From Slow Fire: The Beginner’s Guide to Lip-Smacking Barbecue
So I need to make a confession. I had a bit of a brain-fart when I put together my shopping list for this recipe. For some reason I typed “Chicken Legs” into my phone’s notepad app instead of “Turkey Legs”. Duh. But it still turned out great! Just wish I could have done my King Henry VIII impersonation with a large turkey leg. Oh well, next time.
EGGcessories Needed
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup ice water
- 4 turkey legs (about 3 pounds total)
- Barbecue Rub #67
- Thick and Rich Barbecue Sauce
Directions
To make the brine: Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s about to simmer.
Add the salt, sugar, pepper, chipotle, sage, and onion powder. Measure this out into a small to medium sized bowl. The water comes to a simmer pretty quickly.
Mix well and cook until the salt and sugar have dissolved, about 4 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl or small pitcher and mix in the ice water. Refrigerate until very cold. I had considered stepping up the time to “very cold” by putting the bowl in the freezer for a couple of minutes. I’m happy that I didn’t. This took about 15 minutes tops in the refrigerator.
Put the turkey legs in a gallon-size plastic zip bag. (The turkey, not the chicken, but the turkey! 🙂 ) Pour the brine over them. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag.
Refrigerate for 3 hours, turning occasionally.
Prepare your cooker to cook indirectly at 250° F using medium cherry wood for smoke flavor.
Remove the legs from the bag and rinse well. Dry thoroughly and sprinkle lightly with the rub. I’m not sure how turkey legs come, but I’m guessing they have skin on them like a chicken leg does. I pulled the skin back some before I sprinkled the rub on so it would get on the meat.
Put the legs in the cooker and cook for 3 hours.
Brush with the barbecue sauce and continue cooking until the reach an internal temperature of 180° F, about another hour. This where that dual probe comes in handy. There’s no need to continuously open your Egg (and lose heat!) to check the temperature. When you hit 180 it will beep! Just be sure you don’t accidentally stick the probe all the way through so the point sticks out (particularly easy with chicken legs, grrrr), or your thermometer receiver will show a fluctuating temperature.
Transfer the legs to a platter and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
State Fair Turkey Legs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup ice water
- 4 turkey legs (about 3 pounds total)
- Barbecue Rub #67
- Thick and Rich Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
To make the brine: Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s about to simmer.
Add the salt, sugar, pepper, chipotle, sage, and onion powder.
Mix well and cook until the salt and sugar have dissolved, about 4 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl or small pitcher and mix in the ice water. Refrigerate until very cold.
Put the turkey legs in a gallon-size plastic zip bag. Pour the brine over them. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag.
Refrigerate for 3 hours, turning occasionally.
Prepare your cooker to cook indirectly at 250 degrees F using medium cherry wood for smoke flavor.
Remove the legs from the bag and rinse well. Dry thoroughly and sprinkle lightly with the rub.
Put the legs in the cooker and cook for 3 hours.
Brush with the barbecue sauce and continue cooking until the reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees F, about another hour.
Transfer the legs to a platter and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
EGGcessories Needed:
Dual Probe Thermometer
ConvEGGtor
