Smoked Turkey Thighs with Maple Glaze

Grilled turkey pieces coated with sauce cook on a barbecue grill.

5 from 1 vote

Smoked Turkey Thighs with Maple Glaze

Make this irresistible smoked turkey thighs recipe, featuring a luscious maple butter glaze. This foolproof method yields tender, juicy meat, and a hint of sweetness that'll have everyone reaching for seconds.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 30

Resting Time5

Total Time2 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 869kcal

Author: Kita Roberts

Ingredients

For the turkey thighs

4 lbs Turkey thighs
3 tbsp Dry brine - we used grill dads brine OR 2 tbsp Kosher salt

For the maple glaze

4 tbsp Butter
4 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Paprika
½ tsp Cayenne pepper

Instructions

Prep the Turkey Thighs:

Remove the turkey thighs from the package
Pat them dry with a paper towel.
Liberally season them on all sides with the dry rub.
Place them on a wire rack nestled over a baking sheet and return them to the fridge for 24 hours.

Prep the smoker:

Preheat your grill to 250 degrees F. See our notes below for charcoal, pellet, or gas grills.
If you're adding smoking wood, do it now. We recommend pecan or maple but check out our tips for the best wood for smoking turkey to see what other flavors are great pairings.
Clean and oil the grill grate.
Close the lid and let the grill preheat.

Smoke the turkey thighs:

Arrange the turkey thighs on the grill, skin side up, without crowding the grill.
Close the lid and let the turkey smoke for about 30 minutes, undisturbed.

Make the maple glaze:

Meanwhile, in a small oven-safe pot, melt the butter over low heat.
Add the syrup, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Stir to combine.
Keep the glaze warm over low heat until ready to use.

Glaze the thighs:

After 30 minutes, carefully open the lid and, pour a little of the maple butter glaze over the thighs. Using a basting brush, coat the thighs, being careful not to dip the brush back in the pan once it touches the turkey to avoid cross-contamination.
Close the lid and let the turkey thighs continue to cook.
Repeat every 30 minutes until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees F, about 2 ½ to 3 hours.

Rest and serve

Using long grilling tongs, carefully transfer the smoked thighs to a serving platter and let them rest for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with minced parsley, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and serve.

Notes

According to the USDA, turkey is safe to eat at 165°F, but we like the texture of dark meat taken a little past that to 170 - 175°F.

A note about glazing and crispy skin: You will not get the crispy skin when you glaze turkey thighs repeatedly to lock in that sweet, spicy maple flavor. If you're craving crispy skin, increase the smoker temp to 325 - 350 degrees F, skip the maple glaze, and dab the skin with oil a few times while cooking. Remember, with a hotter temp, cooking times will vary. Use your meat thermometer for the most accurate results.

For gas grills:

Prep the turkey thighs as directed.
Set up your gas grill for a two-zone fire by first preheating it with all the burners on.
When the grill is preheated, turn off 2 of the 4 (or 2 of 3) burners and adjust the other burner to medium and let the heat come down to 250 degrees F.
Add a smoker box filled with wood chips to smoke on a gas grill and allow the wood chips to start smoking.
Add the turkey thighs and smoke as directed until they reach an internal temp of 165 degrees F.

For charcoal grills:

Prep the turkey thighs as directed.
When ready to grill, set up your charcoal grill for a two-zone fire. Do this by lighting your charcoal in a charcoal chimney. When it's about 70% ashed over, arrange the coals on one side of the grill, creating a hot zone (direct heat). Add smoking wood. Place the grill grate on top and cover it with the lid. Adjust the air vents to preheat the grill to around 250 degrees F.
When the grill has preheated, smoke the turkey thighs as directed.
We love Cowboy Brand Charcoal Briquets when smoking in our charcoal grill.

For pellet smokers:

Prep the turkey thighs as directed.
When ready to smoke, preheat your pellet smoker to 250 degrees F.
Smoke the turkey thighs as directed.
We love Cowboy Brand Charcoal and Hickory Pellets when smoking turkey.

Nutrition