Bourbon-Brined Smoked Turkey Legs & A Boos Board Giveaway

By: The Food Hunter

I've been in the market for a new cutting board for some time now, so when Boos brand agreed to send me a board of my choice I jumped on the opportunity. I love the quality of their cutting boards and with so many styles and shapes to choose from you can never have too  many!

We do a lot of grilling/smoking so the BBQ board seemed to be a great option. This particular board is a heavy two-sided maple board that has juice grooves on one of the sides. It's perfect for carving a succulent roast and beautiful enough to be used as serving board for your grilled food. After a month of using this board, I can honestly say that I am as impressed as I thought I would be with it. I also love that the deluxe board comes with a very nice carving knife and fork. Boos makes quality boards that, in my opinion, can't be beat.

***Want to win one of these fabulous boards? See below for details***

To showcase this fabulous board I borrowed a recipe from Steve Raichlen for Bourbon-Brined Smoke Turkey Legs With Apple BBQ Sauce.

BOURBON-BRINED SMOKED TURKEY LEGS
Recipe adapted from Steven Raichlen
Serves: 4
Advance Preparation: 3 to 4 hours for brining the turkey

For the brine:
1/2 cup bourbon (or substitute apple juice)
1/2 cup coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 lemon, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
4 cloves garlic, peeled and gently crushed
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
8 cups water

For the turkey:
8 turkey legs
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
Apple barbecue sauce for serving (recipe below)

You’ll also need: 1 large container or a jumbo or 2 large resealable plastic bags for brining. About 2 cups wood chips or chunks (apple or pecan work great), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained.

1) Make the brine: Combine the bourbon, salt, brown sugar, lemon, garlic, peppercorns, and mustard and coriander seeds in a large nonreactive bowl with 8 cups of water and whisk until the salt and brown sugar dissolve.

2) Rinse the turkey legs under cold running water. Put the legs into the resealable plastic bag(s) and add the brine. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, turning periodically to distribute the brine evenly.

3) Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium, about 325 degrees F. If using a gas grill, place half the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke. Then lower the heat. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center, preheat it to medium, then toss half of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.

4) When ready to cook, drain the brine off the turkey legs and blot dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. Lightly rub the turkey legs with the olive oil. Arrange the turkey legs in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and indirect grill the turkey until cooked through, 1 to 1-1/2 hours, adding charcoal as needed To test for doneness, use an instant-read meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be about 165 degrees F.

Note: you can also smoke the turkey in a smoker. You’ll need 2-1/2 to 3 hours at 250 degrees.

Apple BBQ Sauce
adapted from Steven Raichlen

1 cup ketchup
2 cups apple juice
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons mild red pepper or chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper


Place the ketchup, apple juice, molasses, cider vinegar, brown sugar, granulated sugar, red pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and celery seed in a large heavy nonreactive saucepan and gradually bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking to mix.

Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer until thick and richly flavored, about 40 minutes, whisking it often. When it’s properly cooked down, you’ll have about 2-1/2 cups. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste; it should be highly seasoned. The sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for several weeks. Let it return to room temperature before using.

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I received product and/or compensation for posts featuring this product. As always, all opinions are 100% my own