How to Make Perfectly Barbecued Turkey Legs

Don’t know how to grill turkey legs? Well you’ve hit the jackpot, because we are here to show you how to grill turkey legs with moist, flavorful meat and crispy skin.

Barbecued turkey legs are a summertime classic When done right, they have crispy skin, juicy meat, and finger-licking good flavor If you want to learn how to barbecue moist, tender turkey legs at home, you’ve come to the right place!

Choosing the Right Turkey Legs

The first step is picking good turkey legs for the barbecue. Look for legs that are plump and meaty. Avoid any that look dried out or slimy. The best turkey legs for grilling will be fresh, with smooth, unblemished skin.

Legs from younger turkeys tend to be more tender than those from older birds Seek out smaller legs in the 1 1/2 to 2 pound range for the most succulent meat after barbecuing

Make sure the turkey legs are completely thawed before putting them on the grill. For food safety, keep the turkey legs refrigerated until you are ready to start barbecuing.

Flavoring the Turkey Legs

There are two main ways to add flavor to your turkey legs before grilling – brining and dry rubbing.

Brining involves soaking the turkey legs in a saltwater solution before cooking. The brining process helps the meat retain moisture and infuses it with seasoned flavor. Make your brine by mixing 1 cup of kosher salt with 1 gallon of water and your choice of aromatics like garlic, brown sugar, lemon, or herbs. Keep the turkey legs submerged in the brine, chilled, for at least 4 hours (or up to 24 hours).

Dry rubbing the legs is a quick and easy alternative to brining. Simply coat the turkey legs all over with a spice rub. Try a basic blend of paprika garlic powder salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Let the rubbed legs rest for 30 minutes before grilling so the flavors are absorbed.

No matter if you brine or dry rub, pat the turkey legs dry before placing them on the hot grill.

Setting Up the Grill

Barbecuing turkey legs requires an evenly heated grill with zones for direct and indirect cooking. Preheat your charcoal or gas grill to a medium heat, around 350°F.

Use direct heat to quickly sear the outside of the legs. Then move them to indirect heat to cook through without burning. If using charcoal, bank the lit coals to one side and keep the other side free of heat. For a gas grill, turn off one of the burners to create indirect cooking space.

Also make sure the grill grates are very clean before adding the turkey. Lightly oil the grates too so the legs don’t stick.

Grilling Time

With the grill preheated and set up for indirect cooking, place the seasoned turkey legs on the direct heat zone skin-side down. Close the grill lid and sear for 3-4 minutes until browned. Flip and sear the other side.

Move the legs over indirect heat, close the lid, and cook for around 40-50 minutes. Rotate the legs and flip them a few times as they cook to prevent burning.

Baste the legs with your favorite barbecue sauce during the last 10-15 minutes of grilling time. Apply the sauce thickly and let it caramelize into the skin. This helps give your turkey legs that sticky, finger-licking coating.

Checking for Doneness

The best way to ensure your barbecue turkey legs are fully cooked is to use an instant read thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of each leg, but don’t let it touch any bones. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.

If you don’t have a thermometer, check that the juices run clear and there is no pink meat visible when piercing the thickest section with a fork. Legs that wiggle loosely at the hip joint are also a sign of doneness.

Letting the Legs Rest

Never cut into freshly barbecued turkey legs straight from the grill! Let them rest first for a juicy finish. The resting period allows the juices to redistribute evenly within the meat.

Place the cooked turkey legs on a clean platter and tent them with foil. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. The meat will reabsorb any juices that leaked out while you wait, so your barbecue turkey will be moist and tender.

Getting Crispy Skin

To get ultra crispy skin on your barbecued turkey legs, try these tips:

  • Pat legs very dry before grilling
  • Coat with oil or melted butter
  • Use a dry rub, not sticky sauce, before grilling
  • Sear over direct heat on both sides
  • Grill over indirect heat for crisping without burning
  • Avoid basting legs too early with sauce

Crunchy, crackling skin is one of the best parts of barbecue turkey legs. Follow these crispy skin secrets and you’ll achieve the perfect texture contrast to the succulent meat.

Delicious Barbecue Turkey Leg Recipes

Now that you know the basic grilling method, take your barbecued turkey legs to the next level with these flavorful recipes:

Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Legs

  • Coat legs with:
    • 1⁄4 cup melted butter
    • 2 tbsp brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp sriracha
    • 1 tsp chili powder
    • 1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
    • Salt and pepper
  • Glaze legs while grilling with a sauce of:
    • 1⁄2 cup ketchup
    • 3 tbsp sriracha
    • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tsp maple syrup

Bacon-Wrapped Maple Bourbon Legs

  • Wrap legs with bacon strips.
  • Make a marinade of:
    • 1⁄2 cup maple syrup
    • 1⁄4 cup bourbon
    • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
    • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, salt
  • Marinate legs 4 hours before grilling.

Jamaican Jerk Turkey Legs

  • Make a wet jerk rub of:
    • 1⁄4 cup olive oil
    • 3 tbsp Caribbean jerk seasoning
    • 2 tbsp lime juice
    • 2 tbsp brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp each soy sauce, red wine vinegar
    • 1 tsp allspice
    • 1⁄2 tsp cloves
  • Massage jerk rub all over legs. Let marinate 1 hour before grilling.

Serving Suggestions

Barbecued turkey legs make a hearty, fun-to-eat entree or appetizer. Serve them whole or chop the meat off the bone into strips or chunks. Pair your barbecue turkey legs with:

  • Corn on the cob
  • Baked beans or collard greens
  • Coleslaw, potato salad, or macaroni salad
  • Grilled pineapple slices
  • Cornbread or biscuits

Now that you’re a pro at making mouthwatering barbecued turkey legs at home, fire up the grill and enjoy this delicious summer specialty any time. Just follow these tips for choosing and preparing the legs, proper grilling technique, and flavor ideas. Your friends and family will be impressed with your barbecued turkey legs mastery!

how to barbecue turkey legs

Find Your Ideal Seasoning

After drying your wet brined turkey legs, you need to season them. A dry rub is your best choice if you want turkey legs with crispy skin. You can make a dry rub by mixing salt, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and other spices of your choice. Alternatively, you can buy a pre-made dry rub. Before applying your dry rub, coat the legs with oil or butter. The oil or butter coating will help the dry rub adhere to the skin.

A wet rub will contain many of the same seasonings as a dry rub but includes oil, vinegar or another liquid base. After applying your wet or dry rub, put the turkey legs in the fridge for at least an hour so they can absorb the seasonings.

Before Your Turkey Legs Hit the Grill

Before putting your turkey legs on the grill, you need to prep them. Properly prepping your turkey legs will help reduce the risk of the meat drying out on the grill. It will also flavor the legs and ensure that every bite is savory and moist. Below are the steps needed to prep your turkey legs before grilling.

Wet brining your turkey legs involves submerging the drumsticks in saltwater and placing them in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.

Brining will soften the turkey meat, ensuring it takes less time to grill. It will also infuse the turkey legs with extra moisture to prevent the meat from drying out while it grills. Lastly, brining allows the salt to penetrate deep into the turkey for more flavor.

If you don’t have the facilities to perform a wet brine, you can dry brine your turkey legs. Dry brining involves evenly coating your turkey legs with salt and refrigerating them for 12 to 24 hours before grilling. Wet brining delivers the moistest turkey legs while dry brining guarantees the most flavorful meat and crispy skin. Learn more about how to wet or dry brine turkey here.

After wet brining your turkey, take it out of the saltwater bath and dry it with paper towels. If you dry brined the drumsticks, wash off the brining salt before drying the legs.

Turkey Legs On The Grill For Thanksgiving

FAQ

How long to cook turkey legs on the barbecue?

Cook 30 to 45 minutes, until the turkey has reached an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).Mar 7, 2024

Should I wrap my turkey legs in foil?

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  • Moisture retention: The foil creates a steamy environment, preventing the turkey legs from drying out. 

  • Faster cooking: Wrapping can sometimes shorten the cooking time. 

  • Crisp skin consideration: If you want a crispier skin, you can leave the turkey legs uncovered for the last part of cooking. 

How to keep turkey legs from drying out?

Wet brining delivers the moistest turkey legs while dry brining guarantees the most flavorful meat and crispy skin.

How long should you cook a turkey leg for?

… turkey is extremely tender and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone registers at least 165ºF, 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hoursNov 17, 2024

How do you Grill turkey legs on a grill?

Regardless of the type of grill you have, follow these steps to grill your turkey legs to perfection: Prepare the Grill: Clean the grill grates with a moist cloth. After cleaning, apply canola, peanut or another cooking oil with a high smoking point to the grates. Cleaning and oiling the grates will help prevent the legs from sticking to the grill.

How to cook BBQ turkey legs?

Here’s the thing: You can go one of two routes. You can cook your bbq turkey legs just until they’re done, with an internal temperature of about 160F, or you can fully barbecue them like a pork shoulder, which will take the meat close to 200F. I choose the first route with jakes and farmed birds, the second with old toms.

How long does it take to cook a turkey leg?

While the BBQ Turkey Legs take only 2.5-3 hours to cook, the biggest part of the process is the brining. I recommend at least 4 hours of brining the meat, but if you can do 12 hours or more then that is best. Overall, brining will flavor the meat throughout while helping it cook evenly. Don’t miss this step or you will be missing out on flavor!

How long do you cook smoked turkey legs?

Whatever he’s cooking up, it’s guaranteed to be so freakin’ delicious! Place turkey legs on the grill and cook it on medium heat. Grill it for 30 minutes and your smoked turkey legs are ready. Now, enjoy yourself with your family.

How do you cook turkey thighs on a grill?

If you are brining your turkey legs, dissolve the salt in the water and submerge the turkey in this overnight, or at least 4 hours. Rinse and pat dry. Get your grill ready as described above. Coat the turkey thighs in the vegetable oil. Lay them skin side up on the cooler side of of the grill.

Do you need to prep turkey legs before grilling?

Before putting your turkey legs on the grill, you need to prep them. Properly prepping your turkey legs will help reduce the risk of the meat drying out on the grill. It will also flavor the legs and ensure that every bite is savory and moist. Below are the steps needed to prep your turkey legs before grilling.

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