Smoked turkey legs are a delicious and fun way to enjoy turkey. The smoked flavor pairs perfectly with the rich, savory dark meat of the turkey leg. When cooked properly, the turkey legs come out incredibly juicy and tender with a lovely hint of wood smoke.

In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make phenomenal smoked turkey legs on your grill. You’ll learn tips on choosing turkey legs, brining, using rubs and sauces, managing grill temperature, and determining doneness so your turkey legs turn out mouthwateringly delicious every time.

Choosing Turkey Legs for Smoking

The first step is selecting high-quality turkey legs for smoking. Look for large, meaty drumsticks over smaller legs. The extra meat provides more juicy flavor and allows you to smoke them longer to absorb more smoke without drying out.

Fresh never-frozen turkey legs have the best texture but frozen legs work well too if thawed in the refrigerator 1-2 days before smoking. Allow about 1 pound of turkey legs per person.

Brining for Juicy, Flavorful Meat

Before smoking, I highly recommend brining your turkey legs. Brining involves soaking the legs in a saltwater solution which helpsseason the meatand makes it incredibly moist and tender.

You can easily make a brine by combining 1 gallon of water, 1/2 cup of salt, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and any desired spices like garlic, peppercorns, or thyme in a container. Submerge the legs, cover, and refrigerate 12-24 hours.

The salt in the brine seasons the meat while the water hydrates it. Brined turkey legs cook faster and come out much juicier than unbrined legs.

Applying a Dry Rub for Flavor and Bite

A flavorful dry rub adds spice and texture to smoked turkey legs. Make your own by combining brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and any other spices you like.

After brining, pat the legs completely dry. Coat the legs with oil so the rub adheres. Generously apply the rub, pressing it into the meat. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before smoking. The rub forms a lovely crust while infusing the turkey with flavor.

Smoking Turkey Legs Low and Slow

Set up your grill for indirect smoking with charcoal or wood on one side and the turkey legs on the other. Use wood chips, chunks or pellets to generate smoke. Good smoked turkey woods include hickory, apple, pecan, cherry or mesquite.

Maintain a temperature between 225-250°F and smoke the legs for 4-6 hours until fully cooked, turning occasionally. The low, slow smoking tenderizes the meat while imparting delicious smoky flavor.

Use a digital meat thermometer to test doneness. Turkey legs are perfectly smoked when they reach 165°F internally. The meat will shrink back from the bone when done.

Basting, Glazing and Saucing for Moisture and Stickiness

Throughout the smoking time, regularly baste the turkey legs with butter, olive oil or turkey broth to keep the meat moist. The basting liquid combined with the rendered turkey fat creates a lovely sheen on the crusty skin.

For irresistible stickiness, brush the legs with your favorite glaze or barbecue sauce during the last 30-60 minutes of smoking. I love using a sweet and spicy glaze made with honey, hot sauce and spices. The sauce caramelizes into an amazing crust.

Resting for Juiciness and Easy Slicing

Never skip the resting step! Once smoked, let the entire turkey legs rest for 10-15 minutes before digging in.

Resting allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. Slicing into turkey legs straight off the grill results in dry meat.

After resting for just a short time, the turkey legs become firm enough to slice beautifully while remaining incredibly moist and tender.

Serving Your Succulent Smoked Turkey Legs

Your tender, juicy smoked turkey legs are ready to serve! Offer them whole or slice them into rounds to serve. Pair the smoked legs with your favorite sides like barbecue beans, coleslaw, cornbread or potato salad.

Garnish with chopped fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro. A squirt of lemon brightens up the rich smoked flavor. Serve drizzled with your favorite glaze or sauce for even more finger-licking deliciousness!

Smoking Turkey Legs on a Pellet Grill

While you can smoke turkey legs on any type of grill, pellet grills make it especially easy thanks to their precise temperature control. Here are some tips for smoking turkey legs on a pellet grill:

• Use wood pellets like hickory, cherry, apple or mesquite for flavor.

• Maintain a smoking temp between 225-250°F for best results.

• Insert a meat probe into the thickest part of a leg to monitor internal temp.

• Smoke the legs for around 4-6 hours until they reach 165°F internally.

• Brine the legs before smoking for extra moisture and flavor.

• Apply a dry rub up to 24 hours before smoking to help form a flavorful crust.

• Use the pellet grill’s cold smoking attachment to cold smoke the legs first for 1-2 hours if you want an extra smoky flavor before cooking.

• Baste the legs every hour with oil or melted butter for moisture and sheen.

• Rest the fully smoked legs for 10-15 minutes before slicing into them to serve.

With minimal effort, your pellet grill delivers perfectly smoked turkey legs full of wood-fired flavor in just a few hours. The results are impressive and addictive!

How Long to Cook Turkey Legs on a Pellet Grill

One of the most common questions about making smoked turkey legs on a pellet grill is exactly how long to cook them. Here are some estimates:

• 1-2 lb legs: Smoke for 3-4 hours at 225°F

• 2-3 lb legs: Allow around 4-5 hours of smoking time

• 3-4 lb jumbo legs: Estimate 5-6 hours

A good rule of thumb is to calculate 15-20 minutes per pound of turkey legs at 225-250°F. Brining helps reduce the cooking time while heavy rubs can extend it.

Always rely on an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness rather than time alone. Turkey legs are perfectly cooked once they reach an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part.

If unsure, go by temperature and visual signs of doneness like the meat shrinking back from the bone rather than total smoking time. This guarantees your turkey legs come out perfectly juicy and delicious every time.

Grilled Turkey Legs

While smoking infuses the most flavor, you can also make amazingly delicious grilled turkey legs using either a gas or charcoal grill. Here are some tips:

Brine and Season

As with smoking, brining and applying a dry rub before grilling helps ensure juicy, flavorful turkey legs. Let the legs brine 12-24 hours, then pat dry and coat with oil and your favorite spices.

Use Indirect Heat

Grill over indirect medium heat around 325-350°F. Sear the legs first over direct heat just until browned. Then move to indirect heat to finish cooking through without burning.

Rotate and Baste

Rotate and flip the legs every 15 minutes or so to prevent burning. Baste frequently with oil or melted butter for moisture and sheen.

Check Temperature

Test doneness with an instant thermometer. The legs are perfectly cooked once they register 165°F. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Add Smoke

To infuse grilled legs with a touch of smoke, add soaked wood chips to the grill’s coals. Hickory, mesquite or apple wood chips work great.

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