How to Cook Smoked Turkey Thighs

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Things You'll Need

  • 4 8 oz. turkey thighs, thawed if frozen

  • 2 cups marinade or salad dressing

  • 1 gallon zip-top bag

  • 2 cups hickory or mesquite wood chips for smoking

  • Bowl

  • Water

  • Disposable 8-inch loaf pan

  • Grill

  • Roasting pan

  • Meat thermometer

Smoked turkey thighs add flavor to any meal any time of year. Occasionally, these appear pre-cooked in stores, but with a grill you can make your own at home. Use the same technique for smoking other parts of the turkey, including the breasts and legs. Once you have smoked your turkey thighs, enjoy them in a variety of recipes.

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Step 1

Set the turkey thighs into a zip-top bag and cover with the marinade.

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Step 2

Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight to infuse the turkey with the flavorings.

Step 3

Pour 2 cups of wood chips into a bowl and completely cover them with water.

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Step 4

Leave the wood chips to soak for one hour.

Step 5

Drain the water off the wood chips and transfer the soaked wood to a disposable loaf pan.

Step 6

Build a charcoal grill fire and let it burn until the coals appear white and covered with ash. Alternatively, use the burners on one side of a gas grill preheated to medium (300 degrees Fahrenheit) with the other burners off.

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Step 7

Move the coals to one side of the charcoal grill and place the roasting pan next to the coals on the other side of the grill. Set the roasting pan directly on top of the burners left off in a gas grill.

Step 8

Place the disposable loaf pan with the wood chips into the roasting pan.

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Step 9

Arrange the turkey thighs in the roasting pan so the turkey cooks over indirect heat.

Step 10

Close the lid of the grill and cook the turkey thighs until a meat thermometer registers 180 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted into the thickest portion of the thigh muscle without touching the bone, about 60 to 90 minutes.

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