Smokd Turkey Legs

[Superporky]

I just bought some turkey legs and plan to smoke em up pretty soon.  Ive never done them before so I need some help and a recipe.  Also I have a couple of questions.  Do I have to do a brine?  What does a brine do? Will the skin crisp up in the smoker or will I need to throw em on the grill for a bit?  And finally is there anything I should NOT do?

[Habanero Smoker]

FLB smokes a lot of legs, so I'm sure he will be adding to this thread. I only smoke legs occasionally.

You don't have to brine, but brining helps keep the legs moist during the smoking/cooking times, also it infuses the meat with the flavors you add to the brine. With turkey legs some add cure #1 to the brine to give the legs a ham like flavor, but that is optional.

The skin will not get crisp in the smoker, so it is better to throw them on the grill or in an oven at high temperature, to crisp up the skin a little.

What you should not do is close your vent. Keep your vent 3/4 to fully open at the beginning of the cooking time. Poultry skin has a lot of moisture and you want that moisture to escape. In the latter part of the cook when most of the moisture has evaporated, you can adjust your vent to a smaller opening if you want.

[FLBentRider]

I just bought some turkey legs and plan to smoke em up pretty soon.  Ive never done them before so I need some help and a recipe.  Also I have a couple of questions.  Do I have to do a brine?  What does a brine do? Will the skin crisp up in the smoker or will I need to throw em on the grill for a bit?  And finally is there anything I should NOT do?

I have done turkey legs, not lately, but I need to...

You don't have to brine, it really depends on what flavor(s) you are looking for.

If you are trying to replicate the "theme park" turkey legs, they are a cured and smoked product. Cure is what gives it the "Ham like" flavor.

I have used a brine to cure them. I will need to dig up the recipe.

As far as the smoking goes, I usually use Hickory @250F for 3 hours or so until the IT of the legs is 165F

Skin. I use it more as a wrapper, peeling it back to apply a rub to the meat and then putting it back. I don't usually eat the skin on the legs I do, so I don't worry about it.

The grill or an oven would work to crisp the skin if you are so inclined.

What NOT to do ?

There is not a lot of mass on a leg, so if you are going to brine, 4 to 6 hours is good. I brined a batch overnight once and they were so salty as to be inedible. Although the guy I gave them to made salad out of them!

[Superporky]

Thanks for the help Im going to do them for Turkey day at work, Ill let ya know how they come out.

[Smokin Soon]

Using MTQ and brown sugar I will brine only 3 hours before cooking, but it is important that they have some drying time before smoking to accept the smoke better. And yes vent full open for any poultry that has been brined or wet cured.

[Superporky]

So I have decided that Im going to use a brine on my legs.  What is MTQ?  And how much brown sugar?  Ill be smoking 6-8 legs so I will need a recipe for a brine that will cover 6-8 legs, any suggestions?

[FLBentRider]

So I have decided that Im going to use a brine on my legs.  What is MTQ?  And how much brown sugar?  Ill be smoking 6-8 legs so I will need a recipe for a brine that will cover 6-8 legs, any suggestions?

MTQ is Morton's Tender Quick. It is a cure mix. Depending on where you live, it may be hard to find. I have to buy mine online.

I would use about 1 Cup of Brown sugar and 1 cup of MTQ per gallon of water. For 6-8 legs, a gallon should be fine.

4 to 6 hours brine time. Then let the surface air-dry before smoking.

[pensrock]

Looks like they got you covered. Let us know how they come out.

[Smokin Soon]

The boys here got you covered, a simple brine withh salt, brown sugar and spices will give you a moist cook. The brine using a cure [mtq] will give the meat a ham colour like the Theme Park wings and have a slight "ham" taste to them. Either way it's all tasty stuff!

[Superporky]

Thanks I found the MTQ at the first grocery store I went to so its available around Milwaukee.  Ill let ya know how the stuff comes out.

[JGW]

I actually prefer to brine without the cure, but either way is good.