Classic BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
I'm sure I am not alone in hearkening back to fond childhood memories of sweet and sticky barbecued chicken legs cooked in the backyard. To me this is one of the most quintessential of all-American summer finger foods -- second perhaps to corn-on-the-cob. Hey, it's yardbird-on-the-cob! I see a lot of myself on the faces of my children when I see a drumstick in their hand and that familiar ring of BBQ sauce around their mouths (and usually on their shirt). It's just good times, ya know?
Instructions
Mix the seasonings in a small bowl.
Lay the drumsticks on a large sheet pan.
Season all sides of each drumstick with a moderate sprinkling of the seasoning mixture.
Put all of the chicken in a large zip-top bag and seal, removing the excess air.
Refrigerate the chicken at least six hours, but preferably overnight.
Start your fire and prepare for indirect cooking at 325º.
Add two small chunks of fruit wood (apple or cherry) and one small chunk of hickory to the fire about 10 minutes before you're ready to cook. Wood chips soaked for 30-60 minutes will work well, too. If you're using a gas grill, make a smoker pouch.
Cook the chicken indirect until it reaches 170º internal (about an hour).
While the chicken is cooking…
Melt the jelly in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
Add the remaining sauce ingredients, whisk to combine, remove from the heat and set aside.
Dunk each drumstick in the sauce, return to the cooker, and continue cooking indirect another 20 minutes (turning at 10 minutes).
Remove the chicken from the grill to a large serving platter, and let rest 10 minutes.
Serve with the remaining sauce and enjoy!
Referenced in ingredients: mine
