Smoked Turkey Legs

You don't need to wait for the State Fair to enjoy juicy Smoked Turkey Legs! Start with a simple, flavorful brine, then add the legs to your smoker for a couple of hours.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 2

Brining Time 6

Total Time 8 5

Servings servings

Calories 736kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

4 cups water cold
¼ cup brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pink curing salt #1 (see note 1)
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 turkey legs (see note 2)
olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together the water, brown sugar, kosher salt, and curing salt until dissolved. Add peppercorns and bay leaves.
Add turkey legs to the bowl, adding additional water if needed to cover, and top with a plate to ensure they remain submerged in the brine. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees. Remove turkey legs from brine and pat dry. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add turkey legs directly onto grate in the smoker. Close smoker and smoke until turkey legs are tender and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from smoker, tent with foil, and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Pink Curing Salt #1: Also known as Prague Powder or Insta Cure No. 1, this contains both sodium chloride (94%) and sodium nitrite (6%). It is used to preserve and cure meats such as bacon, ham, sausage, and corned beef, and gives cured meats a distinctive pink color. Pink Curing Salt is not safe to use as a table salt substitute.
Turkey Legs: Select bone-in, skin-on raw turkey legs for this recipe. Turkey legs typically weigh between 1 and 2 pounds each; aim for 5 pounds for this recipe.
Yield: This recipe makes 4 juicy Smoked Turkey Legs. The recipe easily doubles or triples for a crowd, so make a lot!
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition