couple years I've done a butt as well as a turkey, and using the vinegar sauce on the turkey was a revelation. It's perfect...it resolves any sense of dryness, and enhances the flavor of the turkey without just covering it with another flavor. I'll have that on hand, and that's also leaning me toward not injecting.

I have an injector but rarely use it. I'm a little bit leery that it's sufficiently clean inside the needle.

A brined bird WILL get mushy if you brine too long or the salt solution ratio is wrong, but done right, it's great.

Yeah, I've tried various BBQ sauces on turkey sandwiches, but never at the dinner table with just turkey on the plate. I'll have to try that.

 

[Flie]

If your rub had salt in it and you let it sit for a few hours then you effectively dry brined.

I've brined turkeys both ways and it can be good both ways.

I never use salt in my dry rubs. I do a dry brine for smoked salmon that works well.

 

[The Tradition]

Here are the turkey legs after being removed from the brine/cure solution. They will rest uncovered in the fridge to help the skin dry out.

See you guys tomorrow!

 

[The Tradition]

All seasoned up and out on the PBC!

 

[The Tradition]

The PBC was at 275 when I put the legs in and it dropped to 225 with the cold legs in there. It took about 20 minutes to get back up to 275 - 300 where I wanted it. After 45 minutes, they were already temping in the 150s. I quickly made the glaze and hit both sides. When they were in the 170s I pulled them. Total cook time was only about 1:30.

 

[The Tradition]

First bite:

This was outstanding, y'all. 😋

 

[LaTavianGreenshaw24]

First bite:

This was outstanding, y'all. 😋

Making me look bad, brother. I was gettin ready to post mine, but let’s just say it doesn’t look very pretty.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

Those look great. Might have to rethink my philosophy on turkey legs on the bone.

 

[The Tradition]

If you want to do this yourself, I combined three different recipes for this cook.

First, Meathead's recipe for the brine:

How to Smoke Turkey Legs, Disney Style

This tested recipe reproduces the monster turkey legs you see if you visit any of the Disney parks where you will see folks stumbling around with delirious smiles. The secret to success is curing then smoking the giant turkey legs. This recipe also works fine with chicken legs, though they will...

amazingribs.com

Susie's recipe for the rub:

Smoked Turkey Rub - Hey Grill, Hey

Smoked Turkey Rub is the perfect combination of BBQ flavors and herbs. It was made to compliment the flavor of smoked turkey so you can cook stress-free.

heygrillhey.com

And Martha's recipe for the glaze:

Turkey with Brown-Sugar Glaze

This year, try a flavorful glaze made with orange juice, brown sugar, and vinegar on your Thanksgiving bird.

www.marthastewart.com

 

[The Tradition]

A Rachel sandwich made from the turkey leg meat. This was fantastic.