Pecan Smoked Chicken Drumsticks are moist with a smoky flavor, in 3 easy steps! First submerge drumsticks in a lemon brine for 1-2 hours then cook low and slow over indirect heat with pecan smoking chips. Lastly give the chicken drumsticks a kiss of char over a hot direct heat to help develop crispy skin. No more burnt chicken skin, just finger-licking deliciousness.
Thank you Western Premium BBQ Products for sponsoring my post on Pecan Smoked Chicken Drumsticks! Such a party pleasing food and it is economical!
WHAT IS A CHICKEN DRUMSTICK?
As a child, I absolutely loved Grandpa’s “chicken legs”! I mean, he didn’t have skinny legs but I loved when he tossed chicken on the grill and cooked it to perfection. Then there was Dad, who was a master at the grill. Generally when he cooked what I called “chicken legs”, I was first in line to sample their deliciousness.
Even so as a hungry little girl, I didn’t really care what that little piece of chicken was called, I just wanted to eat a few before my 3 brothers devoured the rest.
Sixty years have flashed by and as Grilling Grandma I found out that the accurate name for my childhood favorite cut of chicken, is a chicken drumstick! Go figure! Officially, a “chicken leg” is what I’ve always known as the hind quarter, which includes the thighs and the drumstick. So what I raced to eat as a child was actually a chicken drumstick.
Now that name doesn’t really matter, but hey, this is a blog where I am supposed to be all official. LoL
Here is my recipe for the yummiest Pecan Smoked Chicken Drumsticks! Or as my neighbor responded in a thank you text, after eating the smoky morsels of chicken, “WOW that chicken was perfection!”
WHAT’S THE BEST SMOKING CHIPS FOR DRUMSTICKS
When it comes to smoking any cut of chicken, Western BBQ Products has you covered!
Specifically I have 3 favorite smoking chips I love for chicken drumsticks:
Pecan BBQ Smoking Chips create a strong smoke flavor that will add a sweetness to the chicken. If I wanted to lighten the smokiness I could have added Apple Bbq smoking Chips to the Pecan BBQ Smoking Chips.
Cherry BBQ Smoking Chips will give the chicken a mild smokiness with hints of fruit and tanginess. At the same time Cherry BBQ Smoking Chips add a hint of gorgeous color to chicken.
Post Oak BBQ Smoking Chips impart an all round subtle smoky flavor to drumsticks. Your diners will not recognize the type of smoke flavor but will comment on the depth of mild smoky flavor; so delicious!
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HOW TO MAKE SMOKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Prepare the Brine
Blend the brine ingredients in a blender or food processor. The ingredients are water, sugar, fish sauce, salt, granulated garlic, scallions, ginger root, and lemon zest and juice.
Marinade the Drumsticks
Pour marinade into a plastic or glass container, and add the chicken drumsticks, stirring to emerge the chicken completely in brine. Cover and refrigerate for 3-6 hours in the refrigerator.
Prepare the Drumsticks
After the chicken marination time is over, pat the drumsticks dry. Place a drying rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the chicken with oil then sprinkle with desired seasoning or rub.
Prepare the Gas Grill
Prepare the gas grill for 400°F indirect cooking. Fill a smoker box with 2 cups Western Maple BBQ Smoking Chips, and place over a hot burner. Close the grill’s lid. Wait 10 minutes, open the lid to see if smoke is drifting. If so, turn the grill down to 275°F indirect heat.
Smoke the Drumsticks
The chicken is cooked over indirect heat for 40 minutes. Be sure to turn the drumsticks after 20 minutes for even cooking. Once the chicken’s internal temperature registers 155°F., remove the partially cooked drumsticks from the grill.
Sear the Drumsticks
Bring the grill temperature to 425°F to 450°F direct heat. Sear the drumstick for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until slightly charred. Remove the drumsticks from the grill once the internal temperature registers 175°F-189°F.
Serve the Chicken Drumsticks
Place the chicken drumsticks on top of a pan of grilled roasted vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
INGREDIENTS FOR SMOKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Western BBQ Premium Pecan Smoking Chips – if you have a bag of Western BBQ Premium Cherry or Post Oak Smoking Chips they will work with this lemon brine. However the Premium Pecan Smoking Chips smoked the drumsticks to perfection or at least that is what my neighbor said!
THE MARINADE:
Water – I know you are thinking duh….but I am fussy about water in a recipe and do not use tap water when I have a bottle or filtered water nearby. Chemicals in tap water change the flavor and reaction of the marinade. Just sayin’!
Sugar – Use raw, turbinado, granulated sugar. Or if you don’t use sugar go ahead and sweeten with maple syrup, honey or my favorite agave syrup.
Fish Sauce – If fish sauce is not your thing soy sauce will do!
Kosher salt – Kosher salt is not the same as table salt. Kosher salt has wider and coarser grains than table salt resulting in a gentler flavor than table salt. Also Kosher salt has no iodine in it which on occasion can lead to bitterness.
Scallions – are the same as green onions. Snip the root end tip and any yellow or wilted green stems then chop the remaining green and white parts of the onion.
Fresh Ginger – is easily peeled with a paring knife or scraped with a spoon. If you do not have access to fresh ginger use 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger.
Lemons – I use Meyer lemons that are packed with juice. Make sure to zest the lemons first then cut and half and juice. Do not use bottled lemon juice for this recipe. Substitute the lemon with other fresh citrus like limes, grapefruit, tangerines or oranges.
THE DRUMSTICKS:
Chicken Drumsticks – the substitute are chicken thighs. Although your cook time will be about 15 minutes longer.
Cooking Oil – means oil without much flavor like avocado or canola oil. Conversely olive oil has too strong of a flavor for this recipe.
Jack Daniels Beef Rub Seasoning – the substitute can be Jack Daniels Chicken Rub Seasoning I just didn’t have any on hand!
Butternut Squash with Leeks – this additional side dish is totally up to you. I will say, I will be making it again cuz the flavor of the leeks with the butternut squash was fabulous.
WHY CHOOSE CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS?
Affordable!
Let’s face it prices have gone up as our food budget has gone down. However, chicken is still an affordable protein! More so, chicken drumsticks and thighs can still be found on sale for 99-cents a pound. What other protein can you find at that price?
Party Pleasing!
Chicken drumsticks are perfect as a party food! The smaller portion of meat means guests can sample all of the other delicious dishes you have prepared. Furthermore the plethora of drumsticks you have smoked will serve a lot of portions due to the size.
Family Pleasing!
I haven’t heard at my dining table,”Oh no, not drumsticks again.” Since kids and adults love chicken drumsticks, I’m not sure why I don’t serve it more. Kids find picking up drumsticks so much easier than using a fork and knife…me too! Lastly, after 5 bites a child can be done with their drumstick and running off to play. Or at least that is what my grandsons like to do…that is after we make them sit a few extra minutes as Geeps and I finish.
Quick and Easy!
The cooking time for drumsticks is fast due to the size. Also if you really need to speed up the cook time, simply raise the heat during the smoke time. Dinner can be done in less than an hour.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Why is lemon juice added to this brine?
Lemon juice helps to break down the proteins which adds tenderness to the chicken meat.
How long can chicken drumsticks be in the lemon juice brine?
Very important question! Marinades that contain fresh lemon or lime juice or any high acid element, can only be used for 2-3 hours. After 3 hours the proteins will begin breaking down too much which makes the meat mushy, tough or rubbery.
What can I brine the chicken in?
Do not marinate or brine drumsticks in a cast iron or aluminum container. Otherwise the lemon juice or any acidic mixture will react specifically with cast iron or aluminum. In the meantime, use a bowl that is plastic, glass, non-lead ceramic, or stainless steel. Similarly, an extra large resealable plastic bag can be used. Be sure to uncover the drumsticks every hour and stir to assure all sides are coated evenly with the brine.
Can a different seasoning be used on the drumsticks?
Yes! For example, if you have a favorite all-around chicken seasoning, use it instead of the Jack Daniel’s Beef Rub. I just caution you not to use a seasoning blend that is dominant in black pepper.
Can a glaze or BBQ sauce be applied during the last 5 minutes of the cook?
Yes? If you are a saucy sort of person go ahead and brush away. However to prevent burning the BBQ sauce on the chicken during the fire-finish, use your sauce as a dip. I just happen not to be a saucy-sort-of-grandma!
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WHAT TO SERVE WITH SMOKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
FOR MORE SMOKY DELICIOUS RECIPES
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ENJOY!
Smoked Chicken Drumsticks
Chicken drumsticks are moist with a smoky flavor, in 3 easy steps! Submerge drumsticks in a lemon brine for 1-2 hours then cook low and slow over indirect heat with pecan smoking chips. Lastly, give the chicken drumsticks a kiss of char over a hot direct heat to help develop crispy skin. No more burnt chicken skin, just finger-licking deliciousness.
Ingredients
- Smoked Chicken Drumsticks
- Serves: 8 (2 drumsticks per serving)
- Season: Year Round
- Category: Poultry
- EQUIPMENT
- Gas Grill
- 2 cups Western BBQ Premium Pecan Smoking Chips
- Smoker box or perforated foil packet
- Grill Gloves, Grill Tongs, Meat Thermometer
- Grill pan if making butternut squash
- Blender or food processor
- Plastic or Glass Bowl or resealable marination plastic bag
- INGREDIENTS
- For the Lemon Brine:
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 2 scallions, rough chop
- 2 inches peeled ginger, rough chop
- Zest from 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- For the Chicken Drumsticks:
- 3.5 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons avocado or neutral flavored oil
- Jack Daniels Beef Rub Seasoning
- Optional: Smoky Butternut Squash with Leeks
- 2 cups sliced leeks, 2 pounds chopped butternut squash, 6 tablespoons cup canola oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, 3/4 teaspoon coriander, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 3/4 teaspoons salt
Instructions
Prepare the Brine
- In the bowl of a blender or food processor, combine the water, sugar, fish sauce, salt, granulated garlic, scallions, ginger root, and lemon zest and juice. Blend until well mixed.
- Pour marinade into a plastic or glass container that can be sealed. Add the chicken drumsticks, and stir to emerge the chicken.
- Seal the marination container, and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.
Prepare the Drumsticks
- After the chicken marination time is over, pat the drumsticks dry.
- Place a drying rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the chicken on the rack, and brush with oil.
- Generously sprinkle both sites of drumsticks with Jack Daniel’s Beef Rub. Note: This step can be done several hours before grilling, if lightly covered and refrigerated.
Prepare the Gas Grill
- Prepare the gas grill for 400°F indirect cooking as directed in the grill’s instruction book.
- Fill a smoker box with 2 cups Western Maple BBQ Smoking Chips, and securely position over the hottest part of the grill. Close the grill’s lid.
- Wait about 10 minutes, open the lid to see if smoke is drifting. If so, turn the grill down to 275°F indirect heat.
Smoke the Drumsticks
- Smoke the chicken, over indirect heat for 40 minutes, turning them over after 20 minutes.
- Cook the drumsticks until the internal temperature registers 155°F. Remove the partially cooked drumsticks from the grill.
Sear the Drumsticks
- Bring the grill temperature to 425°F to 450°F direct heat. Return the drumstick to the grates, and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- Remove the drumsticks from the grill once the internal temperature registers 175°F-189°F.
Serve the Chicken Drumsticks
Place the chicken drumsticks on top of a pan of grilled roasted vegetables. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
Make the Butternut Squash (Optional)
- Whisk the canola oil, garlic, coriander, black pepper and salt. Slice 2 cups of leeks and toss in 2 tablespoons of the seasoned oil. Chop 2 pounds of butternut squash or buy it already chopped. Mix the squash with the remaining seasoned oil.
- Place a large grill safe skillet or pan in the grill, after the smoker box has smoke drifting, and the grill’s temperature is being lowered to 275°F. Once the pan is warm, drizzle with oil and add the leeks. Smoke the leeks for about 5 minutes. Add the butternut squash, and stir. Cook until squash, stirring occasionally, until fork tender.
Notes
- The chicken drumsticks can be placed on top of the butternut squash for a bright presentation.
- Stay Safe! Use food safe gloves when working with raw meat. The USDA guideline for eating cooked chicken, at a safe temperature, is 165°F. However, chicken wings love a higher internal temperature.
- Marinade chicken drumsticks in a glass or plastic container not in a cast iron or aluminum container to prevent an acidic reaction that will effect the flavor of the chicken.
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