Hickory Smoked Turkey Legs Recipes

SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Several hours before planning on barbecuing, loosen the skin on the turkey legs by running your fingers under it as far as possible without tearing the skin.
• Combine the Worcestershire sauce and the oil. Coat your fingers with the mixture and rub really well into the turkey legs, getting as much as you can under the skin. Sprinkle the Dry Rub over the skin, liberally rubbing into the turkey legs and under the skin. Place the legs in plastic bags and refrigerate.
• Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 200 to 220 degrees F. Remove the turkey legs from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• Re-warm the mop mixture over low heat.
• Transfer the turkey legs to the smoker. Cook until the legs are very tender and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Mop the legs at 45-minute intervals in a wood-burning pit, or as appropriate for your style of smoker. Serve the legs hot, to be eaten with your fingers, with a side of barbecue sauce.
• Mix ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Combine the mop ingredients in a small saucepan and warm the mixture over low heat.

HICKORY TURKEY

Steps:

• In a stockpot, bring the first 12 ingredients to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature., Remove giblets from turkey; discard. Place a turkey-size oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add turkey. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours, turning occasionally., Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. Add wood chips to grill according to manufacturer's directions. Drain turkey and discard brine. Rinse turkey under cold water; pat dry. Place the onion, orange and garlic inside cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together. Combine oils; rub over skin., Place turkey over the drip pan. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 1 hour. Tent turkey with foil; grill 1-2 hours longer or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.

HICKORY-SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE SAUCE: In a small saucepan whisk together the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the apples are fully cooked and the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then pour into a food processor and purée. Divide the sauce into two bowls. TO MAKE THE RUB: In a bowl combine the rub ingredients. Rinse the turkey drumsticks under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Coat with the rub mixture and allow to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling. Lightly brush or spray with vegetable oil. Follow the grill's instructions for using wood chunks. Grill the turkey over Indirect Medium heat until the internal temperature reaches 180°F in the thickest part of the meat, about 1 hour, basting occasionally from one bowl of the baste. Remove the turkey legs from the grill. Discard any remaining baste. Serve the turkey legs warm or at room temperature with the reserved sauce.From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

ROASTED SMOKY TURKEY LEGS

Steps:

• Mix the salt, brown sugar, liquid smoke and water together until all is dissolved and pour the briny mixture over the turkey legs.
• Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 24-hours to 72-hours.
• Rinse the brine off the turkey, pat dry with paper towels and roast at 350°F for about 45 minutes.
• By this time, the turkey will almost be done, but the skin will still have a pale color, so I crank the oven up to 500°F and roast the legs/wings until they are a rich mahogany color, then I flip them over and roast the other side until it is also deep brown.