This Thanksgiving, Skip the Bird and Go All-Out with Turkey Legs

This holiday season, Food & Wine is going over the top with our series "Give Thanks, But Make It Extra"—a celebration of all things opulent, glittering, rich, delicious, and joyful.

Ifturkeytends to be the star of yourThanksgiving, chances are, you have a favorite cut of meat. Maybe it's the golden brown, crispy skin, glistening with rendered fat to the point where it almost resembles bacon; maybe it's a simple slice ofbreast meat, waiting to be doused (and then doused some more) with a flood ofgravy. Or maybe it's the meaty, juicy turkey legs, which you're prepared to battle your table-mates for every year. If that's the case, this recipe forChipotle-Spiced Smoked Turkey Legsis going to deliver for you big-time—it's 100-percent drumsticks, and you can have them all to yourself.

Developed by Meredith Food Studios Recipe Developer and Tester John Somerall, these next-level turkey legs are first dry-brined and then smoked, resulting in tender, mahogany-colored drumsticks that have a light kick of heat thanks to chipotle chiles. They only take three steps to make, and as a bonus, the leftovers can be shredded and turned into all kinds of other dishes, such as sandwiches or a mix-in for pasta salads. Or, just leave them whole and go to town. The world is your turkey-leg oyster.

Read on for our step-by-step guide so you can make them at home, and grab the recipe below.

Before you can smoke these turkey legs, you need todry brinethem uncovered in the refrigerator for at least eight hours, or up to 24. It may sound like a long time, but don't skip this step—it not only ensures more flavorful and juicy meat, but helps to dry out the skin as well, meaning it will crisp up more as it cooks. This brine packs in all different kinds of spices and seasonings, including dried chipotle chiles, fresh bay leaves, kosher salt, dark brown sugar, garlic powder, dried sage, ground cloves, and more. Once the bay leaves and chiles are ground up and mixed together with the rest of the dry brine ingredients, pat the turkey legs dry with paper towels and then sprinkle the mixture evenly over them. Get the legs on a wire rack set within a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet, and transfer them to the fridge.

After the turkey legs have sat in the fridge, rinse them under cold water to remove the dry brine and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels. Then, place them back on the wire rack in the baking sheet and let them rest at room temperature while you get the smoker ready.

At this point, all that's left to do is the main event—smoking the turkey legs. Somerall says you shouldn't move the turkey around too much while it cooks, and you should resist the urge to keep opening the lid of thesmokerto peek. The more you open the smoker, the longer the smoking process will take. Minimizing opening the lid also helps ensure the temperature of the grill remains consistent (you want the smoker to maintain an internal temperature between 275°F and 300°F). Make sure that the thicker part of the drumsticks are facing the hot coals, too.

Ultimately, the turkey legs should register 165°F when athermometeris inserted into the thickest part of the meat, which should take about two to two-and-a-half hours.

Let the meat rest for 10 minutes on a platter before serving, and then go all. in. on. that. turkey. You can enjoy the legs whole (and you absolutely should), or shred the meat for those aforementioned leftover dishes. For Thanksgiving, pair them with all kinds of sides—whatdoesn'tturkey go with? (Don't answer that.)Mashed potatoes,macaroni and cheese,green bean casserole,roasted brussels sprouts, andstuffingwould all work beautifully. And of course, you can't forget thegravy. If you'd like, you can even save the turkey bones to create a turkey broth and make the most of that smoky flavor.

In short? This recipe can bring all kinds of joy (and tasty meals) this holiday season. For even more ideas, check out ourExtra Thanksgiving Recipes roundup, which includes everything you need to make an unforgettable, showstopping holiday menu.