This Pit Boss smoked turkey legs recipe is a perfect smoker recipe for any time of the year. You can obviously smoke turkey legs in any pellet grill, be it Z Grills, Traeger etc but this article has a particular focus on Pit Boss pellet grills.
Click the link f you want to read a recipe on Pit Boss smoked turkey breast rather than legs, but otherwise read on.
Pit Boss Smoked Turkey Legs Pellet Grill Recipe
Smoked Turkey Legs Brine (Optional Step)
A brine helps to impart flavour and ensure a tender result for smoked turkey but it is optional.
If you would like to brine your turkey overnight before smoking you can follow the brine recipe below. You can also dry brine the turkey by covering it in your dry rub and then placing it in the fridge overnight as well.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup of salt
- 1 cup of sugar
- Cold Water to Cover the Turkey
- 1 Whole Stick of Cinnamon
- 3-4 Whole Cloves
- 4 Peeled Whole Garlic Cloves
- A Tablespoon of Black Peppercorns
- A Handful of Rosemary Leaves & Thyme sprigs
- 3-4 Bay Leaves
- A Whole Lemon Cut in Two
- A Whole Orange Cut in Two
Heat around 1/2 of the water you will use to cover the turkey in a pan with the salt and sugar until they dissolve. Allow to cool (you could put ice cubes in it to cool it quickly) and pour into a ziplock bag or container along with the rest of the ingredients. Place the turkey in the brine and add enough cold water to cover it.
Leave the turkey to brine in the fridge overnight (or up to 24 hours) before the smoke.
Pit Boss Smoked Turkey Rub
Obviously you can use a store bought Pit Boss Poultry Rub (or other equivalent BBQ rub for poultry) for ease, but if you would like to make your own turkey rub customised to your tastes and context try below.
Feel free to experiment with the levels of sweetness or heat to tailor this rub to your own needs.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of finely ground sea salt
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon of chilli powder (leave this out or reduce the amount if you don’t like heat)
Pit Boss Smoked Turkey Legs Recipe
- Remove the turkey legs from the brine (if using) and run under cold water then pat dry
- Cover the legs liberally with your dry rub (use oil/mayo/mustard as a binder for the rub if you wish)
- Fill the hopper of your Pit Boss pellet grill with your wood of choice (we like hickory or pecan but for a milder smoke taste apple or cherry work too) and preheat to 225F (107C) use the Pit Boss Smoke Setting (S) for extra smokiness
- Place your seasoned turkey legs directly on the grill grates and close the lid
- Smoke for around 1 1/2 hours or so until the internal temperature reaches 175F or 79C – use a meat probe to monitor the temperature throughout the cook if you can
- Every 30 minutes or so of smoking baste the turkey legs with a little butter or spritz with apple cider vinegar
- Rest the turkey legs in foil for around 10 minutes or so to allow the juices to redistribute across the meat
- Serve with all the trimmings!
