I grew up with plenty of meals made with turkey legs because they feed a lot, and they’re an inexpensive source of protein. But no matter what time of year we’re having turkey legs, as much as I love turkey, the taste always reminds me of Thanksgiving, which is not necessarily what you want in say, June. In this preparation however, slowly cooked on a grill, and basted with a tangy, strong, sweet, sour yellow mustard-based barbecue sauce, the turkey doesn’t taste anything like Thanksgiving turkey, in a good way. It just absorbs the smokiness from the grill and the tang from the sauce. Outside of the holiday bird, this is hands down the best turkey I’ve ever had!
4 to 6 turkey legs and/or thighs, trimmed of excess fat Kosher salt Extra virgin olive oil
South Carolina mustard BBQ sauce:
4 tablespoons butter 1/2 onion, grated (use a box grater or cheese grater) 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup yellow mustard 1 tablespoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon cayenne 1 bay leaf Kosher salt, to taste
When the grill is hot, clean the grill grates with a grill grate scraper. Wipe down the grates with a paper towel soaked in oil. Pay attention because the fat in the turkey may cause flare ups. If this happens be prepared to move the piece to a cooler side of the grill temporarily, or have a spay bottle of water on hand to douse the flames a bit if they get too high. Sear the turkey on the skin side for 3-4 minutes. Check every 15-20 minutes after that, because everyone’s grill is different. The turkey should cook for at least 1 1/2 hours after the initial sear, probably longer. (I think we cooked these pictured for 2 1/2 hours.) Barbecue by definition must be slow cooking over low heat. Why wait? You want the sauce to sink in, adhere to the turkey and solidify a little; this way it will not drip down into the grill as much. Cover and wait another 15 to 20 minutes. Take the turkey off the grill at 170°F to 175°F for thighs and legs, 165°F for breasts when tested with a meat thermometer. Or if you don’t have a meat thermometer, cut into one of the pieces with a knife. The juices should run clear. If they run pink, the meat needs to be cooked longer. You can continue to baste with the sauce every 15 minutes or so until the meat is done. Serve with extra sauce, and plenty of napkins!
