# Smoking turkey legs



## Ken&Andria (May 2, 2007)

I like to smoke up a batch of turkey legs every now and again. I was thinking a honey glaze might be in order for the next batch. I was wondering if I can just brush some honey onto the legs right before I put them in the smoker, or if there is some special recipe for a glaze that would work better? 

Thanks-


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## MapMan (May 24, 2007)

I usually thin the honey down somewhat with juice (apple, or if you want citrus taste - OJ) or mustard. Heat of course will make the honey run faster, and kick up the flames.

MM


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Now you made me hungry.
How long and at what temperature do you smoke the turkey legs?
If you were to put the legs in a vacuum sealed bag with honey I wonder if the honey flavor would permeate the legs without removing the skin first.


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## Ken&Andria (May 2, 2007)

M smoker doesn't get much above 200-225F. Don't have a set cooking time, just smoke 'em until there done, 4-6hrs or there abouts. Just gotta keep an eye on them. 

The main thing is the brine. Gotta throw them puppies in the brine 24 hrs before they go into the smoker. Gives you plenty of time to make up big pot of apple cider baked beans....


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## beaglady (Jun 15, 2004)

Do you use honey in your brine? We do when we smoke chickens and are pleased with the results. We just subbed honey for sugar in the cure recipe. 

We cold smoke, so we don't use any kind of glaze, but that does sound like a great idea, too.


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## Ken&Andria (May 2, 2007)

> Do you use honey in your brine?


No never have. Maybe we'll give it a try-


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

Do you use any cures like Sodium Nitrite or Morton tender quick? Smoking poultry at low temp without cure has all the makings for food poisoning. Moist, low temp and low oxigen. I use instacure #1 from The Sausage Maker. You have all heard about people getting food poisoning at Thanksgiving when someone stuffs the turkey the night before trying to save time. Same thing happens here. The turkey is moist. It has warm dressing put in the cavety and is sealed up so no oxigen can get in. Very good chance for samonella to grow rapidly


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## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

You never had smoked salmonella?? Man you don't know what you've been missing!!!


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## beaglady (Jun 15, 2004)

We do use a nitrate cure. We cure under refrigeration and are also careful to freeze them as soon as they're done smoking.


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

Sodium nitrate is used dry curing and semi dry curing sausages. Sodium Nitrite is used in curing all the rest including poltry. Morton tender quick has both cures in it. Sorry for all my attention to detail. I'm just a old german married to a old polock that loves smoking and curing meat and poltry


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## Ruben (Feb 11, 2006)

The honey should only be put on in the last 10 to 20 minutes, or in a marinade. Depending on your heat range of cooking the sugars in the honey may burn and leave a nasty black char on the meat. You could experiment with one leg and see what basting it would do, I am just bringing up the potentail problems. My other expensive hobby is competing in Kansas City Society Sanctioned (KCBS) Professional BBQ Competitions. You have to be careful with sugars i.e in rubs sauces, honey ect. they can burn easy which is why you should only sauce right at the end of cooking. I would suggest doing a brine on the legs, maybe with some honey in it and smoke it til done and finish with some sort of honey glaze of your liking. Now I am hungry!


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