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Platter of stacked smoked turkey legs with a bowl of broccoli and a bowl of mashed potatoes in the background.
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Smoked Turkey Legs

These smoked turkey legs are brined for juicy, flavorful meat, seasoned with BBQ rub and smoked low and slow before being finished with a sticky barbecue sauce. They’re easy to make on a pellet smoker and are great for Thanksgiving or backyard BBQs.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword how to smoke turkey legs, pellet smoker turkey legs, smoked meat, smoked recipes, smoked turkey drumsticks, smoked turkey legs, smoked turkey legs recipe, Thanksgiving turkey legs
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 12 hours 30 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 520kcal
Author Erin Dooner

Ingredients

Brine:

  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt or 1/2 cup + 2 tsp Morton Coarse Kosher Salt, or 14 tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, or 7 tbsp table salt
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 4 cups ice water

Turkey:

  • 6 turkey legs
  • olive oil
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose BBQ rub store-bought or homemade
  • applewood pellets or cherry, hickory, or mesquite for something stronger
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce your favorite brand or homemade
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brine (the day before smoking):

  • In a large pot, combine the water, kosher salt, brown sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in ice water to cool the brine completely.
    1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, 4 cups water, 4 cups ice water
  • Place the turkey legs in a large container or brining bag. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey legs, making sure they are fully submerged. Refrigerate for 6-12 hours.
    6 turkey legs
  • Remove the turkey legs from the brine and pat them dry with paper towels.

Day of smoking:

  • Coat them with olive oil.
  • Season with the all-purpose BBQ rub, coating all sides evenly and pressing the rub into the skin.
    1/2 cup all-purpose BBQ rub
  • Preheat your pellet smoker to 225 °F (107 °C).
  • Place the seasoned turkey legs directly onto the smoker grates and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C), about 2-3 hours.
  • Brush the turkey legs evenly with the BBQ sauce. Increase the smoker temperature to 275°F (135°C) and continue smoking until the sauce is sticky and the internal temperature reaches 175°F (79°C), about 30–45 minutes.
    1 cup BBQ sauce
  • Remove the turkey legs from the smoker and let them rest for 20 minutes before cutting and serving.
  • Let leftovers cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

  • The grams for the BBQ rub will vary depending on your rub. 
  • If you're paleo, you'll probably want to make your own rub and BBQ sauce as most brands will contain sugar.
  • If you're dairy-free or gluten-free, then check your rub and BBQ labels to make sure they're GF/DF.
  • It's impossible for my nutritional calculator to give you a correct estimate on a recipe with a brine and BBQ sauce that drips down while smoking. Also, turkey legs vary a TON in size. If the nutritional info is important for you, please weigh your turkey legs and calculate the info yourself to be on the safe side.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 66g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 240mg | Sodium: 2748mg | Potassium: 978mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 6mg