Smoked Turkey Legs
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 604kcal
When I think of Smoked Turkey Legs, I think of summer, Disney, and the Kings who ruled the medieval ages. The turkey legs at Disney are famous and the long lines of visitors waiting to get their hands on one is proof! It's that smell that gets to you; it wafts about and finds it's way to your nose. It's hard to resist, but those long lines are a great deterrent. Save your time and make them at home. It really couldn't be easier!
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 whole turkey legs (1 to 1 1/2 pounds each)
For the Brine:
- 3 cups water
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppercorns (or 1 teaspoon ground black pepper)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 3 cups ice cubes
For the Rub:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Place the turkey legs into a large bowl or a resealable bag and set aside.
- In a saucepan, add the water and salt. Over medium heat, warm the water and stir until the salt is dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the brown sugar, peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay leaves.
- Add the ice cubes to the mixture and stir to cool the mixture down.
- Once cooled, pour over the turkey legs. Cover bowl or seal the bag. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Be sure the brine completely covers the turkey.
- When ready to smoke, remove the turkey from the fridge. Drain and discard the brine. Set the turkey aside while you prepare the smoker.
- While the smoker heats up, combine the rub ingredients. Pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels and generously rub each leg with the dry rub mixture.
- Load up the smoker with the turkey. The legs should be placed on the middle rack. Close the smoker and smoke the turkey for 3 hours while maintaining a temperature of 250 degrees F.
- After the three hour mark, use tongs to remove the turkey from the smoker. Close the smoker door to retain the heat while you check the internal temperature of the turkey. On a meat thermometer, the temperature should ready at least 170 degrees F.
- If the turkey is cooked through, allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Otherwise, return to smoker for 30 minutes more and check the temperature again.
Nutrition
Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 687mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 367IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg