• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Kitchen Laughter logo

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Resources
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
  • Resources
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Kitchen Laughter Recipes Blog » Poultry » Turkey

    Smoked Turkey Thighs

    Published: Feb 26, 2021 · Modified: Feb 2, 2023 by Jason C · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Share
    Pin111
    111 Shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Smoked Turkey Thighs are packed with flavor and are so juicy, it’s not even funny!  A few simple steps using a beer brine and some time on the grill made these an instant family favorite!

    smoked turkey thighs on bed of herbs and seasoning
    Delicious Beer Brined Smoked Turkey Thighs
    Contents hide
    1 Why This Recipe Works
    2 🦃 Ingredients
    3 🍽️ Preparation
    4 🔥 Smoking Instructions
    5 💡 Recipe Tips
    6 Smoked Turkey Thighs

    I was looking for some turkey in the grocery store, but now that we are empty-nesters, I found it hard to justify buying a large bird just for the two of us.  Fortunately, there were several turkey cuts available for a very reasonable price and a few of them ended up in the shopping cart! 

    Why This Recipe Works

    Simple Brine: This easy brine will make your chicken so tender and juicy, you will reach for this one all the time. Put it in your back pocket for a favorite.

    Flexible: Use the brine for chicken thighs, breasts, legs or even wings. The brine is mild yet yields impressive results.

    🦃 Ingredients

    Turkey Thighs – I always seem to gravitate to the darker meats.  They are naturally juicier than the white meat of the breast, but definitely benefited from the brine. 

    Beer Brine – Kosher Salt and Brown Sugar are the working agents of the brine.  The salt is absorbed into the meat along with the beer and other flavors.  The Brown Sugar offsets the saltiness.  Because I only brined the thighs, I didn’t need to find and clean a large bucket.  Instead, a smaller kitchen bowl was just the right size to keep the thighs submerged during the brining process.

    I used Deschutes’ Lil’ Squeezy Juicy Ale for the beer.  The light, fresh flavors and the citrus notes worked well with the turkey.

    labeled ingredients for the beer brine on the table
    Simple Beer Brine Ingredients

    Poultry Seasoning – After the thighs were removed from the brine, rinsed and patted dry, I used the poultry seasoning from Penzey’s. I wanted a mild, neutral rub to allow the flavor of the meat and the beer brine to shine through.  

    Cherry Wood Chips – I used a mild fruit wood for the smoking chips.  Stronger woods like hickory or mesquite might have worked fine, but the Cherry left a mild, smoky flavor that didn’t overpower the flavor of the turkey or the beer brine.

    🍽️ Preparation

    The magic happens with the preparation.  The brine needs a chance to work, so you’ll want to start the work on this about eight hours before you want to grill. You don’t have to brine all the time but we find that we have so much success with it in Grilled Turkey, Smoked Chicken and Grilled Cornish Hens. We didn’t brine Smoked Spatchcock Turkey but you certainly can!

    Step One: To prepare the brine, cut the lemon and orange into slices and add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl.  I had fresh herbs growing in the garden and used a few springs.  

    bowl with all of the dry ingredients for the brine and the beer in the background
    Simple Brining Ingredients Will Pack a Punch For Flavor

    Step Two: Add the beer and then the brown sugar and kosher salt.  Stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar.  This will only take a minute.

    Step Three: Add the turkey thighs and arrange them to make sure that they are fully submerged. Cover the bowl and let the brine do the work in the refrigerator for about eight hours.

    Note: A lighter flavored beer works well with this brine.  The turkey absorbs it very well, and a strong beer runs the risk of overpowering the meat.  Keep to the wheat ales, lighter IPAs, or even a blonde lager.

    turkey in a bowl filled with beer, salt, brown sugar, lemons, oranges and herbs for a wonderful brine
    Light and Fresh Citrus Beer Brine

    Step Four: About ten minutes prior to the grilling, remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it with cold water.  I found just as much success adding to a bowl of fresh, cool water.  The idea is to remove any excess salts that may have accumulated on the skin.  Let it soak for two or three minutes.

    Step Five: Remove the thighs from the fresh water and pat it dry with a paper towel.

    Step Six: Add the poultry seasoning to the thighs.  Make sure to get both sides.

    🔥 Smoking Instructions

    Step One: Set your grill to indirect heat at 275 degrees. For gas grills, turn off the center burners and for the Big Green Egg, add the plate setter.  

    Step Two: Add the Cherry Wood to the grill to create a light smoke.  Gas grillers should use a smoking box.  

    ⚠️ Warning: You don’t want to have large, billowing clouds of smoke.  That looks great on Instagram photos, but the reality is that this amount of smoke will be way too much and your turkey will taste like charcoal.  Instead, look for a very light trickle of smoke. If you need to adjust, move the wood chips around until you get the light smoke.

    Step Three: Add the thighs to the grate and let them smoke for about 60-75 minutes.  There is no need to turn them over, thanks to the indirect heat.  The turkey is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Definitely use a meat thermometer to check this.

    poultry seasoning covered thigh added to the grill and ready to be smoked
    Let’s Start the Smoking Process

    Step Four: Let the turkey thighs rest for at least ten minutes before serving.  Cutting into them too early will allow all the juices to drain out, and you just spent a lot of time adding them through the brining process. 

    compilation of three photos showing the turkey in the brine, being seasoned with poultry seasoning and then smoked on the grill
    Three Simple Steps for Amazing Smoked Turkey Thighs

    💡 Recipe Tips

    Make sure the turkey thighs are completely defrosted before starting the brining process.  If they are still partially frozen, they will not absorb the amazing brine flavors.

    You can add the brine to the stovetop, bring it to a boil, and then let it come down to room temperature before brining, but I did not notice a difference in the turkey when I did this, so you can definitely save yourself some time and skip that step.

    Turkey thighs can be tricky to tell if they are done.  The darker meat makes it difficult to tell if it is fully cooked or not.  It is best to use a wireless meat thermometer to check.  Mine will sound an alarm when the temperature reaches the desired level.  

    Note:  Set the temperature alarm to five degrees below the desired level.  After you remove the meat from the grill, it will continue to rise in temperature for a little bit.  With all the extra juiciness added from the brine, you will have a little bit of play, and you shouldn’t need to worry about it overcooking and becoming too dry.

    👨‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

    Where do you buy turkey thighs?

    You should be able to pick up some turkey thighs at your local grocery store. Sometimes they are in the refrigerated section and sometimes in the frozen food aisle.

    What temperature should turkey thighs be cooked to?

    The turkey thighs need to be cooked to 165 degrees F. Then you will know that they are done; for best results, use a digital thermometer.

    Related Recipes

    • Smoked Turkey Wings
    • Grilled Whole Turkey
    • Smoked Turkey Breast
    • Smoked Turkey Thighs

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

    smoked thigh on the grill covered in poultry seasoning

    Smoked Turkey Thighs

    These amazing Herb Infused Beer Brined Turkey Thighs are smoked with a very mild Cherry Wood for an amazing Juicy Meal!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Brining: 8 hours
    Total Time: 9 hours 25 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 159kcal
    Author: Jason

    Ingredients

    Beer Brine

    • 1 Lemon
    • 1 Orange
    • ¼ cup Kosher Salt
    • ¼ cup Brown Sugar
    • 3 sprigs Herbs fresh
    • 2 cans Beer IPA

    Turkey and Rub

    • 2 Turkey Thighs
    • 2 tbsp Poultry Seasoning

    Instructions

    Brining the Turkey Thighs

    • Cut the lemon and orange and add all ingredients to a large bowl. Add the cans of beer and stir well to dissolve the brown sugar and salt.
    • Add the turkey thighs and make sure they are completely covered by the liquid.
    • Cover the bowl with Saran and refrigerate overnight.

    Prepare the Turkey

    • After brining for approximately 8-10 hours, remove the turkey thighs and let them rest in fresh, cold water for 15 minutes. This will remove any excess salts from the skin.
    • Remove the thighs and pat them dry with a paper towel.
    • Rub the turkey thighs with poultry seasoning. You really want the flavor of the beer to be the star of the show.

    Smoke the Thighs

    • Prepare your grill for smoking. For a Kamado grill, add a plate setter. For a gas grill, turn off the center burners.
    • Set the temperature to 275 degrees. Add Cherry wood chips to create a slight smoke.
    • Add the turkey thighs to the grill and let them smoke for approximately 60-75 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
    • Remove and let them rest for 15 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    While smoking, a little goes a long way.  Cherry is a mild wood that is great for poultry, but you don’t want (or need) huge puffy, billowing smoke.  In fact, it is easy to overpower the flavor of the turkey and brine with too much smoke.  
    Beer: Choose a lighter beer like a wheat, IPA, or blonde lager.  The darker beers may overpower the flavor of the turkey.
    Defrosting Chicken: Make sure the turkey thighs are completely defrosted before starting the brining process.  If they are still partially frozen, they will not absorb the amazing brine flavors.
    Stove Top Brining: You can add the brine to the stovetop, bring it to a boil, and then let it come down to room temperature before brining, but I did not notice a difference in the turkey when I did this, so you can definitely save yourself some time and skip that step.
    Temperature Check: Turkey thighs can be tricky to tell if they are done.  The darker meat makes it difficult to tell if it is fully cooked or not.  It is best to use a wireless meat thermometer to check.  Mine will sound an alarm when the temperature reaches the desired level.  The turkey thighs need to be cooked to 165 degrees F. Then you will know that they are done; for best results, use a digital thermometer. 
     
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 7088mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenlaughter or tag #kitchenlaughter!
    Smoked Turkey ThighsSmoked Turkey Thighs
    Share
    Pin111
    111 Shares
    « Smoked Pumpkin Bourbon BBQ Sauce
    Grilled Red Kuri Squash »

    Primary Sidebar

    Family Photo Join us as we fire up the 30 years of backyard grill and smoker experience to create recipes for your family and friends where memories are made. Learn more about us...

    Join the Kitchen Laughter Crew!

    Subscribe to get exclusive deals, tips, and the lastest info you need to step up your grilling game!

      We won't send you spam, but you can unsubscribe at any time. :-)

      Powered By ConvertKit
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest

      Most Popular Posts

      fillet of pacific rockfish topped with fresh herbs and brown butter.

      Grilled Brown Butter Wild Pacific Rockfish

      Grilled Pork Shoulder is Almost Ready after more than 11 hours

      Grilled Pork Shoulder

      grilled whole Spanish Mackerel stuffed with Garlic on the Grill.

      Whole Grilled Spanish Mackerel

      Smoking Bacon on the Big Green Egg

      How to Home Cure and Smoke Bacon

      Beer Can Chicken Fresh off the Grill

      Grilled Beer Can Chicken

      smoked pork roast on a cutting board with a salad and sweet potatoes.

      Smoked Pork Roast

      steelhead fillet on a sheet pan with two pads on an herbed butter.

      Grilled Steelhead Trout with Herb Butter

      aluminum pan filled with hot dog burnt ends on the grill.

      Hot Dog Burnt Ends

      graphic showing publications that kitchen laughter was featured in.
      • Home
      • About Us
      • Recipe Index
      • Resources

      Footer

      About

      • Privacy Policy
      • Disclaimer
      • Accessibility Policy

      Contact

      • Contact

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.