Smoked Turkey Tails

Turkey tails are the bird’s tastiest (and most underrated) part. Unfortunately,
many have not had the pleasure of eating turkey tails, especially smoked turkey
tails. The tails are dark meat which means they’re loaded with flavor, plus they
have a considerable amount of fat, making them comparable to pork belly.

Servings: 4

Author:

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
4 hours

Total Time
4 hours, 10 minutes

Course:

Snack

Cuisine:

American

Keywords:

Thanksgiving Smoked

🧂 Ingredients

8 turkey tails
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

1 Inspect the turkey tails. If you see any feather shafts, use a paper towel to
grip them. Then pull them out and discard them.
2 Rinse the turkey tails under cool water and pat them dry.
3 Transfer them to a large bowl or sheet pan.
4 Combine the seasonings in a small bowl. Mix well.
5 Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the turkey tails and toss to coat them
evenly.
6 Preheat your Z-Grills (preferably with branded wood pellets) or other wood
pellet grill to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
7 Transfer the turkey tails to the grates skin-side up, close the lid, and smoke
for 4 hours or until the turkey tails are evenly brown and crisp with an
internal temperature of at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit. A low and slow cook is
key to rendering fat and crisping up the skin.
8 Remove the smoked turkey tails from the grill and set them aside to rest for 10
minutes.
9 Serve as desired and enjoy.