American-Style Smoked Turkey Legs

Ingredients

• 4 pieces whole turkey legs with skin
• 2 l cold water
• 120 g coarse salt
• 70 g brown sugar
• 8 g curing salt for brining
• 2 leaves dried bay leaves
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 4 cloves fresh garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp mild smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 250 g apple or hickory wood chips for smoking

Method

1. Make the brine: bring a small portion of the water to a simmer with the coarse salt, brown sugar, curing salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, and lightly crushed garlic. Stir until completely dissolved, then turn off the heat. Add the remaining very cold water so the brine is completely chilled before adding the meat.
2. Submerge the turkey legs in the cold brine, keeping them fully covered with a plate if necessary. Cover and refrigerate overnight, until the meat feels firm to the touch and is evenly seasoned.
3. Remove the legs from the brine, discard the brine, and quickly rinse the surface under cold water. Pat them very thoroughly dry with paper towels: the skin must feel dry, or it will not smoke well and will remain soft.
4. Leave the legs uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This drying forms a thin, tacky pellicle on the surface, essential for catching the smoke and developing the traditional mahogany color.
5. Mix the smoked paprika, ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Lightly oil the legs, then massage the mixture over the entire surface, including around the joint and under the skin folds.
6. Set up the smoker or barbecue for low-heat indirect cooking, around 120 °C. Add apple or hickory wood in small handfuls: the smoke should be thin and blue, never thick or acrid.
7. Place the legs skin-side up, away from the direct coals. Close the lid and smoke slowly. Keep the heat steady; if the skin darkens too quickly or the fat crackles loudly, move the legs farther from the heat source.
8. Continue smoking until the skin is mahogany brown and slightly glossy, and the meat has pulled back from the bone. The legs are ready when the internal temperature reaches 74 °C in the thickest part without touching the bone.
9. Let the legs rest off the heat, simply placed on a rack and very loosely covered. The juices need to redistribute; slicing too soon will make the meat less tender.
10. Serve hot, one leg per plate, without a heavy sauce: this traditional dish stands on its own, with smoky skin, juicy meat, and a clean wood-fired aroma.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

169.7 kcal

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrate

61.05 g

Fat

12.11 g

Fibre

52.91 g

Calcium

45.57 mg

Iron

2.14 mg

Magnesium

32.08 mg