Smoked Turkey Legs

Learn how to make perfectly smoked turkey legs with this easy, beginner-friendly method that delivers juicy meat and a deep smoky flavor every time. This recipe with smoked turkey legs is ideal for home cooks who want to bring bold, slow-smoked goodness to the dinner table.

A Recipe with Smoked Turkey Legs

Many people want smoked turkey legs. However, they often feel unsure about the process. I understand that fear because smoking meat can feel intimidating at first. Yet this method keeps everything simple and clear.

You can use wild turkey legs from a successful hunt. But you can also use store-bought turkey legs from any grocery store. Both options work perfectly. And both options deliver tender meat and a deep smoky aroma.

This process uses an easy brine for smoked turkey legs. The brine improves flavor and moisture. It helps the legs cook evenly. It also prepares the surface to take on smoke. The added curing salt isn't absolutely necessary, but gives the meat a beautiful color.

The turkey leg rub mix blends brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, and warm spices. It tastes balanced and rich, clings well to the turkey skin, and creates a gorgeous crust that feels amazing to bite through.

The smoker does the rest. Low heat slowly melts connective tissue. It softens wild turkey legs nicely and turns tough muscle fibers into tender strands that fall from the bone. It also builds a classic smoky flavor that tastes great for serving up to family and friends.

Wild Turkey Legs vs. Store-Bought Turkey Legs

Wild turkey legs hold strong flavor. They come with more muscle and connective tissue, so they need extra time in the smoker. However, they reward the patient home cook with great depth and satisfying texture.

Store-bought turkey legs offer consistent size and texture. They cook evenly and take smoke well, and stay slightly more tender with less effort. Home cooks enjoy this option because store-bought turkey legs are easier to get a hold.

Whether you are using wild turkey or store-bought turkey, both choices taste excellent with this smoked turkey legs recipe.

How to Cook Smoked Turkey Legs

Many home cooks ask how to cook smoked turkey legs. The steps are simple. The brine helps moisture stay in the meat. The rub builds flavor. The smoker cooks the legs low and slow until they reach the ideal temperature of 190 degrees F.

Why Smoke Turkey Legs to 190 degrees F Instead of Just 175 degrees F

Turkey legs contain heavy connective tissue. These fibers stay tough at lower temperatures. Many people stop cooking at 165 degrees F or 175 degrees F. However, that choice creates chewy meat. And the texture feels awfully unpleasant with turkey legs.

Turkey legs become tender at higher temperatures. Collagen melts and turns into gelatin at around 185 degrees F. That transformation helps the meat stay juicy. It also creates a tender texture that feels smooth and rich.

If you stop at 175 degrees F, you miss that change. The legs remain tight and stringy. That issue appears most often with wild turkey legs. It appears less often with store-bought legs. Yet it still matters.

When you let the legs reach 190 degrees F, you get ideal results. The meat stays juicy. The fibers soften. The smoke flavor stands out. The texture improves dramatically. This temperature ensures success every time.

How Long To Smoke Turkey Legs

The total time depends on size. However, most turkey legs reach 190 degrees F in 90 to 120 minutes. Wild turkey legs may take longer. Store-bought legs may finish faster. Always trust the internal temperature. A digital meat thermometer helps ensure accuracy.

Brine for Smoked Turkey Legs

A good brine improves every part of this recipe. The salt seasons the meat fully. The brown sugar helps browning. The peppercorns add gentle spice. The curing salt gives the legs a beautiful color.

This smoked turkey legs brine works for wild turkey or domestic turkey. And it works whether it's summer grilling season or Thanksgiving.

Rub for Smoked Turkey Legs

A nice rub for smoked turkey legs creates great flavor. This rub blends brown sugar, salt, garlic, and warm spices. It adds contrast to the smoky meat and builds a crust that holds moisture inside the legs. This rub mix works beautifully with hickory smoke, but it also pairs well with apple wood chips.

Ingredients for Smoked Turkey Legs

Smoked Turkey Brine

• 2 turkey legs (or turkey leg quarters)
• 4 cups cold water
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon Prague powder #1 (curing salt)

Smoked Turkey Rub

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

How to Smoke Turkey Legs

1. Gather your ingredients.

2. Make the turkey leg brine by whisking the brown sugar, kosher salt, and curing salt in cool water. Stir in the black peppercorns.

3. Place the turkey legs in a gallon Ziploc bag, and pour the brine over the legs. Put the bag in a bowl or pot and brine them for 8 to 12 hours in the refrigerator. You can safely leave them in the brine for up to 24 hours without them getting too salty.

4. Remove the turkey legs from the refrigerator and take the legs out of the brine. Rinse them under cool water and pat them dry with paper towels.

5. In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients. Sprinkle the rub all over the surface of the turkey legs.

6. Preheat the smoker to a temperature of 225 degrees F and add your favorite wood chips. I used hickory for this recipe.

7. Place the turkey legs in the smoker and smoke them for about 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees F.

8. Remove the turkey legs from the smoker, allow them to cool slightly, and enjoy!

More Turkey Recipes

If you liked this Smoked Turkey Legs Recipe, and are looking for more turkey recipes, check out these family favorites all tested and approved by my wife and daughter:

• Baked Turkey Meatballs
• Bone-In Turkey Breast
• Turkey Asian Meatball Soup
• Stuffed Turkey Breast
• Slow Cooker Turkey Stock
• Sausage and Turkey Gumbo
• Turkey Tenders

Come Turkey Hunting in North Dakota

If you are headed our way for North Dakota turkey season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website.

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