These Smoked Turkey Thighs on a Pellet Grill are juicy and delicious, with crispy skin. They are easy to make using a dry rub and are always nice and tender.
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These smoked turkey thighs are the perfect main dish for your next backyard BBQ or family get-together. They are also the perfect dish to serve for Thanksgiving dinner if you have a small crowd to feed.
I like to shred the turkey and serve them in Grandma's Air Buns with Fermented Cranberries or my Whole30 Cranberry Sauce for a delicious turkey slider.
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Why I Love These Smoked Turkey Thighs
- The skin on these turkey thighs is crispy and delicious.
- It is an easy way to cook and serve Thanksgiving turkey.
- It's perfect for meal prep! Cook a bunch at once, and then you've got lunch or dinner taken care of for the week.
Ingredient Notes
This easy recipe only requires simple ingredients that are easy to find at your local grocery store.
- Turkey thighs. I used turkey thighs with the skin on. You can use skinless turkey thighs as well.
- Olive oil. This keeps the meat tender and gives the dry rub something to stick to. You can also use melted butter or avocado oil.
- Turkey dry rub. This consists of brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning, chili powder, and seasoning salt. My Homemade Smoked Turkey Rub also tastes great on these turkey thighs. Feel free to use your favorite turkey rub, chicken rub, or BBQ rub.
See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a full list of ingredients.
How To Smoke Turkey Thighs On Pellet Grill
- Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F.
- Combine the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl.
- Dry the turkey thighs with a paper towel. Apply olive oil to the entire outside of the turkey thighs.
- Sprinkle the dry turkey rub liberally over the entire turkey thigh. Cover the top, bottom, and sides. Press the rub in slightly with your fingers.
- Place the turkey thighs directly on the cooking grates of the preheated smoker, leaving some space between each thigh. Insert a digital meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone.
- Smoke turkey thighs until the internal temperature of the turkey in the thickest part reaches 175 degrees F. This will take approximately 2 hours.
- When done, remove the turkey thighs from the smoker and let them rest for 10-15 minutes. You can cover them with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
- Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce or Cranberry Sauce.
Variations
- Spicy - add cayenne pepper, chili pepper flakes, or Cajun seasoning to the spice rub.
- Sweet - Add extra brown sugar to the spice rub, or brush the thighs with maple syrup at the end of cooking time.
- Brine - Brine in my Fresh Herb Citrus Turkey Brine before smoking.
Related Recipes: Air Fryer Turkey Thighs, Smoked Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, and Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs.
Equipment
Smoker: I used my Pit Boss pellet grill, but you can use a Traeger pellet smoker or electric smoker.
Wood pellets: I think the best wood pellets are the Turkey blend by Traeger. Hickory, Mesquite, Signature Blend, Applewood, or Cherry wood pellets are also all excellent options.
Instant-read thermometer: This is a must-have item if you own a smoker.
Storage
Refrigerator: Leftover turkey thighs can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Leftover turkey thighs can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Remove the meat from the bone before freezing.
Recipe Tips
- Place the turkey thighs skin-side up on the smoker racks.
- If you want your turkey skin even crispier, turn up the heat on your pellet grill to 350 degrees F for a few minutes at the end of cooking time to make the skin super crispy.
- Cook by temperature, not by time.
FAQs
There are approximately 245 calories in each smoked turkey thigh.
Smoking turkey thighs on a pellet grill is a great way to add flavor.
You can cook turkey thighs on any smoker, but you may need to adjust the cooking time depending on how hot your smoker cooks.
The recommended internal temperature for cooked turkey is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. However, I prefer to cook turkey thighs to a higher temperature of 175 degrees Fahrenheit because dark meat has more connective tissue and benefits from a little more cooking time.
What To Serve With Smoked Turkey Thighs
I love to serve these with Oven-Roasted Potatoes, Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole, Air Fryer Green Beans, and homemade Whole30 Cranberry Sauce.
You can also serve them with Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, Smoked Baked Beans, Campbells Classic Green Bean Casserole, Air Fryer Carrots, Traeger Smoked Corn, and Homemade Stuffing.
More Smoked Turkey Recipes
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Smoked Turkey Thighs
Ingredients
- 3-4 turkey thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon homemade dry rub recipe below
Homemade turkey rub
- 1¼ tablespoon brown sugar
- ⅔ tablespoon garlic powder
- ⅔ tablespoon Roasted Garlic and Peppers seasoning a Club House seasoning
- ⅔ teaspoon paprika
- ⅔ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅓ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅓ teaspoon seasoning salt
- ⅙ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225℉.
- Mix the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl.
- Dry the turkey thighs with a paper towel. Apply olive oil to the entire outside of the turkey thighs. Sprinkle the dry rub on the turkey thighs, covering the top, bottom, and sides.
- Place turkey thighs directly on the cooking grates of the preheated smoker. Insert a digital meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone.
- Smoke turkey thighs at 225℉ until the internal temperature of the turkey in the thickest part reaches 175 degrees F. This will take approximately 2 hours.
- Remove the turkey thighs from the smoker, and let them rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce or cranberry sauce.
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Notes
- Place the turkey thighs skin-side up on the smoker racks.
- If you want your turkey skin even crispier, turn up the heat on your pellet grill to 350 degrees F for a few minutes at the end of cooking time to make the skin super crispy.
- Cook by temperature, not by time.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
About Jeri Walker
Jeri Walker is the founder and CEO of Winding Creek Ranch. She is a self-taught home cook who specializes in easy family-friendly recipes. Jeri is also a food writer who regularly writes articles for MSN. Read about Jeri's journey and connect with her on your favorite social media channels!
Julie says
They turned out delicious. I made them to make cranberry turkey sandwiches. Those flavors will be magical.
Jeri Walker says
Thanks Julie! Cranberry turkey sandwiches with smoked turkey thighs sound amazing! What a perfect combo! Thanks for sharing! 🙂