Smoked Turkey Thighs

5 from 30 votes

You don't have to wait for Thanksgiving dinner to enjoy delicious crispy smoked turkey thighs. With my easy recipe, you can enjoy juicy, perfectly seasoned turkey thighs any time of the year.

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Resting Time15

Total Time3 30

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 629kcal

Author: Chef Ryan Littley

Equipment

Ingredients

Brine

2 tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups ice water
1 cup ice

Turkey Thighs

4 turkey thighs approx. 1½ - 1¾ lbs per thigh
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

Brine

Add the vegetable stock and seasonings to a sauce pan and bring the mixture to a boil (make sure all the kosher salt has dissolved). Remove from the heat.
Let the brining mixture cool for 15 minutes.
Add the ice to the mixture and pour into a container large enough to hold the turkey thighs (that will fit in your fridge).
*You can use a large ziplock bag for this process.
Add the turkey to the brine, then add enough water to cover the thighs.
Cover the container with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least four hours (overnight is best).
Remove the turkey from the brine making sure to get rid of any excess liquid.

Turkey Thighs

Pat the thighs dry uring paper towels.
Season thighs on both sides with dry seasoning mixture.
I don't use a lot spice rub for the seasoning, the brine will give most of the flavor to the turkey, but the dry seasoning will add additional flavor.
Preheat your smoker to 275 degrees.
Let the thighs come to room temperature while the smoker preheats. This will help them cook more evenly.
When the smoker has reached 275 degree F. add your favorite wood chips to the smoker tube. I used cherry wood chips for this recipe.
Place the turkey thighs directly on the smoker rack with a drip pan underneath to catch all the drippings from the thighs.
Place a temperature probe in the thickest part of the thighs.
*Remember we are cooking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees, cook times will vary depending on the size of the turkey and type of smoker.
When the thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees remove them from the smoker.
Let the thighs rest for 15-30 minutes before serving to give the juice time to redistribute.

Notes

You can use a Dry Brine instead of a wet brine.

1 tablespoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Pat dry the turkey thighs with paper towels.

Mix the seasonings together and rub over the entire thigh. Let them dry brine refrigerated overnight (12-24 hours).

Nutrition