SMOKED TURKEY THIGHS with butter injection, on the Traeger pellet grill sound good to you? Thoughtfully Raised. In either case, since it's dark meat cook them to an I.T. Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes Ingredients 1 whole turkey 1/2 cup of oil or melted butter 1/4 cup Traeger Chicken Rub 1 teaspoon onion powder Put the turkey legs on a tall wire rack set in a deep roasting pan. Debating whether to buy a propane or electric smoker? Dry skin off with paper towels, then drizzle on olive oil and coat outside. Approximately every 30 minutes, baste the turkey thighs with melted butter or olive oil that is mixed with some of the spice rub. The magic happens with the preparation. Preheat smoker. Smoking a turkey thigh at 225F (or lower) will not only add unnecessary cooking time but will also increase the amount of moisture loss in your thigh. Oil the racks of the smoker with a paper towel to keep the turkey thighs from sticking later. Dont be afraid to really season the thighs well. Pour any remaining marinade into the bag. Set the temperature to 275 degrees. Refilling wood chips is one of the major drawbacks, besides cooking area and temperature range, of electric smokers compared to pellet grills like Traegers and Pit Bosses. Bluetooth vs. Wifi Meat Thermometers: Whats the Difference? Remove the turkey thighs their packaging and rinse under cold running water. Once smoke is being produced and the grill or smoker is at 220F, put your turkey thighs on the indirect side, skin side UP, and close the lid. These amazing Herb Infused Beer Brined Turkey Thighs are smoked with a very mild Cherry Wood for an amazing Juicy Meal! if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'madbackyard_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_3',189,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-madbackyard_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'madbackyard_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_6',161,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-madbackyard_com-medrectangle-4-0');Youll need to do a little work on your turkey thighs before you put them in the smoker, depending how they come when you buy them. Sprinkle the thighs liberally with salt and the chicken rub. If you are tired of having to reload fresh wood chips into your electric smoker, especially on longer cooks like pork butt and brisket, then check out this Masterbuilt Automatic Slow Smoker Attachment. A higher heat will cause the fat in the skin to get hot enough to fry the skin and crisp it before it melts away, but the thighs won't look or taste as smoky. After 20 minutes of cook time, brush half the BBQ glaze on the tops of chicken thighs in the smoker (you don't need to flip them). Mix the dry rub ingredients together before rubbing over the chicken thighs. You can keep them simple with just the rub you used and carve them upa dn serve them, or baste with a sweet BBQ sauce during the last 15-20 minutes of the cook. Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. You can smoke turkey thighs at an ambient temperature of between 275F and 300F with great results. Make sure to put the dry rub underneath the skin on the meat and on the skin itself. Step Four: About ten minutes prior to the grilling, remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it with cold water. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook! Light up the end of your pellet smoker tube filled with pellets with a good butane torch (you cant use a regular lighter for pellets) and place it in the grill as well to add smoky flavor while the turkey thighs cook. Use the 2-3 TBSP of olive oil and coat the entire exterior of the bird. Its heavy on flavor but unlike most other off the shelf BBQ seasonings, contains no sugar. Check out some of our favorite Turkey and Side Dish recipes below that can easily be modified to be done on any grill or smoker. Rotate the turkey thighs as needed, maybe every 30 minutes for about 2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thighs has reached 130-140F. You want the flame broiler CLOSED for INDIRECT heat. Or you can smoke them the entire time at 275F, the highest the electric smoker will go, and they will take roughly 4-5 hours to finish. Turkey thighs, considered the dark meat part of the turkey, have a lot of collagen and connective tissue that need to break down so that the meat becomes tender. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'madbackyard_com-leader-4','ezslot_18',173,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-madbackyard_com-leader-4-0');Here are the best instructions for setting up different types of grills and smokers to make delicious smoked turkey thighs so go ahead and skip down to the type you are using! The Traeger grill will make this the easiest, most amazing smoked turkey ever. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'madbackyard_com-sky-3','ezslot_27',179,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-madbackyard_com-sky-3-0');Cook at the 325F level for about another hour as described above, continuing to rotate the smoked turkey thighs as needed, until the internal temperature of each thighs has reached 175F. Add 1 chunk of smoking wood once the smoker is up to temperature, put the seasoned turkey thighs, skin side UP, on the oiled racks. Traeger Smoked Spatchcock Turkey Recipe Spatchcock Turkey is the best turkey! ifood.tv, tip Cut a little in this area and then pull further to expose the joint itself. Perfect for smoke cheese. Let that bird smoke its way to deliciousness while catching up with relatives on Thanksgiving. Remember, we are smoking the turkey thighs INDIRECTLY, like an oven, not DIRECTLY over the coals. Required fields are marked *. Lay the turkey legs directly on the grill grates. This method will take the longest, for sure, and it is difficult to give an exact time. A turkey thigh measuring an internal temperature of 185 degrees Fahrenheit according to the FireBoard 2 Drive on a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker. A medium sized whole turkey smokes on the pellet grill in about 3.5-4 hours STEP 1 - at 275 degrees F (for the first 2 hours). Preheat Traeger Grillsor Pitt Boss or any pellet grill you employ at 250 levels F. Put together the turkey wings for smoking. Sign up to get exclusive offers, recipes, and seasonal inspiration straight to your inbox. But what if youre more of a dark meat fan? Then, set the temperature to 275 degrees F. Place the spatchcocked turkey on a rimmed baking sheet. Join us as we fire up the 30 years of backyard grill and smoker experience to create recipes for your family and friends where memories are made. The salt from your dry rub pulls out the moisture of the turkey thigh, creating a concentrated brine that is then naturally absorbed back into the thigh over time. Prep Time 20 minutes Brine Time 1 day Cook Time 5 hours Total Time 1 day 5 hours 20 minutes Ingredients 8-12, Step 1 Preheat smoker to 250F. The solids can be discarded. The pellet smoker can produce smoke for UP TO 5 HOURS SMOKING which is perfect for both hot and cold smoking pork, ribs, cured meat, hot dogs, sausages, chicken, cheese, lamb, fish, nuts, fruit, corn, bacon and mo, American, Australian, barbecue, BBQ, Holiday, Smoked, Thanksgiving, Light or turn on your smoker, grill or pellet grill and set up the temperature to 220F. 250 F / 121 C Super Smoke 4 Insert the probe into the thickest part of a turkey leg, avoiding touching the bone. Arrange the chicken directly on the grill grates. In a small saucepan add the butter and melt over medium high heat. On our Pit Boss pellet grill we used these apple pellets and got a nice mild smoke flavor on our smoked turkey thighs. Add turkey thighs and brine in refrigerator for 2 hours and up to 4 hours. Smoked turkey meat makes excellent quesadillas, turkey salad, and more. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, sea salt, black pepper, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and dried sage in a small bowl. Although there is more collagen and connective tissue in a turkey thigh than in a turkey breast, it isnt the same as the collagen found in a beef brisket or a pork shoulder. Steps 1 Bring the brine ingredients to a boil over high heat on the stovetop. All Rights Reserved. 1 tsp ground bay leaf. If using a gas grill, make an aluminum foil packet of wood chips with holes punched in it and set them on top of one of the burners to smoke. We are going to bring the internal temperature of our smoked turkey thighs up to at least 175F. Sign Up. When smoking, Turkey thighs, considered the "dark meat" part of the, Keep dinner light and cozy with these top-rated brothy soups. In a large stockpot, combine the warm water, the rub, curing salt, brown sugar, allspice, if using, peppercorns, bay leaves, and liquid smoke. Flip the turkey thighs skin side down and trim any excess skin hanging off the sides of each turkey thigh and also remove the small triangular tail bone at the bottom of each thigh if present. The turkey legs I usually see in the regular grocery stores are small, almost like chicken legs. Cut the lemon and orange and add all ingredients to a large bowl. Rotate the smoked turkey thighs for even cooking minutes every 30 minutes or so as described above for 2 Hours and then turn the temperature up to 325F. Give the turkey thighs a good rinse and pat them dry with a paper towel and place them on a cutting board. Turkey Thighs in Brown Sauce View Recipe Minnesota Mama "Turkey thighs are pan seared and then cooked in a sauce of canned soup and broth with onions, mushrooms, garlic and a little sherry wine," according to recipe creator Elizabeth . Fill the pan with 1/2 inch (1-2cm) of water. Rotate the smoked turkey thighs as necessary with tongs and after about another hour, or once the internal temperature of the thighs has reached 175F, remove them from the grill. Step 2 Rub the. Brine them, smoke them, and enjoy one of the best bites that BBQ can produce. Or you can choose more traditional Thanksgiving flavors to pair them with some sweet potatoes or brussel sprouts. After 2 hours, or when the internal temperature of the turkey thighs is about 130-140F, open the vents up on the top and bottom of the smoker back up about 1/2-3/4 of the way. Mix the smoked turkey dry rub until the ingredients are well combined. The longer you smoke, the more intense the flavor will be, so adjust accordingly. Preheat the smoker as per the manufacturer's instructions, to 180-F. Turkeys stronger flavor can take a more aggressive smoke flavor. Never used a pellet grill before? Instructions. During this time, make the BBQ glaze. Finally, increase the heat to 325F for approximately 1 more hour, or until a quick-read thermometer reads 160F in the breast and 180F in the thigh (test in the thickest parts). Score the skin of the turkey thighs. You can add the brine to the stovetop, bring it to a boil, and then let it come down to room temperature before brining, but I did not notice a difference in the turkey when I did this, so you can definitely save yourself some time and skip that step. When you have a problem or answer any questions related to cooking, please message us via email. You dont have to brine all the time but we find that we have so much success with it in Grilled Turkey, Smoked Chicken and Grilled Cornish Hens. Place the turkey in the smoker. Enjoy! The turkey absorbs it very well, and a strong beer runs the risk of overpowering the meat. Thanks in advance for your support! After those first 2 hours, the internal temperature of the turkey thighs was about 130F internally, and we bumped the heat up to 325F to finish.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'madbackyard_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_21',616,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-madbackyard_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); They took about another hour to finish cooking after that. Season turkey thighs with dry rub for 4 hours and up to 12 hours before smoking. Become an (even) better griller. Poultry Turkey Thighs. I use my Traeger pellet smoker to make these delish thighs, and its practically set-it-and-forget it cooking. Rub the turkey thighs with your favorite spice rub, then place in the smoker, skin side up. Mine usually take about 2 hours if Ive got the heat set to 180-F. Turkey thighs are delicious smoked, but they can also be baked in the oven, cooked in stews in the slow cooker, and even done in the air fryer. Let the thighs rest for 5 minutes before serving. Smoking turkey thighs is the answer! Mix thoroughly until the sugar and salt are dissolved and let cool. In fact, it is easy to overpower the flavor of the turkey and brine with too much smoke. What kind of ingredients should you put in your spice rub? www.therecipes.info, tip . STEP 2 - then finished at 350 degrees F until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees F. Ingredients Here's what you need to flavor your turkey to perfection. Smoked Turkey with Fig BBQ Sauce Prep Time 4 Hours Cook Time 2 Hours Effort Pellets Apple These brined, Traeger Kitchen Smoked Turkey Legs Prep Time 30 Minutes Cook Time 5 Hours Effort Pellets Hickory These drumsticks aren't a wimpy, wing night special, they're big on flavor with a crusted outside and juicy. Step One: Set your grill to indirect heat at 275 degrees. 1 tsp ground thyme. Read recipe notes submitted by our community or add your own notes. The salt is absorbed into the meat along with the beer and other flavors. Gas grillers should use a smoking box. Propane and electric options are some of the easiest smokers for beginners to start with. After brining, remove thighs and pat dry. Add wood chips to your smoking wood tray and once the smoker is up to temperature, put the seasoned turkey thighs in, SKIN SIDE UP. Brine them, smoke them, and enjoy one of the best bites that BBQ can produce. Instructions. Yes. Lay the turkey legs directly on the grill grates. Check our our Complete Guide to How to Use a Propane Smoker HERE. Once hot, add the chicken thighs to the grill and cook for 30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160F. 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