Smoked Turkey Legs (Disney Copycat Recipe)

Smoky, savory turkey legs with that unmistakable Disney magic start with an aromatic brine that infuses deep flavor into every bite. Hours in the smoker create a mahogany exterior while keeping the meat impossibly tender inside, with garlic, thyme, and sage building layers of complexity. Perfect for backyard cookouts or recreating theme park nostalgia at home—a show-stopping main that'll have everyone coming back for more.

Ingredients

1 gallon water

3/4 cup kosher salt (for less salty use 1/2 cup, for saltier use 1 cup)

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tbsp garlic powder

3 tbsp onion powder

3 tbsp dried thyme

3 tbsp dried sage

1 1/2 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tbsp paprika (use smoked paprika for oven roasting method)

1 tsp liquid smoke (shake well before adding; use 1 tbsp for oven-roasting method)

10 turkey legs

Natural hardwood lump charcoal

Smoking wood chips (apple wood or hickory)

Instructions

Combine all of the brine ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let cool. To speed up cooling, boil the brine with just 2 quarts of water, then add 64 ounces of ice to quickly cool to 1 gallon of brine.

Rinse the turkey legs and place in a large container that will fit in your refrigerator. When the brine has cooled, pour it over the turkey legs, making sure they are totally submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. For larger legs or to expedite, use a marinade injector to inject 2–5 syringes full of brine into each leg, then brine for 5–6 hours.

Fill a charcoal chimney with charcoal and light with newspaper. Let heat for 15–20 minutes until the coals are slightly white hot. Soak 1–2 handfuls of wood chips in water while the coals heat.

If you haven't already injected the turkey legs with brine, do so now, injecting 4–5 syringes full at various points around each leg to ensure they stay moist and juicy.

Pour the coals into the grill and scatter the wet wood chips around the coals. Place the grill rack over the coals, arrange the turkey legs on the rack, and close the grill.

Add another chimney of charcoal every 20–30 minutes, depending on your charcoal. Periodically add more wet wood chips to create smoke. More wood chips means a stronger smoky flavor.

Turn the turkey legs periodically and maintain a grill temperature of 300–325°F (150–160°C). Adjust charcoal and wood chips as needed throughout cooking.

Smoke the turkey legs for 3 1/2 to 4 hours until they have a nice, dark smoky color.