This was from my 3rd smoke, but it turned out well, and have been asked to do an encore some day..
I started with 6 huge turkey legs (Perdue) from the store.
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_CbvAIVzmFFM/Smn0jKrlssI/AAAAAAAA47o/TI7rJp8yHuw/s720/photo.jpeg)
I brined them overnight in a buttermilk brine, here is the mix. (give or take a bit on the spicy stuff, adjust for flavor)
4 cups buttermilk
¼ cup kosher salt
½ cup Crystal* hot sauce
½ cup L&P Worcestershire sauce
1 1/3 T garlic powder
1 1/3 T cumin
1 1/3 T black pepper
1 1/3 T rubbed** sage
1 1/2 T cayenne pepper
* I use Crystal as it seems to have a lower vinegar content, so it doesn't "pre-cook" the food as much as Frank's. The buttermilk has a high enough acid content as it is.
** This seems to blend easier. Bought it by accident, won't get anything else but it now.
I dump it all - in that order - into the blender. Run at the lowest speed for about a minute or so to get all of the mixes interspersed into the thick buttermilk.
I had to make 2 batches of this to completely cover the dino legs. (I used a tupperware/ziplock container for brownies/cookies - roughly 3" x 9" x 13") Soak overnight, and flip again in the morning to make sure it all gets a nice bath.
Pull from the fridge about an hour before smoking to bring closer to room temps. I put them on the Bradley racks to let drip-dry. (flip a couple times) No, I didn't rinse them.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_CbvAIVzmFFM/SmyFIJCtbiI/AAAAAAAA4_k/-7CZzLDT8iw/s720/0726091131-00.jpg)
I smoked them in the 210-225 range (using the 'Special Blend' pucks for 2 hours of smoke) for about 4.5 hours total. Flipped/rotated the racks once after the smoke ended. At 165 I pulled them for 2 hours of FTC. (foil then wrap in towel and place in warmed cooler)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_CbvAIVzmFFM/Smz4ldpK3pI/AAAAAAAA5BI/x-s0K07m-hY/s720/0726091737-00.jpg)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_CbvAIVzmFFM/Smz4jOoYvtI/AAAAAAAA5BA/v9XaN5uKkEU/s720/0726091733-00.jpg)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_CbvAIVzmFFM/Sm2d4IJUVtI/AAAAAAAA5Ew/ZcfoTdj9A7c/s720/photo.jpeg)
It was a huge hit. I've done that brine before with chicken wings, so I figured it had to be good with other feathered critters. It is amazing how juicy it makes the meat. When I pulled the temperature probed out, it actually squirted a fountain of hot juice out.
I'm going to do a boneless turkey breast roast this weekend, and will use the same brine. (minus the cayenne and most of the Crystal - the Mrs doesn't like that much heat) I'll be sure to report back how well it works out.
Enjoy!
Looks great.
I have to try this.
I'll be leaving out the worchershire.
Send two here immediately and I will confirm that they are as good as they look
;D ;D
To follow up to this, I made them for a friend's son. (kind of an advance bribe) They reheated them on the grill the next night, which helped crisp the skin up a bit. That's why I went right from the OBS into the foil - and into the fridge later that night.
Now them look totally awesome!! Great job!!
Ole
That all looks good never thought about smoking turkey legs I do breast all the time, dont do a whole one very often, no one ever eats the dark meat it mainly goes into soup
I wounder what that butter milk will do to us that dont take the white stuff very well
Might have to give this a try some day and stay close to home :D
Quote from: OU812 on August 05, 2009, 11:32:29 AM
That all looks good never thought about smoking turkey legs I do breast all the time, dont do a whole one very often, no one ever eats the dark meat it mainly goes into soup
I wounder what that butter milk will do to us that dont take the white stuff very well
Might have to give this a try some day and stay close to home :D
Good point... I don't know what the lactose does if you just soak something in the BM and then cook it.
We're in the same boat re: the dark meat. Nobody will eat it. How do you do prep the breast? Bone-in or not? Favored wood? Approximate time?
I'm doing one on Saturday. It'll be 95 and humid, so this should be a hoot.
Squirtthecat,(love your moniker!)
I smoke turkey legs from time to time and that brine sounds great. I will definitely be giving it a try.
As for those of you saying no one will eat the dark meat around your place. Here's a way to use that smoked turkey leg. Strip the smoked meat from the bone and put it in a pot of beans or anything else that you might use a smoked ham hock or smoked jowl for additional seasoning or flavor. I guarantee you they will eat it and love it. My wife uses it all the time in order to cut out some additional fat of using a hock or jowl. Me, I love a smoked turkey leg. Just hand me one and stand back.
Thanks for the post, I will definitely be giving it a run.
KyNola
When i do a breast its mainly bone in i dont brine mine i inject it with some of my fave rub that i put in the coffee grinder and turn it into a fine powder then mix with some butter about 2 tab rub b4 grinding to 1/2 cup butter b4 melting.
Then i mix 1 tab rub thats not ground with 1/4 cup butter and paint the outside of the breast, do it quick so the butter dont start to firm up on you both when injecting and painting.
(http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww263/OU812_bucket/poultry/May22_0007.jpg)(http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww263/OU812_bucket/poultry/May23_0001.jpg)
I cook my bird at 250 F with 2 hr alder keep the vent wide open the whole time poultry has allot of moisture in the skin. It will take somewhere between 8 to 10 hr but you want to go by the internal temp not the time its just a time to start getting other things ready. I pull mine out when the IT hits 160 F and let rest uncovered about 20 min b4 slicing while resting the IT will rise to about 168 F
(http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww263/OU812_bucket/poultry/May23_0024.jpg)
Cool, thanks!
I'm just doing the boneless breast roast (1/2 of that big guy), so I'll adjust the time accordingly.
If I do one indirectly on the top rack of my Weber gasser, it takes about 3 hours. I pull around 155 and foil/rest while the other stuff is cooking.
I'll time it in the Bradley. I've got some Adler in my sample pack - I think. If not, I've got a bunch of Apple coming from Amazon.
Apple works good also
Quote from: OU812 on August 05, 2009, 01:33:10 PM
Apple works good also
Good deal. I have a ton of it coming. Turns out my wife isn't too crazy about the Hickory smoke. (and I have like 40 hours of Hickory pucks)
I might have to sneak one in from time-to-time to use them up.
Poultry and fish takes in smoke much faster than does other meats so you want to use lighter favored woods like apple alder or cherry
Hickory has a strong flavor more suited for beef and pork
Looking good, thanks for the pics and recipe. Was thinking of doing turkey legs since ive been seeing them all over disneyland while here on vacation. ;D
Mike, the Disney Legs need a cure or brine, let me see if i can dig up my recipe.
I can not wait to try this. Turkey legs are one of my favorite this to smoke and eat. Will cut back on hot sauce, wife don't like to much of it.
Thanks for the recipe.
Squirtthecat, Did you FTC the wings too?
Thanks
John
Yes. For 90 minutes. (give or take) Then into the fridge for transport the next morning.
The grocery strore didn't have turkey legs, but they had some REALLY good looking Turkey Drummettes. Huge half of the wing, almost as big as a medium size turkey leg. So Im gonna give this recipie a shot, and will report back on how good they turn out. Got them soaking in the wonderful spicy buttermilk brine.
Been almost a year since I last fired up my Bradley due to a major move. Looking forward to some sweet smoking this weekend!!!!
Get er done!!
I think I had too much smoke on mine. Over 3 hours. Not TOO strong, but they turned out considerably darker than your golden brown legs. Im gonna make some adjustments next time.
Its fun striving for perfection!