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Smoked wild turkey leg laying on white cutting board with loaded baked sweet potatoes and some fried green beans
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4.50 from 32 votes

Smoked Wild Turkey Legs

Smoked Wild Turkey Legs get their flavor and tenderness from an overnight brine with garlic, black pepper, citrus, and aromatics. Smoke them low and slow so the meat turns tender and deeply seasoned. If you get your hands on wild turkey after hunting season, this is a great way to cook the legs.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Brine Time1 day
Total Time1 day 2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: turkey leg, wild turkey
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Ingredients

Turkey

Wet Brine

  • ¼ cup kosher salt or 3 tablespoons table salt
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 cups hot water
  • 2 cups ice or cold water

Optional Aromatics For The Brine

  • 1 tbsp peppercorns
  • 2 lemons sliced; or oranges, onions, or 2 to 3 minced garlic cloves
  • fresh rosemary or bay leaves or sage; a few sprigs of each

Instructions

Brine The Turkey

  • Mix the salt, sugar, and hot water in a large mixing bowl until fully dissolved. Add in your aromatics and allow them to steep in the warm water and impart their flavors. Add in the ice or cold water to cool the brine down.
  • Get a container that is large enough to hold the wild turkey leg. Pour the brine over the turkey leg and ensure it is fully submerged in the brine.
  • If needed, top off the container with cold water to ensure the turkey is fully covered by the brine. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours, or overnight.
  • Preheat your pellet grill smoker to 225°F and close the lid. Let the pellet grill preheat for 15 minutes.

Smoke The Turkey

  • Remove the turkey leg from the brine. Pat it dry with a towel. To get a nice crispy skin, you want the turkey leg to be dry.
  • Season with the Cajun seasoning, or your favorite dry rub seasoning.
  • When the pellet grill is hot, place the turkey leg on the grill and stick a leave-in thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Close the lid.
  • Smoke the wild turkey leg until it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F. See notes.
  • Remove the turkey leg from the smoker and cover with aluminum foil or butcher paper and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Use a paper towel or butcher paper to wrap the bone of the turkey leg and pick it up to eat. Or you can slice the meat from the bone and serve.

Video

Notes

Dissolving The Brine

The hot water does not need to be boiling. It only needs to be hot enough to help the salt and brown sugar dissolve before you add the cold water or ice.

Make More Brine If Needed

If you need more liquid to cover the turkey, make extra brine using the same ratio: ¼ cup kosher salt, or 3 tablespoons table salt, for every 1 quart of water.

Food Safety

Wash your sink and any surfaces well after rinsing brined turkey to avoid cross-contamination.

Turkey Temperature

The FDA recommends cooking turkey to an internal temperature of 165°F. I remove the turkey when it reaches 150°F to 160°F because carry-over cooking can sustain the temperature long enough to kill salmonella. Follow FDA guidelines and use your own judgment.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 240mg | Sodium: 14425mg | Potassium: 1467mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 6711IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 10mg