Grilled Spice-Rubbed Chicken Drumsticks - CI May 2017 Recipe
3.2 stars -
based on 2 votes
Tried it? Rate this Recipe:
|
Category: |
Category: |
|
Ingredients: |
Ingredients: ½ cup salt
5 pounds chicken drumsticks
1 Recipe Spice Rub (see related content)
Why This Recipe Works
Our flavorful barbecue spice rub is both sweet and spicy. We used brown sugar to provide the sweetness; it also helped the dry spices cling. A combination of chili powder and cayenne provided the spiciness. We added garlic powder to round out the rub’s flavor and paprika to give it an attractive red color. (*You can substitute granulated garlic for the garlic powder, if desired.)
Barbecue Spice Rub
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder*
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
or
Ras El Hanout Spice Rub from North Africa
2 tablespoons paprika
4 teaspoons ground coriander
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Why This Recipe Works - We used pregound pantry staples to create a quick and flavorful North African–inspired ras al hanout spice rub. Paprika, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cayenne are combined to deliver warm, complex flavor. A small amount of sugar helped the dry spices cling.
|
|
Directions: |
Directions:1. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge drumsticks in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Place spice rub on plate. Remove drumsticks from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Holding 1 drumstick by bone end, press lightly into rub on all sides. Pat gently to remove excess rub. Repeat with remaining drumsticks.
3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
3B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner [or, if using three-burner grill, primary burner and second burner] as needed to maintain grill temperature between 325 and 350 degrees.)
4. Clean and oil cooking grate. Place drumsticks, skin side down, on cooler side of grill. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Rearrange pieces so that drumsticks that were closest to edge are now closer to heat source and vice versa. Cover and cook until drumsticks register 185 to 190 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Move all drumsticks to hotter side of grill and cook, turning occasionally, until skin is nicely charred, about 5 minutes. Transfer to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve.
Don’t Let the Probe Touch Bone
The bones in these drumsticks were 5 degrees hotter than the meat. For an accurate reading, insert the probe into the thickest part of the drumstick until it hits the bone and then pull back about 1/4 inch. |
|
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: If you know how to do them justice, economical chicken drumsticks can be a delicious choice for the grill. We started by soaking them in a saltwater brine to season them and help them retain their juices during cooking, and then we coated them with a flavorful spice rub. We cooked them all the way to between 185 and 190 degrees over indirect heat, which provided plenty of time for their connective tissue to soften and allowed the skin to render gently without the risk of flare-ups. We finished by cooking the drumsticks briefly over the coals to capture some char and crispiness.
|
|
This recipe for Grilled Spice-Rubbed Chicken Drumsticks - CI May 2017 is from