Bourbon Brined Turkey Legs - Derrick Riches

These turkey legs are submerged in a bourbon brine, coated in a delicious creole rub, and then cooked low and slow until the meat is super juicy and tender. If you’re a fan of theme park or Renaissance Fair food, you absolutely need to try these bourbon-brined turkey legs!

Are you the person who reaches for that turkey leg at Thanksgiving? Do you enjoy barbecued turkey legs at the fair or Disney World? Well, you don’t have to wait for those events to enjoy this bourbon-brined and BBQ’d version. Make them at home! These turkey legs are versatile. Eat them whole or shred the meat and use it in other recipes. They can also be used to make delicious smoked turkey gravy!

Why use bourbon in a brine, you ask? The answer is simple. Bourbon is good, and it imparts a deep, earthy, almost spiced flavor to poultry. When it is paired with the spicy notes of Creole seasoning, this results in an epic flavor experience.

You can source this cut from your local grocery store, butcher shop, or online meat purveyor.

Ingredients

6 turkey legs
Easy Creole Turkey Rub (or your favorite low-sodium poultry rub) – please note that you will need to make the Creole rub without coarse salt. The celery salt listed in the recipe is fine.
1-gallon water
Bourbon (sub with whiskey or rum, or 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 apple cider vinegar for non-alcohol option)
Morton kosher salt (this recipe was formulated using this brand. Other brands may result in a different result – do not use table salt).
Dark brown sugar packed
Fresh rosemary sprigs
Bay leaves
Black peppercorns, lightly crushed (sub with red pepper flakes)
Ice

Making the bourbon brine

Bring water, salt, and sugar to a light simmer in a large stock pot for 1-2 minutes
Promptly remove the pot from the heat and stir in ice, bourbon, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
Allow the brine to cool completely.
Trim excess pieces of hanging skin or bits of fat from the turkey legs. There is no need to remove all of the skin.
Submerge the turkey legs in the cooled brine mixture, cover the stockpot tightly, and place it in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

Grilling/Smoking Turkey Legs

Preheat your pellet grill to 250 degrees F. If using a charcoal grill, set it up for two-zone cooking and add a handful of your preferred wood chips 5 minutes before cooking.
While the smoker is heating, remove the turkey legs from the wet brine and blot them dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.
Season the legs evenly with dry rub.
Place them on the grill grates (or indirect side for charcoal unit).
Close the lid, and smoke turkey drumsticks for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until multiple legs reach an internal temperature of 175 degrees F.
Remove the turkey legs from your pellet grill or smoker and place them on a clean cutting board.
Tent with aluminum foil, and let them rest for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze in vacuum-sealed bags for up to 6 weeks.

Optional Bastes and Sauces

During the last 15-20 minutes of cooking, baste the bourbon brined turkey legs with one of the following:

Ways to use smoked turkey legs

Serve them, fair-style, whole and with your favorite side dishes.
Add a whole leg to bean soups or collard greens during cooking for a nice, smoky flavor.
Shred the leftover turkey meat from the bone, and add it to casseroles, stews, and turkey pot pie.

6 turkey legs
1/3 cup Easy Creole Turkey Rub (make the rub without coarse salt, or use your favorite low-sodium poultry rub)
1 gallon water
1 cup bourbon (sub with whiskey or rum)
1/2 cup Morton kosher salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
2 sprigs rosemary
3-4 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups ice
1 teaspoon peppercorns lightly crushed (sub with red pepper flakes)

Bring water, salt, and sugar to a light simmer in a large stock pot for 1-2 minutes
Promptly remove the pot from the heat and stir in ice, bourbon, rosemary, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
Allow the brine to cool completely.
Trim excess pieces of hanging skin or bits of fat from the turkey legs. There is no need to remove all of the skin.
Submerge the turkey legs in the cooled brine, cover the stockpot tightly, and place it in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
Preheat your pellet grill to 250 degrees F. If using a charcoal unit, set it up for two-zone cooking and add a handful of your preferred wood chips 5 minutes before cooking.
While the smoker is heating, remove the turkey legs from the brine and blot them dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.
Season the turkey legs evenly with low-sodium BBQ rub.
Place them on the grill grates (or indirect side for charcoal unit), close the lid, and cook them for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until multiple legs reach an internal temperature of 175 degrees F.
Once up to temp, remove the turkey legs from your pellet grill or smoker and place them on a clean cutting board. Let them rest for 10 minutes and dig in.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, they can be frozen in vacuum-sealed bags for up to 6 weeks.

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Bourbon Brined Turkey Legs – Derrick Riches