Smoked turkey legs

gmac

I picked up a half dozen turkey legs and was going to smoke them tomorrow. Any advice or suggestions? Was thinking 250 raised indirect until they hit 165 or so. Coffee rub most likely. Thanks.

Philly35

This is how I like to do them. Taste just like they do at the fair!
http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1997/04/turkey-drumsticks.html?m=1

DMW

I did some without brine/cure and wasn't happy at all with the results. Have one in a wet cure right now. Hope I get "fair" results.

gmac

Hmmm...never thought about curing them.  I've only got Ready-cure but I'm sure I can figure out something.  I think I'll put them in a brine tonight and smoke tomorrow.  

I've never had "fair" grade turkey legs.  It's more of an American thing I think but I'll give it a shot.

Thanks

Philly35

Curing them is the only way to go IMO. Leave the garlic out of that recipe though. And make sure VOCs are burnt off. Poultry will really pick that up.

Doc_Eggerton

Well marinate in teriyaki, hot smoke indirect at 250 or lower with generous mesquite smoke.  That is how we do turkey thighs, and they are delicious. Thighs take about four hours to done.

DMW

Got mine out of the wet cure early this morning after about 16 hours. Rinsed and put it in the fridge to dry. Just put it on the small with pecan chips for smoke. Running at 250*-275* til 180* is the plan. Here's what I used for the brine/cure:
2 L Water
175g Kosher salt
50g sugar
125 maple syrup
20g pink salt

I'll let you know how it turns out.

DMW

This was it, curing made all the difference. Has a ham like flavor.

grege345

That my friend is ridiculous !!!

Mickey

400 raised direct all the time. This is off the Mini but do them and wings on the Large.

Mickey

Turkey Wings are good also.

Zmokin

That drumstick looks good, this weekend I'm going to try wet-curing turkey thighs and then smoke them on the egg to 165 internal.  I don't have pink salt, I have a small bottle of pure sodium nitrite, so I need just a very small amount, but I'll keep the brine pretty simple like yours.

DMW said:

This was it, curing made all the difference. Has a ham like flavor.

gmac

I'm had to throw the legs in the freezer. A friend got in a car accident and he's still in the hospital so I did a big pork shoulder to make pulled pork and took it over to his wife so that she didn't have to worry about feeding the kids etc. He will be fine but he has some rehab ahead of him.

Zmokin

Thighs came out good.  forgot to take pictures until it was too late.
but my first time with a nitrite brine worked well.  Pink to the core, very moist and tender.
Skin didn't crisp up very good, even after a few minutes of direct heat, so I removed the skin and popped it into the toaster oven, that got it to crunch up nice and crispy.

Mickey

Just for the record I do not wet cure or soak. Take out or package, BBBR or Coffee rub and 400 Raised Direct.

DMW

@Mickey Have you ever removed the tendons before cooking? I think I'm going to try that next time.

Mickey

DMW said:

@Mickey Have you ever removed the tendons before cooking? I think I'm going to try that next time.

No. Also give wings a shot.

TexanOfTheNorth

Mickey said:

DMW said:

@Mickey Have you ever removed the tendons before cooking? I think I'm going to try that next time.

No. Also give wings a shot.

@Mickey... turkey wings are great. Where do you get them? I've not seen them sold separately up here. Although, there are several turkey farms nearby... maybe I'll give them a call.

Griffin

That leg looks ridiculously good!! Nice job. Bookmarked for sure.