Smoked Turkey Legs (Disney Copycat Recipe)
This smoked turkey legs recipe was inspired by the turkey legs we'd get at Disney World as kids. Rather surprisingly, they're not that hard to make at home.
Servings: 10
Calories: 834kcal
Ingredients
For the brine:
- 1 gallon water
- 3/4 cup kosher salt (for less salty and hammy, use 1/2 cup; for saltier and hammier, use 1 cup. We used Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt—3/4 cup weighs 108g or 3.81 oz)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons onion powder
- 3 tablespoons dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons dried sage
- 1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon paprika (Use smoked paprika for oven roasting method)
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (shake well before adding; use 1 tablespoon for oven-roasting method)
You'll also need:
- 10 turkey legs
- natural hardwood lump charcoal
- Smoking wood chips (e.g. apple wood or hickory)
- Charcoal grill
- Charcoal chimney starter
- marinade injector
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients for the brine in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let cool. If you're short on time, you can also start by boiling the brine with just 2 quarts of water and then adding 64 ounces of ice to quickly cool down to 1 gallon of brine.
- While that's happening, rinse your turkey legs and set aside in a large container (one that will fit into your refrigerator). You may want to use two separate containers. When the brine has cooled, pour the brine over the turkey legs, making sure they are totally submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. (If you want to expedite the process or simply have very large turkey legs, use a marinade injector. Inject 2-5 syringes-full of brine into each turkey leg. If expediting, brine the injected turkey legs for 5-6 hours rather than the full 24 hours. If you're just using larger legs and want to make sure they're flavorful, you can brine for the full 24 hours after injecting.)
- When the turkey legs are ready, heat your charcoal. Your key tools for this recipe are a charcoal grill, a chimney starter, charcoal, and wet wood chips, which provides the smoky flavor. Fill your chimney with charcoal and light the coals with a piece of newspaper. Let heat for a solid 15-20 minutes or so, until the coals are slightly white hot. Also, take 1-2 handfuls of wood chips and soak them in water while the coals are heating.
- At this point, if you haven't already injected your turkey legs with brine, you can do so, injecting them with 4-5 syringes full of brine at various points around each leg, to ensure they're moist and juicy before cooking.
- Pour the coals into the grill and scatter the wood chips around the coals. Lay your grill rack over the coals. Place the turkey legs on the grill rack and close the grill.
- 1 chimney-full of coal is enough to start for an average-sized charcoal grill. Add another chimney of coal every 20-30 minutes, depending on the kind of charcoal you're using. Periodically add additional wet wood chips to make more smoke as needed. More wood chips makes more smoke, increasing the "hammy" smoked flavor of the turkey legs. You can cater this to your personal preferences. I like a very hammy smoked turkey leg; my aunt prefers more of a natural flavor. Take your pick!
- The slow cooking method is key here. Periodically check the turkey legs, turning every once in a while, and make sure the grill maintains a temperature of 300-325°F (150-160°C). There is some element of trial and error to this if you're a first-timer; make observations and adjust amounts of charcoal, wood chips, and heat over the course of the cooking time.
- Maintain the grill, charcoal, and wood chips, letting the turkey cook for 3½ to 4 hours, until the turkey legs have a nice, dark smoky color.
Nutrition
Calories: 834kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 111g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 481mg | Potassium: 1942mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 13.8mg