Make a Giant Disney Snack With This Jumbo Turkey Leg Recipe!

Ready to feast like you’re wandering down Main Street at Magic Kingdom?

A Disney Turkey Leg is one of the most popular must-try snacks at the Disney Parks. Found at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and it’s just as popular at each. This smoked turkey leg is both delicious and super photo-worthy because it’s a giant turkey leg! I’m so excited to be able to make this at home now.

Disney Turkey Leg

Ready to feast like you’re wandering down Main Street at Magic Kingdom? Sink your teeth into this giant, smoky-savory leg of turkey that’s all fun and flavor. Big enough to share, bold enough to shine—this is your show-stopping twist on the classic turkey treat.

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Total Time 10 hours hrs

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

Turkey Legs

• 8 turkey legs

Brine Ingredients

• 1 gallon water
• 1 C. kosher salt
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 2 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp ground cumin

Spice Rub Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp onion powder
• 2 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
• 3 Tbsp vegetable or light olive oil

Equipment

• Large pot
• Container or deep vessel
• Refrigerator space
• Paper towels
• small bowl
• Fork or spoon
• Smoker or grill set-up capable of maintaining 225 °F (~107 °C) smoking temperature
• Wood chips or smoker box
• Thermometer (optional, but good practice to ensure thorough cooking)
• Serving/resting surface

Method

 

1. Rinse turkey legs in cold water, pat dry.
2. For brine, combine brine ingredients in large pan.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Remove from heat, cover, and let cool to room temperature.
5. Pour into container and refrigerate brine until cold (approximately 35-40 degrees F).
6. Place the turkey legs into brine.
7. Let soak four to six hours.
8. Remove legs, rinse well, and discard brine.
9. Dry drumsticks well with paper towels.
10. In small bowl, combine spice rub ingredients with fork til well mixed.
11. Rub onto turkey legs.
12. Let drumsticks sit out for about one hour.
13. Place turkey legs into smoker at 225 degrees F.
14. A light-flavored wood is best for turkey.
15. Smoke legs for four to six hours, til meat is nearly falling off the bone.
16. Remove legs from smoker, and let rest for half an hour.

Where do You Purchase Jumbo Turkey Legs?

This Turkey Legs recipe, inspired by the real thing, requires a couple of uncommon ingredients, but we’ve got some tips for you. First of all, if you’re thinking, where in the world am I going to get Jumbo Turkey Legs, I was thinking the same! It was once rumored that they were emu legs, but rest assured, they are not.

So I did a little research, and you can order them online through Amazon!

Tips for Cooking Turkey Legs

You can definitely try these flavors in the brine and spice rub with chicken legs if you’re not a huge fan of turkey legs or don’t want to go through the trouble of purchasing jumbo turkey legs. Chicken drumsticks work, but if you want that giant effect, then you can use leg quarters. If grilling/smoking isn’t an option, you may want to try roasted turkey legs in your oven!