Smoked Turkey Legs
These smoked turkey legs are everything you want in a hearty, crave-worthy smoker meal - juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and packed with smoky, savory flavor. The brine infuses the meat with a perfect balance of salt, sweetness, and spice from cloves, bay, and Dijon, while the slow smoking process locks in that deep wood-fired richness. The result is tender meat that pulls effortlessly from the bone and a crispy skin that crackles with every bite.
Servings: 4 legs
Ingredients
- 4 turkey legs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 tablespoons homemade turkey rub or your favorite poultry seasoning
For the Brine:
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup salt
- 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Make the brine. Add all of the brine ingredients to a large stockpot. Bring the mix to a boil, and then turn it down to low to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and allow the brine to cool completely.
- Brine the legs. Place two legs in a gallon bag. Pour half of the brine into the bag. Remove most of the air and seal the bag shut. Repeat these steps for the next two legs. Place the bags in a large bowl (so they don’t leak) and place them in the fridge for at least 12 hours. *Since it’s not an entire turkey, you can brine the legs in a couple of gallon-sized zip top bags.
- Prep the grill. After brining, preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 225℉ with your choice of pellets or wood.
- Prepare the legs for smoking. Remove the legs from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Then coat each leg with a bit of olive oil, and rub with the seasoning.
- Smoke the legs. Place the legs directly on the grill grates of your pellet grill or smoker. Close the lid. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 170°F, as measured by an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each leg. *These are dark meat, so you want the finish temperature to be a bit higher.
- Rest and serve. Remove the legs from the grill and allow to rest about 10 minutes. Then serve.
Notes
- Cooking times - The cook times in this recipe are provided as a guide only. Cooking times will vary based on size of your turkey legs, temperature of your grill, what grill you are using, etc. Some of my turkey legs were smaller than others and finished cooking at about 1.5 hours. The others needed about 15 minutes longer to reach temp. Always cook to proper internal temperature, not a specific time.
- For the seasoning - I used my homemade turkey rub here - https://pelletsandpits.com/turkey-rub-recipe/ - but you can substitute your favorite poultry dry rub. I have also tested this recipe with Fire & Smoke Society Super Bird Poultry Seasoning.