Slow Cooker Island Barbecued Turkey Legs

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/2/21
Slow cooker island barbecue turkey legs

The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 4 to 6 turkey legs

These tasty slow cooker turkey legs are easy on the budget and full of flavor. A sweet and sour barbecue sauce with pineapple gives them tropical island flavor, and the slow cooker is such an easy way to cook them.

There's little prep involved; just put the turkey legs in the slow cooker, pour the simple homemade sauce over them, and press the button. Go about your day and come home to a delicious meal.

Serve these turkey legs with rice, noodles, or potatoes and your choice of side vegetable for a satisfying everyday meal.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 turkey legs

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/2 cup ketchup

  • 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed

  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional

  • 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for slow cooker island barbecued turkey legs
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  2. Lightly grease the crockery liner of the slow cooker.

    The crock pot is greased
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  3. Arrange the turkey legs in the slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

    Arrange turkey legs
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  4. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; spoon over the turkey legs and turn to coat legs well.

    Combine ingredients
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  5. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. They might be falling apart if cooked too long, so begin checking them for tenderness after about 7 hours.

    Cover and cook
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  6. Serve and enjoy.

    Slow cooker island barbecue turkey legs with a side of rice and vegetables
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

Recipe Variations

  • Feel free to add some chopped green onion or a minced clove of garlic to the turkey legs for some extra flavor.
  • Bell pepper chunks or strips would be good as well.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
342 Calories
13g Fat
21g Carbs
35g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 342
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 171mg 57%
Sodium 406mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 35g
Vitamin C 6mg 29%
Calcium 41mg 3%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 532mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: