Smoked Turkey Legs
These Smoked Turkey Legs are perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. Fire up your smoker or pellet grill to ensure layers of deep, savory flavor. Whether you're looking for fall-off-the-bone drumsticks, or the juicy theme park and Disney World style, our tips capture it all.
Servings 3 turkey legs
Calories 687kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds turkey leg drumsticks
- 1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup broth or water Optional and only needed if you plan to finish the turkey legs in a slow cooker.
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees.
- See the notes below if you plan to inject the turkey legs or brine the turkey in advance.
- Sprinkle the spices onto both sides of each turkey leg. Rub the spices in to penetrate the meat. Ensure the turkey is fully coated and add additional spices if necessary.
- Place the turkey on the smoker and smoke for 90 minutes or however long it takes to reach an internal temperature of 175 degrees. Be sure to place the turkey on the side of the grill with indirect heat to ensure slow cooking.
- I prefer to finish the turkey legs in a slow cooker Crockpot because I like the fall off the bone texture. If this isn't what you're looking for you can skip it and cook the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees using a meat thermometer or probe.After 90 minutes, I remove the turkey legs from the smoker and place them in a slow cooker along with 1/2 cup of broth. Add the broth first, then the turkey legs. Cook on High for 2-3 hours or on Low for 4-6 hours until the turkey falls off the bone.
- Remove the turkey legs from heat and allow the meat to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
I like to inject mine using a seasoned butter marinade. This saves time because I don’t have to let them sit overnight in the fridge. Injecting adds moisture directly into the meat, which can help prevent it from drying out. I use this injection marinade. I use 1 ounce per pound. Weigh each leg and measure accordingly.
A common method is to brine the drumsticks in advance. You can prepare a brine solution with water (4 cups), salt (1 tablespoon), sugar (1/4 cup), and spices (noted in the recipe card below). Submerge the turkey legs in the brine and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. This also helps them stay moist and flavorful.
Total cook time will vary based on the size of your drumsticks. Larger, meatier legs will require a longer cook time. Keep this in mind if you have an unevenly sized bunch. You may need to pull the smaller ones off first.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pound | Calories: 687kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 88g | Fat: 32g