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.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
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
- 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
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Make the turkey leg brine by whisking the brown sugar, kosher salt, and curing salt (Prague powder) in cool water. Stir in the black peppercorns.
- 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.
- 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.
- In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients. Sprinkle the rub all over the surface of the turkey legs.
- Preheat the smoker to a temperature of 225 degrees F and add your favorite wood chips. I used hickory for this recipe.
- 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.
- Remove the turkey legs from the smoker, allow them to cool slightly, and enjoy!
