Fantastic weather today – sunny and almost warm – a perfect day for yard work, and for bbq. I decided to make smoked turkey legs, and here’s how I go about it.
First make a brine. I used water, loads of salt, some soy sauce and loads of crushed red peppers. Some people use sugar in their brines, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Pour the brine over the turkey legs and let them sit as long as you can. I’ve seen recipes that call for the turkey to sit in the brine for upwards of a day, but I don’t think it’s necessary to leave it that long. If you only have two or three hours, so be it.
Prepare the smoker. I use a Big Green Egg smoker. We use this for all our BBQ. We’ve had it for several years and I swear by it. I’ve never done this with a gas grill. Gas grills are a mystery to me. I know some people get good results with them, but I’ll take charcoal any day. I set up indirect heat with the grill over a drip pan and a temperature of about 200 F. I used plenty of damp hickory chips for additional smoke.
Take the turkey legs from the brine. Rinse them in cold water and pat them dry with paper towel. I then apply copious amounts of my favourite bbq rub before putting the legs on the grill. I removed the skin prior to smoking. You can smoke the legs with skin if you air dry them first. Otherwise you won’t get a nice texture on the skin.
Turn the legs every hour or so. I had mine in the smoker for about 5 hours. Some people baste them after two or three hours but if your temperature is low enough, the legs remain very juicy and it really isn’t necessary.
While they turkey smokes, work around the yard, maybe have a cold beer, talk to the neighbours, walk the dog…all this knowing dinner is going to be fantastic.
27th Street 
21st street…was the only dirt road, or rather street, that got asphalted, nearby back then.
Sounds great! Though, I firmly believe any day is a good day to BBQ … weather be damned. lol
I brine my T-Day Turkey, too. I’ll be posting that recipe tomorrow.
So … you’re a fisherman, too, eh?!?
Hi Caveman,
Thanks for stopping by. I’ll look for the recipe. Yes I’m a fisherman….I chase trout with a fly rod. cheers.
I can’t tell if you can read theundergroundbaker somewhere, so – just so you know, kiki is ….. theundergroundbaker
Of course, I know. Good to hear from you Kiki. I hope all is well. cheers.
PS
That turkey sounds fantastic!
It was outrageously good.
Hi mr. a
It has been awhile…yes I pretty much fell off blog earth for awhile. I haven’t been posting…but I shall get back in the saddle one of these days.
Your dog is beautiful!!
I have a Dylan questionand I thought of you. I have the lyric “ya gotta serve somebody” going on in my head…what song is it?
Big hugs all ’round
xox
Har! That song is called Gotta Serve Somebody, from an album called Slow Train Comin’
Here’s a version by Booker T and the MGs: