A big delicious smoked turkey leg is something that most everyone has had, or at least smelled. Whether at your local fair or at Disney, these Traeger Smoked Turkey Legs are a classic dish that is easily made at home right on your pellet grill.

Traeger Smoked Turkey Legs

Smoked Turkey Legs are something that has been around for a very long time, but aren't a dish that usually shows up on your family dinner table.

If you aren't frequently at Disney you may be able to find a good variety of these at your local bbq joint, but even that isn't a certainty. The other choice is to buckle up and make these yourself, and I think you're going to find it is way easier than you imagine.

Smoked Turkey Legs on a pellet grill hit that perfect mix of nostalgic fair food and backyard BBQ. The curing salt in the brine gives the meat that classic smoked turkey color and texture, and the dark brown sugar keeps the flavor full and round. Long time in the brine helps the legs stay juicy during the extended cook, and the pellet grill keeps the temperature steady so you can relax.

Why You’ll Love This Dish#

Big Smoked Flavor – The brine seasons the meat all the way through, and the long time in the smoke gives every bite a deep, savory profile.
Perfect Party Food – Individual turkey legs are easy to grab, eat, and walk around with, which keeps serving simple at gatherings.
Great For Meal Prep – A single batch can cover several meals, and the meat reheats well for quick dinners later in the week.
Flexible Smoke Profile – Hickory, oak, or fruit blends all work, so you can tune the smoke intensity to match your crowd.
Fair-Style At Home – Skip the lines and make that classic theme-park style turkey leg right on your own pellet grill.

Try our Traeger Smoked Turkey too!

Recipe Shopping List

Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here's the list of items you'll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Turkey Legs – Meaty, budget-friendly cuts that hold up well to long smoking. Look for similar sizes so they cook at the same rate.
Canola Oil – Neutral, high-heat oil that helps the skin brown and keeps it from drying out. Vegetable or avocado oil work too.

Brine Ingredients

Warm Water – Base for dissolving the salt, sugar, and seasonings. Warm water speeds that up.
Poultry Seasoning – Herb blend that brings sage, thyme, and other classic turkey flavors into the brine. Any favorite poultry blend fits.
Barbecue Rub – Adds depth, a touch of spice, and that BBQ edge. Use a rub you already like on chicken or pork.
Curing Salt – Helps keep the meat pink and gives that familiar smoked turkey look and bite. Use as directed on the package; regular kosher salt is a backup if needed.
Dark Brown Sugar – Balances the salt and brings a rich, molasses-backed sweetness. Light brown sugar works in a pinch.
Black Peppercorns – Whole peppercorns add gentle heat and aroma without sharp bitterness.
Bay Leaves – Add a subtle earthy, herbal background note that pairs well with turkey.
Cold Water – Helps chill the brine down quickly after the warm water phase.
Ice – Brings the brine to refrigerator temperature so the turkey can go in safely and start soaking right away.

More Easy Traeger Recipes here!

How To Make This Recipe

This is just the overview so you can see what you're actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you'll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

Make The Brine – Add 2 gallons of warm water, poultry seasoning, barbecue rub, curing salt, dark brown sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until all the salts and sugar are dissolved.
Cool The Brine – Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool slightly. Stir in the cold water and ice until the brine reaches refrigerator temperature.
Brine The Turkey Legs – Submerge the turkey legs in the chilled brine, cover, and refrigerate for about 24 hours so the flavor can work all the way through the meat.
Smoke The Turkey Legs – Preheat the pellet grill to 200°F. Rinse the legs, pat them dry, and brush the skin with canola oil. Place them on the smoker and cook for 3–5 hours, turning now and then, until the internal temperature reaches 165–180°F and the exterior is deep golden brown.
Rest And Serve – Pull the legs from the grill, let them rest briefly so the juices settle, then serve hot with your favorite sides and sauces.

See my Whole Smoked Turkey recipe too!

Recipe FAQ

How long do you cook turkey legs?

The time it'll take to finish smoking your turkey legs depends on a lot of different factors, but generally speaking you should plan on between 3-5 hours.

You want the end result to be golden brown, and the inside to be fully cooked. In order to be fully cooked, it needs to be at least 165°. Most people prefer turkey legs to be cooked a bit further than that though to help to dissolve the connective tissue in the legs to make for better eating.

Do you have to brine turkey legs before smoking?

You don't HAVE to, but if you don't brine the end results will be much different. It also won't have that signature pink color inside that is there because of the curing salt + the smoke, and the meat will be tougher too.

Do smoked turkey legs taste like ham?

A little bit, and that's intentional.

The pink Prague salt cures the meat while it brines, and gives it that signature flavor and color along with the long smoke from the grill.

You can skip the curing salt if you'd like, but you'll need to replace the salt with kosher salt to make it work.

Make our Turkey Noodle Soup too!

Serve This With

I like traditional bbq side dishes for smoked turkey legs, so I'd recommend you pick a few of the following:

Serve with my Dole Whip with Rum!

More Traeger Recipes

Yield: 8 servings

Smoked Turkey Legs

Traeger Smoked Turkey Legs made at home on your pellet grill! Brine them, smoke them, and enjoy one of the best bites that BBQ can produce.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Brine Time 1 day

Cook Time 5 hours

Total Time 1 day 5 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

8 turkey legs
1/2 cup canola oil

Brine

2 gallons of warm water
1 cup poultry seasoning
1 cup barbecue rub
1 cup curing salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
1 gallon cold water
8 cups ice

Instructions

Place 2 gallons of water and all of the salts, herbs, and seasonings into a large stock pot over high heat. Bring the mixture up to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until all of the salt is dissolved.
Remove from the burner, let cool to room temperature.
Add in the ice and cold water, and place into the fridge until it is refrigerator temperature.
Add your turkey legs to the brine, cover, and let brine for 24 hours.
Preheat your pellet grill to 200°. Using hickory pellets for a strong smoke flavor, or milder fruit tree pellets for a less prominent smoke.
Rinse the excess brine from the legs and dry them well. Brush the skin with a light coating of oil, and place onto the smoker.
Let smoke for 3-5 hours, turning periodically, until the internal temperature is 165-180° and the exterior is golden brown.
Remove and serve hot!