Don't start the riots quite yet. Nobody is saying we should throw out pulled pork. (That's a federal crime, right?) But sometimes you just can't resist the affordable prices on turkey thighs, which you might just be surprised how easily they can be pulled and how crazy-delicious they are. After a good smoke, these turkey thighs develop the perfect smoky barbecue flavor and you'll save yourself a few bucks which doesn't happen as often as we'd all like nowadays.
Usually poultry's sweet spot is around 165 degrees F, but for this recipe we recommend cooking the turkey to 180 degrees. This makes the turkey easier to pull and because thighs are a bit fattier (not to mention you're working with skin-on thighs) and forgiving, they can take the heat.
Look up this coin-saving recipe in our cookbook, From Pulled Pork to Peach Pie.
FORGET-the-PORK PULLED TURKEY SANDWICHES
PELLETS: Maple, Apple, or Hickory
PREP TIME: 15 min.
COOK TIME: About 2 hours
SERVES: 6
YOU WILL NEED THESE THINGS
6 turkey thighs (4-1/2 to 5 pounds total), skin-on
1-1/2 cups chicken or turkey broth
Traeger Pork and Poultry Shake, or your favorite barbecue rub
1 cup Traeger BBQ Sauce, or more as needed
6 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls, split and buttered Pickles, for serving (optional)
PREPARATION
Season the turkey thighs on both sides with the Traeger Pork and Poultry Shake.
When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes).
Arrange the turkey thighs directly on the grill grate and smoke for 30 minutes.
Transfer the thighs to a sturdy disposable aluminum foil pan or roasting pan. Pour the broth around the thighs. Cover the pan with foil or a lid. Increase the temperature of the Traeger to 325 degrees F.
Roast the thighs until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F. Remove the pan from the grill, but leave the grill on.
Let the turkey thighs cool slightly until they can be comfortably handled. Pour off the drippings and reserve. Remove the skin and discard. Pull the turkey meat into shreds with your fingers and return the meat to the roasting pan. Add 1 cup or more of the barbecue sauce along with some of the drippings. You want the meat to be rather saucy.
Recover the pan with foil (or the lid) and reheat the turkey on the Traeger for 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the grill, but leave the foil or lid on the pan. Increase the temperature to 400 degrees and toast the buns, if desired.
To serve, make sandwiches with the turkey and toasted buns, topping with coleslaw and pickles, if desired.
PRINTABLE RECIPE: