If you have ever seen a movie set in the Middle Ages, you will see them all while eating with a huge turkey leg in their hand. They still love it in American amusement parks. Now it is debatable whether they had turkeys at all in Europe in the Middle Ages, it sure looks cool.
A smoked turkey leg is just the right size for 1 person, comes with its own handle, and is very tasty. We marinated and smoked them, which makes the meat deliciously tender. If you really want crispy skin, you can still grill it.
If you compare it to a chicken leg, a turkey leg is really huge. On the other hand, the meat is a lot leaner than a chicken leg. You should pay attention to this when preparing. On the one hand, you want to have them tender so cooking a little further is good but not too far, otherwise you will have dry meat.
The marinade we made is based on honey and mustard, which you can also use as a dressing over a salad. So when you have some left, no problem.
Before you marinate, we detach the skin from the meat. You may need to make a small cut here and there, but make sure the skin doesn’t come off completely. In this way, the fat under the skin can melt away, which increases the chance of crispy skin. And the marinade can easily reach the meat everywhere.
Place the legs in a ziplock bag and add the marinade. Now you can spread the marinade well over the legs by kneading. Put the bag in the fridge overnight.
Then they go indirectly on the barbecue with a little cherry, or apple smoked wood. This ensures a mild smoke taste and a beautiful color. We cook the legs to a core temperature of 80°C (175F). You can see that the meat is pulling away from the bone, and that is the sign that the meat is becoming tender.
Now you could grill them over direct heat for more beautiful skin, but be careful. Chances are that the meat will become too dry, and that would be a pity. Let the legs rest for 15 minutes before handing them out. Then the juices can divide a bit again.
Ingredients
- 2 turkey legs
- 4 tablespoons of mild mustard
- 4 tablespoons of honey
- 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
- 2 teaspoons of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix all parts of the marinade and separate the sheet from the legs.
- Spread the marinade over the meat. Put the legs in a ziplock bag and let the meat marinate overnight.
- Prepare a barbecue with 2 zones and a temperature of about 120-140°C (248 to 284F). Place a chunk of smoke wood. Any wood from a fruit-bearing tree is good.
- Place the legs on the cool side of the barbecue and cook them to a core temperature of 80°C (175F).
