Smoked turkey legs

[Billbo9]

I’ve smoked turkey legs on my gas BBQ twice now and both times the meat came out a little tough. I set the BBQ at 250 degrees and added a tray of water,and I pulled them off at 165 degrees.I looked up a brine and let soak overnight. The flavor was awesome but the legs were a little tough.how do I get the meat to fall of the bone....
I just recently acquired a Masterbuilt pro smoker and would love to try it again.
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Bill

 

[kruizer]

low and slow equals tender. Also, your dark meat should be at 170-175.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Agreed. They need to go higher. In fact 190-195 is where I'm liking to take dark meat these days. This is where the collagen and connective tissue is really breaking down and the meat has more pull off the bone texture.
For poultry, even higher pit temp than 250 can produce better results- particularly if you want crispy or at least edible "bite through" skin.

 

[chopsaw]

In fact 190-195 is where I'm liking to take dark meat these days.

Yup . Just did some chicken thighs , pulled off at 200 .

Bill are you using a curing brine ? If not you might want to try that , and as advised take them to higher temp .

 

[banderson7474]

I'm going to try poultry again soon. I was cooking them with a too low of bbq temp. The skin was rubbery as ever. I learned that I need to pump up the temp to 250 range. I was sitting at 220 range.

 

[Billbo9]

Yup . Just did some chicken thighs , pulled off at 200 .

Bill are you using a curing brine ? If not you might want to try that , and as advised take them to higher temp .

Yes Sir.it looks like I might try cooking a little hotter.

Thanks

 

[Billbo9]

low and slow equals tender. Also, your dark meat should be at 170-175.

What temp do you run on turkey legs?

 

[SmokinAl]

For poultry I would run the smoker at 325-350, if you want crispy skin.
And as said above dark meat needs to cook to a higher IT.
Al

 

[Billbo9]

Thanks Al,
I’ll give it a try....

 

[banderson7474]

I never knew dark meat should be cooked longer. I have a pack of thighs that are in the freezer, I might try the longer cook with them. I also like to cook leg quarters on the grill and always pulled them at 165. Guess I need to cook those longer too!

 

[browneyesvictim]

There is a night/day difference between 165' and a 195' IT of dark meat. 165' if the MINIMUM SAFE internal temperature, but don't be fooled into believing that is the BEST final IT for dark meat. Breast/white meat= YES, 165' and no more. For dark meat at the higher temp, the knuckles and joints will pull off and apart cleanly and easily, and that breaking down collagen is adding back flavor juice-like "stock" to the meat. There is enough fat in the dark meat that it wont dry out getting there. If you are doing hind quarters, you can learn to tell a lot about the " doneness" just by twisting and testing the looseness of the leg bone in the thigh socket, but of course an instant-read therm is recommended.

I am in the 325'-350' preferred cook temp (pit temp) camp for poultry. But there are some exceptions.... First, is my electric MES doesn't go that high, but I will still crank it up and use it out of convenience, and live with just bite-through skin. Second, is to start it in the MES at the lower temps for smoke and finish it in the oven or a hot grill to crisp the skin. Lastly, is when more smoke is desired, like if I'm smoking a whole cured turkey for turkey-ham. But then I accept the skin will not be edible.

 

[banderson7474]

Yea I'm definitely going to try the higher IT. My stomach is grumbling just thinking about them.

 

[fishinjoe]

I have never done turkey legs but was planning on trying some this week. Can anyone recommend a brine and should I soak them overnight? Also just a round about time frame I always go by temp would just like a idea. Thanks

 

[mike5051]

I use 1.5 gallons of water, with 1 cup of brown sugar, and 1 cup of salt. I brine the legs overnight. Then I smoke them at 250 until the IT is 155. Then I wrap them in foil and take them to 180. The legs will be fall apart tender. If you like crispy skin, put them on a hot grill after unwrapping them.

Mike

 

[foamheart]

http://disneyadulting.com/disney-copycat-recipe-smoked-turkey-legs/

Makes good drumsticks. You want low and slow, don't get in a hurry, low and slow.

 

[chopsaw]

I'm a fan of cure 1 in the brine for poultry . I do chicken legs and thighs in Pop's brine at least once a month if not more . I grill and sauce mine , so good .

Foam's link looks good too .

 

[browneyesvictim]

Curing poultry in Pops brine is outstanding!
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/pops-cured-poultry-parts-finger-licken-chicken-ham.253694/

Here are a couple other great brines that I can attest to as well:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/ams/tips-slaughterhouse-recipes-for-poultry.8585/
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/chef-jimmy-j-should-i-dry-brine.238039/

 

[Bearcarver]

I just Smoked a Turkey Breast in my MES.
I held 240° most of the time, and finished it at 275° just like I do my Thighs, and I had Very Nice Crispy Skin.

Bear

 

[banderson7474]

I just Smoked a Turkey Breast in my MES.
I held 240° most of the time, and finished it at 275° just like I do my Thighs, and I had Very Nice Crispy Skin.

Bear

Bear, where do you get your turkey breasts and how are they packaged? I've rarely found fresh turkey breasts at the store but sometimes I can find a frozen bone in turkey breast near the full frozen turkeys and sometimes I can find frozen breasts.

 

[Bearcarver]

Bear, where do you get your turkey breasts and how are they packaged? I've rarely found fresh turkey breasts at the store but sometimes I can find a frozen bone in turkey breast near the full frozen turkeys and sometimes I can find frozen breasts.

This was the first one we ever had.
Mrs Bear got it FREE with points over the Easter Holidays.
It was 8.81 pounds, and it had the bone in.
I'll be posting it in about a week, or less.
It was Great!

Bear