Sink your teeth into satisfaction with these Smoked Turkey Legs, slow-cooked low and slow until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and infused with rich smoke flavor. Marinated or rubbed beforehand, they cook long enough for the bark to develop and for connective tissues to soften—and they nail that signature BBQ experience with minimal fuss.
Smoked Turkey Legs
Britt Shoffner
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
12
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Calories
406
Perfect for backyard feasts, game days, or cozy dinners, smoked turkey legs offer bold flavor and conversation-starting presentation. They're portable, protein-packed, and easy to customize with seasoning blends or glaze variations.
Ingredients
-
1 package Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine
- 5 quarts water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dales meat seasoning (you can also substitute soy sauce or Worcestershire)
- One dozen young turkey legs, or a half dozen large turkey legs
-
Spray Duck Fat
-
BBQ rub of choice - here are a few suggestions
-
Kim's Gourmet Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce, or BBQ sauce of choice
For the brine:
Other optional ingredients:
Directions
To make the brine:
Combine all ingredients for brine until fully dissolved and place turkey legs into brine completely submerged. Allow them to brine for 6 hours minimum or up to 24 hours.
To set your smoker:
- Set up your Yoder Smokers offset smoker to roll at roughly 275°F using hickory wood.
- Attain this by heating up a chimney full of charcoal.
- For more advice on maintaining heat on your offset, check out the video on fire maintenance.
To smoke/finish the turkey legs:
- Before smoking, pat dry (for extra crispy skin dry overnight uncovered in the fridge).
- As an option, spray with duck fat, and coat with BBQ rub of choice. Chef Britt does not use this method in her video, but it is a great way to get extra BBQ flavor.
- Smoke for 2-3 hours, depending on the size of the turkey legs until they reach an internal temperature of 165-170°F. About 10-20 degrees short of the final temperature, glaze the legs with a sauce of your choice (in the video, Chef Britt uses Kim's Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce.)
- For that fair festival feel, and as an option, wrap in foil and hold in a warming container (such as a steam table or your smoker that is cooling down) until ready to consume.
Recipe Note
What You’ll Love
Juicy, tender meat that easily slides off the bone
Flavorful exterior with crunchy bark from rub and smoke
Crowd-friendly portability—great for sharing or serving by hand
Adaptable seasoning—play up heat, citrus, or savory herb layers
Frequently Asked Questions
What internal temperature should I aim for?
Target around 170–175 °F in the thickest part for fall-off-the-bone tenderness.
Can I use the oven instead of smoker?
Yes—roast at 225–250 °F with wood chips nearby for smoke flavor, or finish under broiler for crisp bark.
How do I reheat leftovers without drying out?
Reheat covered in a 300 °F oven with a splash of stock or butter until warmed through.
What sides pair well with smoked turkey legs?
Classic sides like coleslaw, potato salad, cornbread, and baked beans complement them beautifully.
Can I cook these indoors?
We rate these as a 2 out of 5. Can be done inside, but loses key flavor or texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 8 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 406
- Carbs
- 3 grams
- 1%
- Protein
- 66.4 grams
- Fat
- 12.4 grams
- 16%
- Saturated Fat
- 4.1 grams
- 20%
- Sodium
- 390 milligrams
- 18%
- Sugar
- 2.9 grams
- Cholesterol
- 173 milligrams
- 58%
