Smoked Turkey Leg (Drumstick)

Notes: Store leftover meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Alternatively, you can freeze the meat for four to six months. Table salt calls for a different measurement than kosher salt. If using table salt, reduce to ½ cup. The brine recipe uses the classic salt and water ratio. Smoked turkey legs are known for being a little on the salty side. If you’re sensitive to salt, I recommend brining for no more than eight to 12 hours, rinsing the turkey and even reducing the kosher salt by half. Don’t brine longer than 24 hours. After that, the meat will start to break down and become too salty. Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Updated at: Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:52:38 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Unbalanced

Glycemic Index

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories5410.3 kcal (271%)

Total Fat221.3 g (316%)

Carbs222.9 g (86%)

Sugars202.4 g (225%)

Protein601.7 g (1203%)

Sodium91707 mg (4585%)

Fiber6.1 g (22%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

0 servings

16 cupswater

divided

1 cupcoarse kosher salt

1 cupbrown sugar

packed

2 tablespoonswhole black peppercorns

4turkey legs

2 teaspoonsbrown sugar

packed

2 teaspoonssmoked paprika

2 teaspoonsgarlic powder

1 teaspoonchili powder

1 teaspoononion powder

1 tablespoonsolive oil

Instructions

Step 1

Add 4 cups water, kosher salt, brown sugar and peppercorns to a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring every so often to dissolve the salt and sugar. When the water boils and the salt and sugar are fully dissolved, turn off heat.

Step 2

Pour the remaining 12 cups water into the salted water. It should be room temperature, but if not, allow it to cool. When the water is at least room temperature and no warmer, add the turkey legs and refrigerate for eight to 24 hours. Make sure the legs are fully submerged.

Step 3

Remove the legs from the brine. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder. Rub the spice mixture all over the turkey legs. Lift the skin to rub the meat as well. Let the turkey legs sit in room temperature for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Place the turkey legs in a 250-degree F smoker with a water pan. Insert a leave-in meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, ensuring it doesn't touch the bone to produce an accurate reading. Close the lid and smoke.

Step 5

When the turkey legs reach an internal temperature of 120-130 degrees F, brush with olive oil. Close the lid again and continue to smoke until the turkey reaches 180 degrees F. The smoking process should take about two hours, but cooking time can vary based on a number of factors. Remove the turkey legs, tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

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