smoked turkey thighs

Thanksgiving dinner has never been so simple and scrumptious than when these smoked turkey thighs are on the menu! With the perfectly spiced dry rub and trip to the smoker, these turkey thighs come out much more flavorful than your typical oven roasting preparation. Let’s fire up the smoker and cook a feast the whole family is sure to love.

Smoked Turkey Thighs

turkey thighs

coarse kosher salt

brown sugar

smoked paprika

garlic powder

chili powder

onion powder

olive oil

Pat the turkey thighs until they&#39;re dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the turkey thighs with kosher salt. Place in the refrigerator uncovered and refrigerate for at least eight hours, preferably 12-24 hours, to dry brine. Remove from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before smoking to bring down their temperature for more even cooking.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and onion powder. Set aside. Brush the turkey thighs with olive oil and then rub with the spice mixture both on the skin and under the skin.

Place the seasoned turkey thighs directly on the the grill grates of a 250-degree F smoker with a water pan. Insert a leave-in thermometer into the largest thigh in the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone to avoid an inaccurate reading. Close the lid and smoke the turkey.

When the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 130-140 degrees F, brush with olive oil again. Close the lid and continue to smoke until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 175-180 degrees F. With smoking, the exact cooking time isn&#39;t an exact science, but expect it to take between two to three hours. Remove the turkey from the smoker. Allow to rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute to the meat and serve. Enjoy!

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1673535052/iDVn4Bsw2.mp4

Learn how to make smoked turkey thighs on ANY grill or smoker, whether its a Traeger or Pit Boss pellet grill, a Masterbuilt propane smoker, or just a simple Weber kettle!Smoked turkey thighs are simple to make and a delicious way to enjoy smoked turkey without making a whole bird!First we trim, season, and smoke the turkey thighs at a lower temperature to get extra smoky flavor, then raise the temperature to finish to get the skin nice and crispy.

Raw Turkey Thighs (separated from the legs)

Favorite BBQ rub

Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

Tbsp Paprika

Tbsp Chili Powder

tsp Onion Powder

tsp Garlic Powder

tsp Black Pepper

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional

Light

Light or turn on your smoker, grill or pellet grill and set up the temperature to 220°F. If using a grill, only light a small amount of charcoal or light a single burner on one side for indirect cooking

Rinse

Remove the turkey thighs their packaging and rinse under cold running water.

Pat the turkey thighs dry with paper towels, and place them on a cutting board.

Legs

If they are connected to the legs as turkey leg quarters, separate the legs from the thighs using a sharp boning knife.

Trim

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.

Trimming the Turkey Thighs

Gather your favorite BBQ rub or chicken and turkey or mix together the ingredients to the BBQ Turkey Rub above in a small mixing bowl.

Season

Generously sprinkle the BBQ rub all over the turkey thighs on each side.  Do not use oil to help the rub adhere.

Season the Turkey Thighs

Wood

Add your wood chunks directly to the firebox of a smoker, or use chips in a smoker box, or pellets in a tube smoker or pellet grill.

Oil the grates well with canola or vegetable oil using a paper towel

Place

Once smoke is being produced and the grill or smoker is at 220°F, put your turkey thighs on the indirect side, skin side UP, and close the lid.

Finish Setting up your Grill or Smoker

Smoke

Rotate the turkey thighs as needed, maybe every 30 minutes for about 2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thighs has reached 130-140°F.

Increase

Then increase the heat of your grill or smoker to 325° and continue cooking INDIRECTLY.

Rotate

Rotate the smoked turkey thighs as needed and cook at this temperature for about another hour, or until the internal temperature has reached 175°F.

Remove

Remove the smoked turkey thighs from the smoker and place on a wire rack or cutting board to cool.

Top 2 smoked turkey thighs recipes from across the web

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Smoked Turkey Thighs

Smoked Turkey Thighs

Top 2 smoked turkey thighs recipes from across the web

The most viewed smoked turkey thighs recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Smoked Turkey Thighs

Smoked Turkey Thighs

The most viewed smoked turkey thighs recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine