Disney Smoked Turkey Legs
Disney Smoked Turkey Legs bring that theme park-style smoky, sweet, and savory turkey leg experience home. They spend a full day in a spicy brine, then smoke low and slow until the meat is tender and loaded with flavor. Wrap the bone in butcher paper and dig in just like you would at the Disney parks.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 3 turkey legs large, skin on
- 1 cup barbecue seasoning dry rub or your favorite dry rub
For the brine
- 2 cups boiling water
- ¼ cup kosher salt or 3 tablespoons table salt
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tbsp onion powder
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp crushed black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ tsp liquid smoke
Instructions
Brine the turkey
- Prepare the brine. In a large bowl, combine the salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add the boiling water and carefully stir until all of the spices are dissolved. Add the ice, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and liquid smoke. Stir to combine.
- Inject the turkey legs. Fill a meat injector and slowly inject the turkey legs in several areas. Change the angle of the needle several times.
- Soak the turkey legs. Fill a large bowl or container that can hold all of your turkey legs and pour the brine in with the turkey. If you do not have a large enough container, use gallon-size zip-top bags. Be sure the turkey legs are fully submerged, then refrigerate for 10 to 24 hours.
Prepare the turkey legs
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Use your favorite wood or pellets. I use a blend of maple, hickory, and cherry woods.
- Remove the turkey legs from the brine and pat them dry. Thoroughly coat each turkey leg with the barbecue seasoning dry rub.
Smoke the turkey legs
- Place the turkey legs on the smoker at 225°F and cook for 6 to 7 hours, or until the internal temperature of the turkey at the thickest point reaches 175°F to 180°F.
- Baste or brush the turkey legs with oil halfway through the cook and again during the final 30 minutes to help keep them from drying out too quickly while smoking.
- Remove the turkey legs from the smoker and let them rest before serving. I like to use a square of butcher paper to grab the turkey leg by the bone while eating.
Video
Notes
Use A Meat Thermometer
Use a reliable meat thermometer so you can monitor the cook and get the best results. A leave-in thermometer works well for the long smoke, and an instant-read thermometer is useful for checking each turkey leg.Cook Turkey Legs Past 165°F
FDA guidelines state that turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Turkey legs have a lot of connective tissue, so they become more tender when cooked to about 175°F to 180°F.Extra-Large Turkey Legs
Extra-large turkey legs can take considerably longer to cook. Be patient and use the cooking time as a general guideline, but rely on your thermometer for doneness.Disney-Style Serving
For the full theme park feel, wrap the bone end in butcher paper and serve the turkey legs whole so they are easy to pick up and eat.Nutrition
Serving: 1/2 leg | Calories: 1436kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 145g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 481mg | Sodium: 12137mg | Potassium: 2817mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 3536IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 976mg | Iron: 42mg