How To Make Turkey Legs On The Grill
How to Make Turkey Legs on the Grill? Turkey legs are one of the most delicious grilled items. No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a grilled turkey. Grilled turkey adds a next level charm to every dinner table. Grilling a turkey on a charcoal grill is quite bit of a task. It is time taking, it is tricky but it yields the best dining addition.
Imagine its the Thanksgiving dinner tonight, and you have to grill a turkey but you dont know how to properly grill the turkey. This article is here to help you grilling the turkey before your guests arrive. We have all the details gathered here for you in this article, which are going to help you a lot.
Wondering How Long To Cook Turkey Legs On The Grill
Turkey is a large bird, and the meat of turkey is called turkey meat. Turkey is either a domestic or wild animal. It is the most popular in the USA. Turkey meat tastes differently than chicken meat. However, it tastes like duck meat. Moreover, the turkey meat is flavorful and delicious. Its the best dish for special occasions. lets dive in and learn about how long to cook turkey legs on the grill.
How To Cook Smoked Turkey Legs In A Slow Cooker
Smoked turkey legs are a great addition to any Thanksgiving feast. Theyre easy to cook in a slow cooker, and the results are delicious. If youre looking to impress your guests with a juicy and flavorful smoked turkey leg, youll want to try this easy slow cooker recipe!
Youll get great results every time by cooking the turkey legs in a slow cooker. Add some delicious ingredients, set the timer, and youre good! This recipe shows you how to cook smoked turkey legs in a slow cooker. Lets start.
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How To Grill Turkey Thighs
If you have a large appetite and a small budget you need to learn how to grill turkey thighs. They are an inexpensive and completely different grilling option. They are fairly large at about a pound a thigh and very versatile. In this how to, we will be grilling garlic parmesan turkey thighs using only a few simple ingredients you probably have lying around the house, and an indirect grilling technique.
You can find turkey thighs for around $2 a pound at your local grocery store. At around a pound a piece each thigh can be one large portion. With just a single bone running down the center they are also easily cut into two smaller portions.
How To Season Butterflied Turkey Legs
Ive kept this seasoning recipe super simple. You probably already have the ingredients in your pantry.
For two legs, youll need one teaspoon kosher salt, one teaspoon lemon pepper and one teaspoon smoked paprika.
The lemon pepper gives the legs a pop of citrus, and the paprika is mostly used to provide a beautiful ruby color.
Season both sides and let them rest on the counter while you heat the grill. Just before grilling, give them a spritz with cooking spray to keep them from sticking to the grill.
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How To Reheat Turkey Legs
Turkey legs are a delicious lunch or supper option. Smoking the huge bird results in a richer, deeper taste that you can enjoy for a few days.
Sometimes you leave the dish be so it can be eaten later. However, many people argue that reheating turkey legs is a challenging task. The dish loses touch as the turkey isnt as tasty and juicy as it was.
Cold or warm, pre-cooked store-bought smoked turkey is ready to eat.
Whether you smoke the turkey legs on your own or buy them at the grocery, you must be careful while reheating them. The juiciness of a freshly cooked turkey is preferable therefore, they avoid it.
Those who have no idea how to preserve and reheat turkey tend to lose flavor properly. The heat helps bring out the flavors when it is handled properly.
Whats the best method for reheating turkey legs to retain their juiciness and softness? Turkey legs can be reheated in several ways oven, microwave, skillet, or air fryer.
What Else Is Cooking
Do you have a whole turkey to cook as well? Check out this wet brined Traeger smoked turkey. This is my go-to recipe when the holiday season comes up. Every time I smoke my turkey, it turns out perfectly moist and full of flavor. Gone are the days of dried-out, bland turkey. You will be the hero at the next family gathering!
These air fryer jojo potato wedges make the perfect side for your smoked turkey legs. These things are just like the wedges you used to get at KFC, a bit spicy and extremely crispy.
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How To Make Spectacular Smoked Turkey Legs
Turkey legs are a delicious favorite that some people wait all year long for a chance to enjoybut they are surprisingly easy to make at home! With a few simple steps and your favorite Z Grills model, you can jump right in and make amazing smoked turkey legs in no time. Lets take a closer look at this delicious smoked turkey leg recipe that is perfect for beginners!
Tips For Recipe Success
To nail this recipe, keep in mind the following tips:
- Ensure your sugar and spices dissolve well when combined with your boiling water. If there is separation, your turkey legs wont absorb all that great flavor so well.
- Cool your brine before adding your turkey. You do not want the turkey legs to partially cook, nor do you want bacteria to develop. This is an important tip to prevent any foodborne illnesses.
- Brine the turkey legs for at least 1 hour. For the best results, brine for up to 24 hours. However, you do not want to exceed 24 hours of brining as the meat will start to break down and get mushy.
- Patting the turkey legs dry after brining is an important step to ensure a crispy skin. You want to pat them dry and then add your spice rub.
- If you are using extra-large turkey legs, budget for additional cooking time, and be patient!
- While the turkey legs are smoking in the Traeger, baste the turkey legs with oil. This will help to keep the meat moist and help to crisp the skin on the exterioir of the legs.
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How To Serve Grilled Turkey Legs
Turkey legs are delicious on their own, but you need some side dishes to go along with the turkey legs to have a full course meal. You can have some mashed potatoes and mac and cheese cooked while the turkey legs are brining. You can also have some Oven baked potato wedges, Mexican street corn salad, Fresh tomato salad, Microwaved corn on the cob and sweet potato fries.
Do I Need To Brine The Turkey Legs
While the BBQ Turkey Legs take only 2.5-3 hours to cook, the biggest part of the process is the brining. I recommend at least 4 hours of brining the meat, but if you can do 12 hours or more then that is best. Overall, brining will flavor the meat throughout while helping it cook evenly. Dont miss this step or you will be missing out on flavor!
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Grilled Turkey: Another White Meat
When it comes to food, turkeyis not just another version of chicken-despite both types of meat being poultry. One benefit with turkey meat is that it tends to be bigger than what youd get from chicken, meaning you get more meat from the same cuts. Hence why you see grilled turkey legs being sold at places like Disney World and Renaissance festivals, rather than chicken legs. When properly cooked, turkey can truly excel in flavor, but any sort of quick cooking, like the kind done in a stir fry, is likely to turn out poorly. Texturally speaking, the relatively larger size of a turkey means that individual cuts may have a tad more stringiness to them, hence why slow-cooking it tends to yield better results. In terms of flavor, turkey tends to contain proportionately more dark meat than chicken, meaning that it has a comparatively deeper and richer taste.
How To Prepare Smoked Turkey Legs
Brining is the key preparation step for smoking turkey legs. Turkey meat is notoriously dry, and the smoking process will cause significant moisture loss.
Soaking the legs in brine for 24 hours before smoking adds additional moisture and makes the final product more tender. Because you’re starting with more moisture, you can smoke the legs for longer. More smoke means more flavor, and drier, crispier skin.
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Place The Turkey Legs In The Brine
When the turkey brine is completely mixed, you will want to simmer it on low, then allow it to cool. Place the brine in a container that is large enough to hold your turkey legs. Place the turkey legs directly into the brine solution, allowing them to be completely submerged if possible. If the brine solution doesnt cover the turkey legs, consider using a different container or making more brine.
Tips And Tricks For Good Smoking
- Brining the turkey leg makes it extra juicy and flavourful. The meat turns tender and full of aromas.
- If you dont brine your turkey legs, you can baste the turkey legs with chicken stock while they are getting smoked.
- If the skin of turkey legs get dark, cover them with aluminium foil. This way they will get smoked and not burnt.
- Let the turkey legs rest for 10-15 minutes before transferring to serving plate.
- You can add herbal garnishments for extra boost of flavours.
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Smoke The Turkey Legs
Place your turkey legs in a pre-heated smoker set to 225°F with your favorite wood or pellets. I use my trusty Traeger Pro 780 in this recipe. I like to use the Pit Boss Competition Blend. Cook until the thickest part of the turkey legs reaches 175°F. The USDA recommends cooking the turkey until it is 165°F, but turkey legs have a lot of connective tissue and need extra time to get tender. It will take about 4 to 5 hours.
Reasons To Get Grilling With Turkey
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Did you make this recipe? Tell us about it in the comments below!
This recipe has been updated based on reader feedback!
Greg
Thursday 3rd of March 2022
Quick question: Are we injecting with the brine solution, then soaking the turkey legs it in the same solution over night?
Joshua Boquist
Wednesday 9th of March 2022
Yes! This will help the turkey legs to be super moist and tender. I found that injecting them before placing them in the brine helped significantly. Thanks for the comment, Greg!
Deanna
Monday 18th of October 2021
I followed this recipe to a tee. Im sorry to say it was nothing like the Disney Turkey legs. They had crispy skin and tasted like ham. These were too Smokey, and rubbery skin. The one thing is I love the spice rub and will keep that recipe. It was perfectly balanced. I have to experiment with more recipes. Now I need a recipe to use these smoked legs that I have left because I dont want to waste them. Sorry!!!!!
Joshua Boquist
Friday 22nd of October 2021
Deanna, thank you for the comment. I am sorry that they didn’t turn out for you. I have noticed that some turkey legs are simply much tougher. I have had better luck with smaller turkey legs weighing in around 1 pound each. Next time, you can change the apple cider vinegar spritz to an oil spritz for the final hour of cooking to help promote that crispy skin.
Kristy Murray
Sunday 29th of November 2020
Joshua Boquist
Wednesday 2nd of December 2020
How Do You Know When Your Turkey Legs Are Done
If you have a meat thermometer, this is the most effective way to check if your turkey legs are cooked. Ensure that the internal temperature of the thickest part of the turkey leg reaches 175°F so that it is tender and moist.
I always trust this ThermoWorks Signals WiFi thermometer to tell me when I am done cooking. The Signals thermometer has 4 probes, so you can monitor multiple items, all from the comfort of the couch using the ThermoWorks App on your phone.
For super fast temperature checks, this ThermoWorks ONE Thermapen gives you an accurate reading in only one second! Now you will not have any more excuses for not hitting perfection!
If you do not have a meat thermometer, youll notice that the turkey feels firmer when cooked. The juices will run clear when sliced into. When you cut into one of the legs, the meat will be a paler, opaquer pink color.
When you bite into the turkey legs, you should see a red smoke ring, which signifies that the turkey was smoked perfectly.
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Explore Our Turkey Drumsticks Recipes
Now that you know how to grill turkey drumsticks with high scores for flavor and juiciness, you are probably looking forward to making some. Get high-quality and fresh turkey drumsticks by discovering where to buy Shady Brook Farms near you. If you need more turkey-inspired recipes, try these out:
- Smoked Turkey Drumsticks: Once youve mastered the grill, try cooking your turkey legs on the smoker. Smoking involves cooking the turkey at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. The end result is a delicious, smokey-flavored meal.
- Slow Cooker Turkey Drumsticks: Is the weather not cooperating with your grilling plans? Thats ok! You can make amazing turkey drumsticks indoors with your slow cooker.
- Cranberry Slow-Cooked Turkey Drumsticks: If youve decided to slow-cook your turkey instead of grilling, heres a recipe that can bring a taste of Thanksgiving to your table.
The Number Of Times Can You Reheat Turkey Legs
Turkey legs should only be reheated once. You should only keep your turkey leg for three days in the refrigerator. If its been more than three days, throw it out. If your meat has been left out in the open for more than two hours, you should toss it.
Reheating the dish at a low flame temperature in a pan with oil and butter will ensure its quality.
Make sure the meal is prepared to an appropriate temperature before storing any leftovers, and store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Instead of reheating your turkey, slice it while it is still cold for the best results. It is vital to let it thaw before reheating a frozen turkey leg.
According to Warwick, reheating food more than once is not recommended . You can reheat cooked turkey legs several times however, it is not encouraged.
The cooked turkey can be preserved for a longer period of time if it is frozen after it has been served. The shelf life increases up to three months in the freezer compared to three days in the refrigerator.
Frozen turkey legs can be defrosted the night before by placing them in the refrigerator instead of the freezer. Reheating the beef is as simple as defrosting it and then following the procedures mentioned above.
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How To Grill Butterflied Turkey Legs
These can be cooked on a charcoal, gas or pellet grill. Just heat your grill to 400-425F degrees with a direct heat zone. If youre using wood chunks, chips or pellets, pecan and cherry woods provide a nice accent to this flavor profile.
Once your grill is heated. Place the legs on the grill skin side down. This will allow the skin to start crisping up immediately, forming a barrier to protect the tender meat.
Youre going to cook these for about 35 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.
While the turkey legs are grilling, set a small pot on the grill next to the legs. Add the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and minced garlic.
Once the legs have been on for 20 minutes, start basting them with that lemon butter.
After about 30 minutes, the legs will reach an internal temperature of 165F degrees. I like to cook them for 5 minutes beyond that. Legs are dark meat, so they can handle more heat than turkey breasts.
USDA Safe Cooking Temperature for Turkey Legs
Poultry has reached its safe zone at an internal temperature of 165F degrees. Place your instant read thermometer into the meat without touching the bone to get an accurate reading. Because turkey legs are dark meat, you can cook them even longer without drying out.
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