Smoked Turkey Legs with The Usual

Directions

1. Place the turkey legs in a large mixing bowl and drizzle them with enough olive oil to lightly coat and season with The Usual. Use your hands to coat the entire surface (over and under the skin) of each leg. Place the turkey legs in a baking dish and cover with plastic wrap, or in a sealable plastic bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to a day in advance. Remove the legs from the refrigerator an hour before cooking.

2. When you’re ready to smoke, prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium-high fire.

3. While you wait for the fire, prepare the mop sauce. Combine the white wine, vinegar, Worcestershire and hot sauce in a small skillet and bring to a lively simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. If you’re using the fresh herb sprigs, place them in a cast iron skillet or aluminum container and then place the turkey legs on top of the herbs.

5. Clean the grill grates. When the coals are just about ready (glowing red and covered with a fine gray ash), Remove the top cooking grate and place a drip pan on the side of the grill with no coals, and fill it with 1-inch warm water. Add a couple hardwood chunks to the periphery of the fire and return the cooking grate to position; close the grill and vent the grill for smoking.

6. When the fire begins producing a steady stream of smoke, place the skillet of turkey legs over indirect heat, close the grill and smoke the turkey for about 2 ½ to 3 hours (basting the legs with the mop sauce every 30 minutes or so, and rotating the skillet and adding fuel as needed to maintain a temperature of 250 F - 275 F) until it’s very tender and the juices run clear.

7. Allow the turkey to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.