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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. Before Your Turkey Legs Hit the GrillBefore 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. Brine Your DrumsticksWet 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. 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. Instructions for Perfectly-Grilled Turkey DrumsticksAfter brining and seasoning your turkey drumsticks, it’s time to grill. You can use an electric, gas or charcoal grill. Many people prefer charcoal grills because the wood smoke adds more flavor, but gas grills are more user-friendly. Regardless of the type of grill you have, follow these steps to grill your turkey legs to perfection:
Explore Our Turkey Drumsticks RecipesNow that you know how to grill turkey drumsticks with high scores for flavor and juiciness, you are probably looking forward to making some. Get high-quality and fresh turkey drumsticks by discovering where to buy Shady Brook Farms near you. If you need more turkey-inspired recipes, try these out:
Grilled Turkey Drumstick FAQsBelow are answers to the most searched questions regarding grilling turkey legs. The exact amount of time it will take to grill your turkey legs will depend on the heat of your grill, drumstick thickness, and if you brined the meat. Indirect heat on a 325°F to 350°F grill can cook a brined medium to large turkey leg within 40 to 60 minutes. According to the USDA, your turkey leg is ready and safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. We recommend letting them rest for 5-10 minutes after reaching this temperature. Wrapping your turkey legs in aluminum foil will prevent them from sticking to the grill. It will also prevent moisture loss, ensuring that you end up with juicy turkey meat. However, avoid wrapping your turkey legs too tightly before grilling. Wrapping too tightly will restrict heat circulation, leading to an unevenly cooked turkey leg. Also, take off the foil wrap towards the end of your cook time to crisp up the turkey’s skin on the grill. If you want crisp turkey legs, follow these tips:
Reheating your turkey legs in a microwave will lead to dry and flavorless meat. Instead, reheat grilled turkey legs in the oven by placing them in a covered dish. Covering the dish will prevent the legs from losing moisture and drying out while reheating. Coating the legs with stock, gravy, or butter can also keep the meat moist, but make sure to reheat with low heat for no more than 40 minutes to prevent them from drying out or over-cooking. Alternatively, you could reheat your turkey legs on the grill, but first, you must cover the drumsticks with a cooking oil that has a high smoking point. Grill uncovered for twenty minutes, then cover the legs with foil and keep grilling until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Hungry for More?Sign up to get exclusive offers, recipes, and seasonal inspiration straight to your inbox. Join Now
How long does it take to smoke a turkey on a charcoal grill?Place a handful of smoking chips over the warm coals and place the bird on the top grill grate, above the drip pan. Cover the grill. Smoke for 5-6 hours.
How long does it take to smoke turkey legs at 225 degrees?Heat your smoker to 225°F and smoke turkey for about 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165°F.
How long does a turkey leg take to smoke?Lay the turkey legs directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165℉ and the turkey legs are deeply browned, 4-5 hours.
What temperature should you smoke turkey legs at?Consistent temperature is the key to smoking. The ideal temperature range for most smoking is 225°F to 250°F.
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