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BBQ Related Topics => BBQ Recipes => Thanksgiving Meal & Turkey Recipes => Topic started by: BBQMom on October 14, 2008, 11:43:37 am

Title: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: BBQMom on October 14, 2008, 11:43:37 am
We love smoked turkey legs and here is my version. The biggest difference between these and the ones you get at a fair is the skin. In my experience the skin on the festival legs is usually a bit rubbery. I appologize in advance for the lack of exact measurments. I cook the way my grandma did and rarely measure anything.....

Brine: For every gallon of water you need 1 cup of Kosher salt, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of honey. I do this in a cooler and start with half the amount of warm water to disolve the salt and sugar completely then add the rest in cold water. The amount of brine you need depends on the size of your cooler and number of legs you are brining.

Add your turkey legs (fresh will be jucier than frozen and Sprouts is the only place I can find them) to the brine and be sure they are completely submerged. Add a bag of ice, give it a quick stir, put the lid on and leave it to do its magic for 12 hours.

Remove legs from the brine and lightly rinse and pat dry. Season with your favorite Poultry rub and smoke at no higher than 200 degrees until they reach an internal temp of 165. I like to start spraying with a 50/50 mixture of Apple juice and Olive oil about two hours in and spray about every hour, but you can use what ever you like to mop on your poultry (I bet you chicken champions have some good ideas). Cook times will vary by smoker but 4 hours is about average.

I know that 200 seems a little too low of a smoke temp but I've done these at higher temps and they cook too fast and the smokey goodness doesn't go all the way through to the bone, especially if they're really big legs. Enjoy! :)

Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: KidCurry on October 14, 2008, 11:46:54 am
Cool!  Thanks!
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: Mike (AZBarbeque) on October 14, 2008, 03:26:22 pm
Great Recipe, thanks for sharing.

I agree, the lower the temp on the Turkey legs, the better they turn out.
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: force on October 21, 2008, 09:37:55 pm
As soon as I get out of my Knight suit, I will give those a try...........thanks
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: Mike (AZBarbeque) on October 21, 2008, 10:20:16 pm
As soon as I get out of my Knight suit, I will give those a try...........thanks

Now this I have to see...  More like Court Jester Suit...  :o  ;D  ;D
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: force on October 22, 2008, 11:00:47 pm
I'll break that out as soon as I dispose of lady godiva...................which would be like................. NEVER.................. unless there is a competition.......
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: Lizard333 on December 31, 2008, 04:33:18 am
I will have to try this recipe!! Whenever I go to the Renaissance fair, those turkey legs are the FIRST thing I get.  Then I head over to the birds of prey exhibit and F%$# with the birds.  But that's another subject.....
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: ddog27 on January 01, 2009, 01:13:23 pm
Love me some turkey legs!! I am going to have to try this one! ;D
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: KidCurry on January 01, 2009, 02:00:20 pm
I am still looking for fresh or even frozen legs...nothing up here but the whole bird...might have to buy a few dozen just for the legs. ;)
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: Mike (AZBarbeque) on January 01, 2009, 02:08:00 pm
You should pick some up when you are down here and bring them back with you.

I too love Turkey Legs.  Nothing like them when they are smoked up just right..
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: KidCurry on January 01, 2009, 03:56:12 pm
Where should I try?
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: Mike (AZBarbeque) on January 01, 2009, 04:48:00 pm
I know that Resturant Depot has them.  You can also pre-order them through the Maricopa County Skills Center.

They have a butcher school/shop there and they love to get custom orders so they can try out things.

I talked with them before about Turkey legs and they said to just give them a few days notice and they would have them ready.
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: ddog27 on January 04, 2009, 10:29:51 pm
I saw this thing on the travel channel where at Disneyland they inject salt water into the turkey legs and then smoke them. Would that be a way to quick brine them??
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: toys4dlr on January 05, 2009, 07:17:48 am
Disneyland also raises special huge Turkeys for the drums and they are greatest and the best deal at the park for food.  Cause Disney sticks it to ya for food in the park. 
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: ddog27 on January 05, 2009, 05:19:34 pm
You forgot they also make it a huge pain in the a$$ to leave the park so you have to eat there.
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: 3Beans_BBQ on February 02, 2009, 12:55:12 pm
Great sounding recipe.  I like to use smoked turkey leg meat in a gumbo with collard greens, sausage, shirmp and all the good gumbo stuff.  The turkey meat with the collard greens really sets it off. 
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: AzJohnnyC on September 14, 2009, 12:58:58 pm
I'm going to try some this weekend. I found them frozen when I was at Food City. Any other tips or suggestions from anyone?
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: KidCurry on September 14, 2009, 01:31:42 pm
TIP from me...try to get some secrets from Tom...those were some grubbin turkeys legs this weekend.   :D :D

Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: AzJohnnyC on September 14, 2009, 01:35:28 pm
Yeah, Ralph. I was kinda hoping they would chime in.  :)
Title: Re: Smoked Turkey Legs
Post by: WHISKEY RANCH on September 14, 2009, 08:40:46 pm
Thanks for the compliments on the legs. We have a great supplier for the legs .. I have a partnership in a USDA plant here in town and would be happy to hook you all up and guide you through the process.they average around a buck per leg at the highest and they come out great!! Let me know

Thanks Tommy
480-209-9685