Slow smoked BBQ turkey legs are a great way to eat that part of the bird, whether it’s a wild turkey or farmed. Here’s how to go about getting the most out of these underrated cuts.
Mostly when I talk about BBQ turkey legs I am referring to the thighs, but the drumsticks benefit from this process, too.
The reason is because the thighs only have the one bone in them, and none of those crazy tendons and ligaments that the drumsticks have — and those will never break down, especially on the barbecue.
What follows here are tips and tricks on cooking better BBQ turkey legs, and on how to use them.
First, separate them. Cut the drumstick from the thigh. This will matter a lot in the final product, because generally speaking, you will sit down to eat the thighs, but use the drumsticks in another recipe where they are slow simmer until the meat falls off the bone.
It’s important to brine your BBQ turkey legs because this will keep them juicier as they cook. Because you’ll likely cook the drumsticks a second time in a soup or somesuch, it’s less important for them. But it’s vital with the thighs.
My normal brine is 1/4 cup kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal), to 1 quart of water. Dissolve the salt in the water and submerge the thighs (and legs if you want) in the brine in the refrigerator overnight. When you’re ready to cook, just rins and pat dry.
Barbecued turkey legs are a classic summertime favorite. When done right, they have crispy skin, juicy meat, and finger-licking good flavor. If you want to learn how to barbecue moist, tender turkey legs at home, then you’ve come to the right place!
Picking the Right Turkey Legs
The first step is choosing good turkey legs to barbecue Look for legs that are plump and meaty. Avoid legs that look dried out or slimy The best turkey legs for grilling will be fresh, with smooth, unblemished skin.
Legs from younger turkeys tend to be more tender than those from older birds Seek out smaller legs in the 1 1/2 to 2 pound range for the most succulent meat after barbecuing.
Make sure the turkey legs are completely thawed before putting them on the grill. For food safety, keep the turkey legs refrigerated until you are ready to start barbecuing.
Flavoring the Turkey Legs
There are two main ways to add flavor to your turkey legs before grilling – brining and dry rubbing.
Brining involves soaking the turkey legs in a saltwater solution before cooking. The brining process helps the meat retain moisture and infuses it with seasoned flavor. Make your brine by mixing 1 cup of kosher salt with 1 gallon of water and your choice of aromatics like garlic, brown sugar, lemon, or herbs. Keep the turkey legs submerged in the brine, chilled, for at least 4 hours (or up to 24 hours).
Dry rubbing the legs is a quick and easy alternative to brining. Simply coat the turkey legs all over with a spice rub. Try a basic blend of paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Let the rubbed legs rest for 30 minutes before grilling so the flavors are absorbed.
No matter if you brine or dry rub, pat the turkey legs dry before placing them on the hot grill.
Setting Up the Grill
Barbecuing turkey legs requires an evenly heated grill with zones for direct and indirect cooking. Preheat your charcoal or gas grill to a medium heat, around 350°F.
Use direct heat to quickly sear the outside of the legs. Then move them to indirect heat to cook through without burning. If using charcoal, bank the lit coals to one side and keep the other side free of heat. For a gas grill, turn off one of the burners to create indirect cooking space.
Also make sure the grill grates are very clean before adding the turkey. Lightly oil the grates too so the legs don’t stick.
Grilling Time
With the grill preheated and set up for indirect cooking, place the seasoned turkey legs on the direct heat zone skin-side down. Close the grill lid and sear for 3-4 minutes until browned. Flip and sear the other side.
Move the legs over indirect heat, close the lid, and cook for around 40-50 minutes. Rotate the legs and flip them a few times as they cook to prevent burning.
Baste the legs with your favorite barbecue sauce during the last 10-15 minutes of grilling time. Apply the sauce thickly and let it caramelize into the skin. This helps give your turkey legs that sticky, finger-licking coating.
Check for Doneness
The best way to ensure your barbecue turkey legs are fully cooked is to use an instant read thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of each leg, but don’t let it touch any bones. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
If you don’t have a thermometer, check that the juices run clear and there is no pink meat visible when piercing the thickest section with a fork. Legs that wiggle loosely at the hip joint are also a sign of doneness.
Let the Legs Rest
Never cut into freshly barbecued turkey legs straight from the grill! Let them rest first for a juicy finish. The resting period allows the juices to redistribute evenly within the meat.
Place the cooked turkey legs on a clean platter and tent them with foil. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. The meat will reabsorb any juices that leaked out while you wait, so your barbecue turkey will be moist and tender.
Crispy Skin Secrets
To get ultra crispy skin on your barbecued turkey legs, try these tips:
- Pat legs very dry before grilling
- Coat with oil or melted butter
- Use a dry rub, not sticky sauce, before grilling
- Sear over direct heat on both sides
- Grill over indirect heat for crisping without burning
- Avoid basting legs too early with sauce
Crunchy, crackling skin is one of the best parts of barbecue turkey legs. Follow these crispy skin secrets and you’ll achieve the perfect texture contrast to the succulent meat.
Delicious Barbecue Turkey Leg Recipes
Now that you know the basic grilling method, take your barbecued turkey legs to the next level with these flavorful recipes:
Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Legs
Coat legs with:
- 1⁄4 cup melted butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Glaze legs while grilling with a sauce of:
- 1⁄2 cup ketchup
- 3 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp maple syrup
Bacon-Wrapped Maple Bourbon Legs
Wrap legs with bacon strips.
Make a marinade of:
- 1⁄2 cup maple syrup
- 1⁄4 cup bourbon
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, salt
Marinate legs 4 hours before grilling.
Jamaican Jerk Turkey Legs
Make a wet jerk rub of:
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp Caribbean jerk seasoning
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp each soy sauce, red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1⁄2 tsp cloves
Massage jerk rub all over legs. Let marinate 1 hour before grilling.
Serving Suggestions for Barbecued Turkey Legs
Barbecued turkey legs make a hearty, fun-to-eat entree or appetizer. Serve them whole or chop the meat off the bone into strips or chunks. Pair your barbecue turkey legs with:
- Corn on the cob
- Baked beans or collard greens
- Coleslaw, potato salad, or macaroni salad
- Grilled pineapple slices
- Cornbread or biscuits
Now that you’re a pro at making mouthwatering barbecued turkey legs at home, fire up the grill and enjoy this delicious summer specialty any time. Just follow these tips for choosing and preparing the legs, proper grilling technique, and flavor ideas. Your friends and family will be impressed with your barbecued turkey legs mastery!
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BBQ Turkey Legs Slowly
Slow is key here. You want your smoker or grill cool, like 200F to 225F. It will take time, so do this on a day off or a weekend. I’ve had old gobblers take 6 hours to get tender.
Here’s the thing: You can go one of two routes. You can cook your bbq turkey legs just until they’re done, with an internal temperature of about 160F, or you can fully barbecue them like a pork shoulder, which will take the meat close to 200F.
I choose the first route with jakes and farmed birds, the second with old toms.
For the drumsticks, if you want to actually eat them right off the barbecue, you will need to go the long, slow route, and you’ll still have to eat around the tendons and such.
I do a lot of smoking on a Traeger, but any grill or smoker that will hold low temperatures is fine. If you’re using a gas grill, fire up one element and cook the turkey legs on the other side, grill cover down.
Soaking some wood chips, then setting them on an open piece of foil directly over the gas element will give you a bit of smoke flavor on a gas or charcoal grill.
Wood choice is up to you. I really like oak, maple, hickory or fruit woods. But it also depends on your sauce. In the maple bourbon sauce below, any of the aforementioned woods would be great. But in the picture above, I used a Chinese char siu sauce, and in that case oak is my preferred choice.
If you are going with a Southwest or Mexican sauce, mesquite is the way to go.
Chances are you’ll have super tough drumsticks. That’s OK if you plan for it. Eat the thighs at dinner, then the next morning, use the drumsticks to make any of these recipes, where you simmer the drums slow and low in water or broth
- Wild turkey broth. If you just make a broth with your drumsticks, you’ll have lots of meat leftover, which is good for burritos, in rice or pasta, or in a bigger soup.
- Black bean turkey chili. Shredded BBQ turkey legs make a great base for this recipe.
- A desert Southwest turkey leg stew is the ticket with barbecued drumsticks. So is a Cajun turkey gumbo.
- For a more exotic take, use BBQ turkey legs to make kak’ik, a Guatemalan turkey stew that’s one of my favorites.
Smoked Turkey Legs | Lone Star Grillz Vertical Offset Smoker
FAQ
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