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bacon wrapped turkey legs

Barbecue Bacon-Wrapped Smoked Turkey Lollipops

Cherry wood smoked turkey legs wrapped in crispy bacon with a sweet BBQ glaze. Perfect for backyard cookouts and BBQ competitions.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 jumbo turkey legs
  • 10 slices of bacon about 5 per leg
  • Your favorite BBQ seasoning for seasoning the turkey
  • ½ cup BBQ sauce plus more if desired for serving
  • Toothpicks or butcher's twine to secure bacon
  • Cherry wood chunks or chips for smoke flavor

Method
 

  1. Trim turkey legs by cutting around the base of the meat to expose the bone. Use kitchen shears to cut through the tough tendons at the base. Once trimmed, remove all the skin completely to help the bacon crisp up better.
  2. Coat each turkey leg evenly with your favorite BBQ seasoning on all sides.
  3. Take about 5 slices of bacon per leg and wrap them tightly around the meat, overlapping slightly. Secure the bacon with toothpicks or butcher's twine so it stays in place during the cook.
  4. Set your smoker to 275°F and add cherry wood for a mild, sweet smoke flavor. Place the turkey lollipops on the smoker and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 175°F, around 2.5 to 3 hours.
  5. About 10 minutes before they're done, brush each lollipop generously with ½ cup of BBQ sauce divided between both legs. Let the glaze set in the smoker until it turns sticky and glossy.
  6. Remove from the smoker and rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Add an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce if you like it saucy.

Notes

Regular-cut bacon works better than thick-cut for crisping. If you can't find jumbo turkey legs, regular size works fine but may cook faster, so check the internal temp earlier. You can use any BBQ rub you like, but ones with brown sugar or paprika work especially well with the bacon. Apple wood can be substituted for cherry wood if that's what you have. Remove toothpicks before serving.

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