The Best Final Internal Temperature
The best final internal temperature for chicken legs is 180°-185°. The FDA minimum safe internal temperature is 165°, but there is too much connective tissue in chicken legs and thighs. At 165°, they will be tough and stringyjust not done.
To get moist and tender meat, you need to melt the connective tissue that starts at 170° but is complete at 180° to 185°. But cooking up to 195° will still be okay, according to American Test Kitchen .
You will need to use an instant-read thermometer to get this right.
How To Grill Bbq Chicken Drumsticks:
- Prepare the Gas Grill Preheat your grill over medium high heat to approximately 400 degrees F. Spray the grill grates with a non-stick cooking spray or rub with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grates.
- Combine Ingredients Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl.
- Season the Chicken Place the drumsticks in a large bowl, pour the oil on top and sprinkle the seasonings over the drumsticks. Toss to make sure that the drumsticks are thoroughly coated in the olive and the seasoning mixture.
- Begin Grilling the Chicken Place the drumsticks on direct heat and grill for 25-30 minutes flipping every 10-15 minutes.
- Add the BBQ Sauce Brush the drumsticks with the barbecue sauce. Flip the chicken and brush the opposite side with the BBQ sauce has well. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Continue Grilling Chicken Flip the chicken again, brush with more BBQ sauce and cook the opposite side for 3-4 more minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Remove, serve and enjoy Then remove the drumsticks from the grill and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes and then the chicken is ready to serve and enjoy!
How Should I Lay Out The Grilled Chicken Legs On The Grill
This great article shows a step by step tutorial on how I like to lay out drumsticks while theyre grilling. They talk about using indirect heat on the indirect side of the grill, but I use low direct heat when grilling my own.Think about laying out the chicken in a way like the picture above in almost an interlocking pattern. This will help ensure that your grilled chicken legs will finish at the same time.
I also quarter turn my pieces on the grill every 10 minutes without switching locations completely to make sure that each part has been on the grill for an equal time.
If youre looking for other grilled chicken recipes, check out these Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs or this Balsamic Grilled Chicken. The chicken thighs and chicken breasts both have a great chicken marinade that you could also use to bring out much more flavor depending on the cut of meat you have!
Be sure to enjoy and tag me with #theculinarycompass on Instagram if you make this!
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Why Make Your Own Dry Rub
What we love about making our own dry rub at home is that there are no additives. You can also monitor the amount of salt, spice, and sweetness your rub has, which is great for so many reasons. One thing I recommend with this rub is making a double or triple batch of it to have on hands at all times!
If you arent feeling a dry rub, you can try our grilled chicken marinade instead.
Check it out!
How To Grill Drumsticks To Ensure Tender Juicy Meat
Regardless of whether you opt for charcoal or gas heat only one side of the grill in order to have an area with indirect heat.
Gas grill. Clean, close lid and heat one side to 350 F.
Charcoal grill. Light a full chimney with your choice of charcoal and after the coals are nearly covered with white pour them over one side of the grill.
- While the grill is heating remove the drumsticks from the brine and pat them dry with a paper towel, then apply the dry rub.
- Place the seasoned drumsticks on the side near the direct heat, not over it and close the lid.
- About 20-25 minutes after you start grilling the drumsticks move the ones closer to the heat source to the periphery and the ones that were farther away closer in . Switching them around like this will allow them to cook evenly and be done at the same time.
- Once the drumsticks reach internal temperature 185 F you can move them to the area over the direct heat for just a couple of minutes to char them. Optional: before you char the drumsticks you can use the grill surface directly over the heat to simultaneously grill veggies .
NOTE: Even though chicken is generally safe to eat at 165 F we recommend that you slowly let it reach 185 F as specified above. This will ensure that the drumsticks are tender as the strong collagen in their connective tissue will break down. The more time spent above 165 F, the more liquefied collagen.
Perfectly tender and juicy drumsticks with nicely rendered skin fat.
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Grill Chicken Legs On Medium Turning Frequently
Start by putting the thickest side of the chicken legs down on the grill first. Then leave them alone for about 5-7 minutes. The chicken will start to release from the grill and will easily be turned with tongs. After the 5-7 minutes, give the chicken a ¼ turn for another 5 minutes. You will continue turning every 5 minutes for a total of about 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers at 165° 185° on an instant read food thermometer.
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How To Serve Smoked Chicken Legs
Serve your delicious smoked chicken legs with some chopped carrots and/or celery on the side. If youd like, you can offer your guests ranch or bleu cheese to dip their smoked chicken drumsticks in. But the flavor of your smoked chicken drumsticks will be so great that they probably wont want to put any ranch on them anyway!
Garnish with finely chopped parsley or green onion depending on your preferred flavors and enjoy being the new undisputed Master of Smoking Chicken Legs in your family or friend group!
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White Meat Vs Dark Meat
The color of the meat is determined by the amount of myoglobin in the muscles. Now if you arent a scientist, like me, here is a quick definition of what that is. Myoglobin is a pigmented protein that stores oxygen in muscle cells which is used for activity like walking, running, or flying.
The muscles that are used regularly for activity will have a higher amount of myoglobin than muscles that are rarely used. Therefore, since they dont fly very often and are walking constantly, chickens legs are considered dark meat. You may not notice the difference in color when the meat is raw. However, once you cook it you will notice the darker color that is indicative of dark meat.
What I Love About Dark Meat
- More flavorful than white meat.
- Extremely tender and juicy.
- Packed with nutrients white meat doesnt have.
Competition Blend Wood Pellets
For the best flavor, you will want to use the Z Grills Competition Blend BBQ Grill Pellets. These delicious pellets infuse incredible wood-fired flavor directly into the smoked chicken drumsticks. This blend provides a combination of maple, hickory, and cherry woods for a smooth and enjoyable flavor.
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The Secret To Perfect Grilled Bbq Chicken
The secret to the best, juiciest, most tender, almost fall-off-the-bone, perfectly cooked grilled BBQ chicken lies in the cooking method!
The term of 2 zone grilling used to intimidate me until I learned that its only a fancy term for direct and indirect heat (one area of the grill on, and another area off! Big whoop!
Because barbecue sauce has a high sugar content, it can burn easily. Grilling the chicken with the sauce over high heat produces chicken that is burnt on the outside while the inside is still raw.
Grilling Zones
How Long To Grill Chicken Legs
The cook times will vary based on the size of the chicken. We being by cooking chicken for about 30 minutes. We also flip the chicken every 10 minutes to make sure all sides are cooked.
Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked to the correct temperature.
Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. A meat thermometer makes sure that your chicken is thoroughly cooked and reaches 165 degrees.
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How To Make Grilled Bbq Chicken Drumsticks:
Place the chicken legs in a resealable plastic bag. Mix brown sugar, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic cloves, onion powder, smoked paprika, dry mustard, salt & pepper and a pinch of cayenne together and pour it over the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate in the sauce in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
When its time, grab your grill brush and give each grill grate a good scrub, then preheat the grill to 400 degrees. You want the grill temperature to be between a medium heat and a high heat.
Spray the chicken drumsticks with grill spray and grill for 4-5 minutes on both sides. Keep an eye on them because the sugar in the sauce can caramelize and burn. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees. Pro tip: I do love a digital instant read meat thermometer – it makes checking the cook temps super easy .
Remove the chicken from the grill and baste with your favorite BBQ sauce. Then allow the drumsticks to cool for 5 minutes and serve.
Im just going to warn you, it requires a lot of restraint to not pick up one of these BBQ chicken legs and just devour it right off the grill. But that would not be good – trust me the wait is so worth it!!
Theyre all saucy and caramelized and grilled to perfection. And if you need another amazing grilled chicken recipe idea, try my Grilled Chicken Caprese with Balsamic Sauce. Or, if you find yourself without a grill, dad will surely love these low carb garlic parmesan wings.
Can Drumsticks Be A Little Pink
Drumsticks can be a little pink, but that doesnt mean they cant be a fun and stylish addition to any outfit. If youre looking for something to add a little pizzazz to your appearance, consider buying some drumsticks. There are many different colors and styles available, so its sure to be just what you need!
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Grilled Bbq Chicken Drumsticks
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These grilled BBQ chicken drumsticks are out of this world! Theyre easy to make and jam packed with bbq flavor, plus super juicy and perfectly sticky. Make them on a busy weeknight or for your next backyard bbq or cookout. And guess what? Theyre Whole30 compatible and Keto friendly!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn on qualifying purchases.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Large Chicken Legs On The Grill
Cooking large chicken legs on the grill can take anywhere from minutes to hours, but the final outcome will be a delicious and juicy chicken leg. To make sure your cooking process is as efficient as possible, follow these tips: 1. Preheat your grill before beginning. This will help ensure that your chicken legs cook evenly and without any flare-ups. 2.
Use a large skillet or Dutch oven to cook the chicken legs. This will help avoid them from becoming dry or overcooked. 3. Try not to overcrowd your grill. This will allow the chicken legs to cook evenly and slowly over time. 4. Be patient when cooking the chicken legs. Do not try to speed up the process by using too many ingredients or cooking in too high of a temperature range. 5.
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How Long Do You Grill Drumsticks At 400
Instructions
What Kind Of Chicken Legs Should I Buy
We always recommend going organic/all-natural and free-range when possible. Yes, they cost a little bit more, but I promise you the flavor and texture will make up for it! Plus, in general, chicken legs are one of the more inexpensive parts of the chicken , so going organic isnt actually that bad cost-wise.
Some of our favorite humane chicken brands include
This grilled chicken leg recipe calls for 1 lb. of chicken legs and you will likely get around 6 medium/large chicken legs per pound. As always, you can double or even triple this recipe easily by multiplying it by 2 or 3.
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What Seasoning To Use On Smoked Chicken Legs
After drizzling a light amount of olive oil on the chicken, sprinkle with your favorite rub or seasoning combination. Some pros will instruct you to use a binding agent such as mustard to help the seasoning adhere to the chicken drumsticks, but weve found for this recipe that the olive oil works wonderfully for a nice light, crispy skin texture.
For the best smoked chicken legs, we recommend a mild, salt-forward rub to get the most flavor out of your finished drumsticks.
A quick, simple rub of salt, pepper, paprika, and dry mustard will do the trick, but there are thousands of rubs you can buy that are specifically formulated for Chicken Drumsticks. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to get our famous Kickin Cilantro Lime dry rub recipe delivered straight to your inbox!
Be sure to check out our other rub recipes for a variety of suggestions!
In the end, this site is all about learning. So, make sure to try new things to find what kind of rub you prefer most on your smoked chicken legs.
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Sauce The Legs And Serve
The chicken will be delicious right of the grill with tender, juicy meat and delightfully crispy skin.
If you want you can add a little sauce to the chicken during the last minute or two of cooking. Dont add the sauce too early or else it will probably scorch at the high temperatures we are using.
For this batch of legs I used a commercial sweet chili sauce. I also love using our Award Winning BBQ Sauce and a Buffalo style sauce like I used for these Buffalo Grilled Drumsticks.
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At What Temperature Do You Grill Chicken Legs
Keeping your grill at 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and placing your chicken legs on the direct heat part of the grill should result in a chicken leg that is cooked in 30 to 35 minutes on average. To avoid overcooking your chicken legs on the grill, make sure to flip them after 5 minutes to ensure that they do not burn and that they cook evenly on all sides.
Seasoning Smoked Chicken Legs
When it comes to quality smoked chicken legs and smoked chicken drumsticks, keeping it simple is the key to success.
The goal here is to allow the smoked chicken meat to do most of the talking our spices and herbs are to help support and enhance this flavor, not mask it.
Before sprinkling with your meat rub of choice, drizzle the chicken legs with olive oil to help prevent the skin turning leathery and tough, instead making it nice and crispy to bite into.
The oil also helps the seasoning by acting as a binder, allowing the rubs to stick to the meat better without falling off.
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How Do You Know Chicken Drumsticks Are Done
Cooking dark meat is the same as white meat but it can be a little harder to tell when it is done. The easiest way to ensure that your drumstick is done is using an instant read thermometer and ensuring the internal temperature is at least 165°F. Just make sure you arent touching the bone so you get an accurate reading.
Another way to check if your drumsticks are done is by sticking a knife into the drumstick all the way to the bone. If the juices run clear, it is done. When cooking chicken on the bone, it can have a pinkish hue to it even when fully cooked. Also, cooking it with indirect heat and allowing it to absorb some smoke on the grill can cause the meat to be slightly pink.
Color doesnt always determine doneness in chicken so just use your best judgement. If in doubt, throw it back on the grill until you are satisfied its fully cooked.
