These Smoked Turkey Legs are an awesome Disney copycat that tastes just like the ones in the theme park. They are large and in charge, coming ‘atcha with tons of smoky flavor. So go ahead and skip the theme park, and make your very own smoked turkey legs at home!
Brining is an easy way to help ensure turkey legs turn out incredibly moist tender and packed with flavor. By soaking the legs in a saltwater solution before cooking the salt penetrates deep into the meat to season it and help it retain moisture. Follow this simple guide to brining turkey legs for your next holiday meal or anytime you want delicious roasted drumsticks.
Why Brine Turkey Legs?
Brining turkey legs provides several key benefits
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Moisture – The salt allows the turkey to hold onto more moisture as it cooks keeping it super juicy.
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Flavor – Salt, sugar, and aromatics infuse deep into the meat to amp up the overall flavor.
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Tenderness – Brining helps break down muscle fibers, resulting in more tender turkey legs.
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Browning – Brined legs brown better in the oven for crispy skin.
How Long to Brine Turkey Legs
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8 to 12 hours is ideal to fully season the meat while also preventing over-brining.
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You can brine for as little as 4 hours in a pinch.
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For maximum flavor, brine up to 24 hours.
Simple Brine Ingredients
- 1 gallon cool water
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Herbs, garlic, citrus, spices (optional)
Step-by-Step Brining Method
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Make the brine: Combine water, salt, sugar and any aromatics in a pot and heat until dissolved. Cool completely.
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Submerge turkey legs: Place legs in a container and pour over cooled brine to cover. Weight down if needed.
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Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate 8-12 hours.
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Remove from brine: Take legs out of brine, rinse and pat dry. Discard used brine.
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Roast: Turkey legs are ready for your cooking method of choice!
Cooking Brined Turkey Legs
After brining, turkey legs can be cooked many ways including:
- Roasted at 350°F until internal temperature reaches 165°F
- Grilled or smoked over indirect heat for 1-2 hours
- Fried at 350°F for 5 minutes per side
- Sous vide at 165°F for 2-4 hours for ultimate tenderness
Serving Suggestions
Delicious ways to serve brined turkey legs:
- Roast with potatoes, onions and carrots
- Pair with cranberry sauce or chutney
- Make hearty turkey leg sandwiches
- Fry up turkey legs for game day finger food
- Serve with fall veggies like Brussels sprouts or squash
Turkey Brining Tips
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Use a nonreactive container like plastic, stainless steel or glass. Avoid aluminum.
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Make sure legs stay fully submerged. Weigh them down if needed.
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Rinse after brining and pat very dry for crispiest skin when cooking.
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Store brined legs in fridge up to 2 days before cooking.
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Save leftover brine for seasoning chicken, pork or other meats!
With this easy brining method, you’ll never have to worry about dried out turkey again. Brined legs are guaranteed to be juicy, flavorful and tender every time.
Where to Buy Turkey Legs
Okay, you’re ready to begin the great turkey smoke, but where do you find those ginormous turkey legs? The legs at Disneyland are male tom turkey legs. These guys are anywhere from 1 ½ -2 pounds a piece! They can easily feed two people, and they’re a great option when you’re in the park and need a major protein refuel.
But if you head to your local grocer, you’ll find that most turkey legs at the grocery store are hen legs. These are smaller than those sold in Disneyland and are approximately 3/4 -1 pound a piece. For today’s recipe, we’re going with these hen legs. Even though they aren’t as big as the tom turkey legs, they’ll still taste just as delicious, and they are more readily available. I personally like cooking hen legs; they don’t take as long, and they’re a more logical serving size per person.
If you’re really gung-ho about smoking the big tom legs, you can occasionally you can get your butcher to get tom turkey legs. This takes a bit of extra time and preparation, but if you can get your hand on some of these, I say go for it! This same recipe will work for these giant turkey legs, just keep in mind you’ll have to increase the cooking time to get them up to a safe consumable temperature.
How to Cook Smoked Turkey Legs
Smoking these turkey legs involves a 2-step process (3 if you count devouring these bad boys!):
- Brine. First up, prepare the brine and add the turkey legs. Place in the fridge and allow the legs to cure for 24 hours. I like to cure my turkey legs in a gallon zip-top bag to make sure they’re fully submerged.
- Smoke. After your turkey legs have been curing for an entire day, remove them from the brine, rinse them with cool water, and pat dry. With your smoker preheated to 225 degrees F, you’re ready to place your turkey legs directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke for approximately 1.5 hours with your favorite wood. Pull the legs off the smoker when the internal temperature has reached 175 degrees F.
Give the turkey legs a moment to rest and come down in temperature before eating. Oh, and don’t even think about pulling out any silverware. This food should be attacked by hands and teeth only. I like to wrap mine in my Hey Grill Hey butcher paper for looks AND to have the paper as a nice handle to keep your hands clean.
Easy Turkey Brine Recipe
FAQ
Is it necessary to brine turkey legs?
Brining your turkey legs is a critical step for making the best smoked turkey legs. The brine penetrates the meat to add flavor and moisture to the meat to help keep them from drying out during the slow cooking process. To brine turkey legs:
What is the proper way to brine a turkey?
Mix water, salt, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and pepper together in a food-grade bucket or container large enough to hold your turkey. Carefully submerge turkey in brine. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Soak for two days before smoking or roasting.
What is the downside of brining turkey?
Brining, or soaking meat in a salt-water solution, uses the power of osmosis to force the turkey or other meat to draw up water into itself. The theory is that the meat ends up juicier and moister that way. The problem is that it is a fake juiciness.
Do I need to rinse turkey after brining?
When you’re brining the bird, you’ll want to rinse off the brine before you roast the turkey. Check out How to Brine Turkey and also How to Dry Brine a Turkey.Nov 6, 2024
What is brining a turkey leg?
Brining is a crucial step in this recipe that ensures your turkey legs remain juicy and flavourful. The process involves soaking the meat in a solution of salt, sugar, and water, which helps to break down muscle proteins and retain moisture during cooking.
How do you cook turkey legs After brining?
After brining, let the turkey legs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting. This ensures even cooking. Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. Place the shallots, carrot, celery, and garlic in a large roasting tin, seasoning with salt and pepper and adding the chicken stock. Top with a wire rack and place the turkey legs on top.
How do you brine a Turkey?
The water should look clear, not cloudy. Place the turkey legs in the brine: Immerse the turkey legs into the brine solution. The turkey should be either fresh or completely thawed. Add herbs and spices: You can add sprigs of dried thyme, crushed bay leaves or other herbs to the turkey drumsticks in the brine solution, for flavor.
Do turkey legs need to be brined?
Brined turkey legs pair beautifully with lots of classic holiday flavors: Use a non-reactive container like stainless steel, plastic or glass. Avoid aluminum. Make sure legs are fully submerged in the brine. Weigh them down if needed. Rinse legs after brining and pat very dry before cooking for best crisping.
Should you brine turkey legs overnight?
By brining the legs for at least four hours or (even better) overnight, you’ll get a lot of flavor inside the meat, and prevent the turkey legs from drying out. It also gives the salt time to start dissolving some of the muscle proteins in the turkey legs, meaning a more tender turkey for you!
What are brined & roasted turkey legs?
Brined and Roasted Turkey Legs are a fantastic alternative to the traditional whole turkey, offering rich flavours and juicy meat with less cooking time and effort. This recipe ensures super crispy skin and succulent meat, making it perfect for festive occasions or even Sunday roasts.