That’s right, we’re preparing…
…a Disney-style smoked turkey leg knockoff today.
When you’re going through the park and you pass that car…
… filled to the brim with delicious turkey aromas…
…you know what I’m talking about.
You can now enjoy them at home!
Before we go any further, keep in mind that these turkey legs…
…are not the same as if you smoked turkey leg.
No, they must first be cured using a curing salt…
This is what gives them their distinctive pink color, which resembles ham…
Some people even claim that the turkey legs taste like ham…
This is most likely due to the leg’s lovely, consistent saltiness…
And if you’ve never been to Disneyland or tasted the glory…
…that is a Disney smoked turkey leg, you should try this dish right away.
It’ll undoubtedly be one of the greatest cuts of beef you’ve ever had…
Sonny has a story about smoked turkey legs…
I hadn’t tasted smoked turkey legs until I went to Disneyland in the summer of 2017…
Since then, I’ve avoided chicken legs like the plague!
Smoked turkey legs have a lot more flavor and are usually juicy.
It could be the delectable brine made by my wife…
That, I believe, is what makes them so soft, juicy, and flavorful…
Not to mention the fact that these bad boys are much healthier!
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Trusted Source (USDA), a 3-ounce serving of roasted turkey with skin contains about 22.5 grams of protein, 4.7 grams of fat, and 1.3 grams of saturated fat. Eating that amount of white meat only (i.e., without the skin) gets you 27 grams of protein, just over 2 grams of fat, and 0.6 grams of saturated fat.
About Turkey
First thing first…
Smoked Turkey Leg Brine
The magic step to making these smoked turkey legs comes from the brine…
This magically wet curing liquid does 3 things to the turkey legs:
- It helps tenderize the meat.
- The brine gives the turkey that gorgeous signature pink color.
- It gives the an even saltiness throughout – talk about major flavor baby!
- This brine combined with the smoke make for a flavor explosion, with tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.
- The brine is the secret ingredient in these turkey legs. The turkey legs are cured in three ways by this marvelously wet curing liquid:
- It aids in the tenderization of the meat.
- The brine is responsible for the turkey’s characteristic pink color.
- It provides a consistent saltiness throughout – talk about flavor, baby!
This brine, when mixed with the smoking, creates a flavor explosion, with flesh that is soft and falls off the bone. Looking for best wood for smoking turkey? We have a list for you.
Steps to Brining a Turkey
- You should thaw your turkey in the fridge three to four days before you plan to cook it, but make sure you use a fresh turkey.
- Make your turkey brine a couple of days before roasting your turkey. This will give you time to get ready for your holiday.
- Place your turkey in a large bag, brine bag, or stock pan on the night before you plan to roast it.
- Bringing liquid over the turkey.
- Fill the container or bag with enough cold water to completely submerge the turkey in the brining solution. This is approximately one gallon of cold water.
- Place a lid on the big stock pan or secure the brining bag.
- Refrigerate for at least one night.
- Eliminate the turkey from the brine the next day and rinse it to remove any extra brine. If you haven’t already done so, strain off the brine and toss the particles in the garbage; you don’t want those solids down your sink!
- pat the turkey dry with paper towels after roasting it in a large pan. The turkey skin will be brown evenly if this is used.
- Sanitize your kitchen with bleach to prevent food poisoning.
Why Brine a Turkey?
Brining is the method of pre-cooking meat…
…by immersing it in a salt water solution.
The meat absorbs the salt water as it sits in the brine…
…which flavors the meat and adds moisture to the piece.
As you may be aware, turkey has a reputation for being dry…
…and lacking in flavor on its own. When you brine a turkey, however…
…it absorbs the taste and stays nice and juicy.
A brined turkey is so juicy and tasty that it doesn’t even require gravy!
This is what you need!
Smoked Turkey Leg Seasoning
The smoked turkey legs are seasoned all over, but it’s just a little salt flavor….
You can season the turkey leg with a seasoning combination…
…if you want to enhance the overall flavor.
I definitely recommend using fantastic mix of sweet, salty, and herbaceous flavors…
If you’re worried about the brine and rub being overly salty..
…cut the salt in the rub in half.
How to Smoke Turkey Legs
Smoking these turkey legs is a two-step process (three if you count eating them!):
- Brine. To begin, prepare the brine and soak the turkey legs in it for 24 hours in the refrigerator. To ensure that my turkey legs are properly soaked, I like to cure them in a gallon zip top bag.
- Smoke. Remove your turkey legs from the brine after a full day of curing, rinse them with cool water, and pat them dry. Place the turkey legs directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke for roughly 1.5 hours once your smoker has reached 225 degrees F. When the interior temperature of the smoker reaches 175 degrees F, remove the legs. Keep
Keep reading!
How Long to Smoke Turkey Legs
The turkey legs take about an hour and a half to smoke…
The majority of fowl should be cooked to an internal temperature…
…of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Because turkey legs are dark meat…
…they have a higher fat content.
You want them to easily peel away from the bone…
You can obtain that really sensitive fall-off-the-bone…
…bite by smoking them to 175 degrees F.
Keys to Perfectly Smoked Turkey Legs
To make juicy, tender, and tasty fair style smoked turkey legs…
…follow these three procedures.
Brine. Brining the lean turkey flesh is a must-do step…
The brine is a saline solution that can be flavored…
…with additional ingredients (with spices or beer, etc)…
It has a twofold purpose: it penetrates the meat…
…and aids in its absorption and later retention of moisture during cooking…
It also tastes the meat from the inside out, rather than just on the surface…
When we smoke drumsticks, we add a pinch of curing salt, it’s well worth it…
Make use of a dry rub. To give the turkey legs a little more taste on the outside…
Slowly smoke the turkey legs on low heat…
Because turkey drumsticks have a lot of connective tissue…
…liquefying the collagen requires low heat. It’s similar to grilling chicken…
…drumsticks over indirect heat, but with the addition of smoking.
Because the complete turkey leg includes the thigh…
…when people say smoked turkey legs, they usually mean turkey drumsticks.
And…that’s it!
Sum Up
As we discussed above, a charcoal smoker was used to smoke our turkey legs..
Using an electric smoker, you’ll still need to pick up some wood chips…
…but the temperatures and timing will be the same.
Applewood, for example, or cheery..
Smoking turkey legs is easy!
Turkey legs are a healthier alternative to chicken and taste incredible…
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as me and my family…
Do you have a variation or any tips for this recipe?
Or other smoked turkey leg recipes?
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
