How Long To Grill Bbq Chicken Leg Quarters
Cooking time may vary depending on the size of your chicken legs and the temperature of your grill. Factors, such as whether you are using a charcoal or a gas grill could affect how long it takes for your meat to be finished.
Generally, it will take about 40-60 minutes. The key is to cook your chicken leg quarters over the most direct heat on your grill.
Any chicken you cook should have the internal temperature reach 165 degrees F before removing it from the grill. It is also important to let your chicken rest for 5 minutes before digging in. If you do not have an instant read meat thermometer, another way to tell if the chicken is done is whether or not the juices run clear when you cut into the meat.
How Long Does It Take To Grill A Whole Chicken
A whole 6-pound chicken will take 105 minutes to 150 minutes.
The efficiency of your BBQ, ambient temperature and starting temperature of the chicken contribute to the overall cooking time.
Whether you grill it upright in a beer can chicken recipe, or on its back, the preferred temperature range for your grill is 200300 °F . This is a long, slow cooking process, that will take approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the bird and how well your grill maintains temperature.
However, if you spatchcock the chicken, you can reduce the time significantly!
Related Read
If you spatchcock a chicken, because the overall thickness of any part is severely reduced, and heat can get more readily to every part of the bird, you can reduce the cooking time for a whole bird down to 30 to 40 minutes!
Just remember thermometer tells you when the chicken is done, not the clock! Use a reliable thermometer and make sure every part is cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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.
Recommended Reading: What Temp Should The Grill Be For Steak
Questions About Grilled Chicken Thighs
How do you grill chicken thighs without drying them out?
Properly marinating chicken will help tremendously in keeping it from drying out on the grill. The marinade penetrates the chicken flesh and results in a tender, flavorful finished piece of chicken.
Do you close the grill when cooking chicken thighs?
Yes. Keep the grill closed except for when youre checking or turning the chicken. This helps prevent fluctuations in grill temperature.
At what temperature is chicken done?
Chicken is done at 165 F. Check with a meat thermometer to be sure. You might consider removing the chicken from the grill when the internal temperature has reached about 160 degrees. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
Grilling Chicken Legsto Perfection: Tips & Techniques
There are a few useful methods and tricks that you can use with any sort of cooking or grilling to get the most taste and texture out of your food:
Don’t Miss: Where Can I Buy Gas For My Grill
What Temperature Do You Grill Chicken On A Gas Grill
Preventing your meat from sticking to the surface of the grill is one of the most effective techniques to avoid scorching. As a result, coat the grill with oil or cooking spray before turning it on to heat it up properly. If you want to grill your chicken, you should also coat it with oil or marinate it in an oil-based sauce before grilling.
How Long Should Chicken Legs Cook On A Grill
So, how long should you cook your chicken legs on a grill? To start, you want to make sure your grill is preheated to high. Most grills will say to heat the grill to 500-600 degrees. The legs will have to cook for a long time. The rule of thumb is that the bone needs to cook until it reaches a temperature of 180 degrees. This will take between one and three hours. If your chicken legs are thicker in the middle, then you may need to cook them longer. However, there is no guarantee that this will happen. Make sure to cover the grill, to avoid flare ups. You may also need to have the grill at a lower temperature for the first half of the cooking time. This is to make sure the heat is even and the legs cook at the same rate. The longer they cook, the more the bone will shrink and be easier to remove. Keep in mind that your grill may not have the best grill grate, so you may need to adjust your cooking times. If youre unsure, its recommended that you cook the chicken at the lower temperatures until the bone is tender. You may find that you need to cook it longer at this lower temperature. This way, its less likely to flare up.
You May Like: How Do Kamado Grills Work
How Do I Cook Chicken Legs And Thighs On A Gas Grill
If youre looking to cook chicken legs and thighs on a gas grill, there are a few things you should be aware of. The first is that cooking chicken on a gas grill requires natural gas.
This means that the heat from the grill will cook your food slowly, which can create some tough skin and bones. Additionally, make sure to use a drip pan or other method to avoid sticking and burning your chicken flesh.
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.
Also Check: How To Grill Cod Fillets
How Long Does It Take To Grill Chicken Legs On Indirect Heat
Indirect grilling is a popular way to cook chicken legs. It takes less time than direct grilling, and the chicken doesnt dry out. Heres how to do it: Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place chicken legs on grill, close lid, and cook for 30 minutes. Turn chicken legs over and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.
Can You Overcook Chicken Drumsticks
Keeping your charcoal grill over 300° F and making sure your internal temperatures of your drumstick are at minimum 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You will need to preheating your oven too. Put your meat in aluminum foil and place it in an oven pre-heated to 300 degrees. When the oven is ready, place the drum sticks in their foil packets and cook them for about 15 minutes. After cooking, remove the foil packet and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will ensure that the juices dont run out during cooking. If you do not have an aluminum pan, you may want to use a cast iron skillet. Make sure to keep the heat low enough so the bottom of both the pan and the vegetables stay warm. Cook until the skin is browned and crispy. Serve with your favorite side dish.
Don’t Miss: Weber Genesis Ii E-435 4-burner Propane Gas Grill
How To Grill Drumsticks
Your ingredients are whatever you want them to be.
We like serving ours with asparagus, but you can serve them with any side you wish. Most importantly, whats the chicken drumstick grill time?
You can spice your drummies with salt and pepper, or get creative with garlic salt, cayenne pepper or one of our favorites, Stubbs Rub.
Lets get to it. How long do you grill chicken drumsticks? Whats a good internal temp of chicken drumsticks? How long to grill chicken legs?
Bbq Chicken Leg Ingredients
Chicken- For this BBQ chicken legs recipe you can use either chicken legs or chicken leg quarters depending on availability.
Rub- You can throw together the perfect BBQ rub with what you already have in your cupboards! Just use some brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
BBQ Sauce- For my homemade honey barbecue sauce all you need is ketchup, white vinegar, molasses, honey, salt and pepper, dry mustard, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. This recipe will make enough to coat your chicken legs and leave some extra for dipping or saving for later.
You May Like: What Is The Best Type Of Grill To Buy
Grilled Chicken Leg Variations:
These grilled drumsticks are my absolute favorite for a simple, classic chicken dish. If you want some fun ways to vary it, try the following:
- Smother with your favorite BBQ sauce in the last 10 minutes of grilling.
- Glaze the chicken with honey. Want a kick? Use everyones new favorite, hot honey.
- Bring out the dips: ranch dressing, honey mustard, and more.
- Add a touch of another herb or spice. I like to add some oregano or Italian seasoning sometimes to vary the flavor. If doing so, I skip the smoked paprika and use regular paprika instead.
A Quick Rub To Flavorize Chicken Legs
The key phrase here is quick. I am a big fan of marinating chicken, because it works and helps attain deep, balanced flavor profiles. If youve tried my Killer chicken thigh marinade you know what I am talking about. But, despite what some recipes claim, marination needs at least 2-4 hours to be effective, and preferably longer, like overnight and up to 24 hours. Thats not always possible. More often than not I dont plan ahead and tend to look for a quick recipe that does not require a lot of prep time.
In this recipe all it takes is 5 minutes to prepare the rub and apply it on the chicken, which is immediately ready to go on the grill. This is it! All you have to do is mix together some granulated garlic and onions, black pepper and salt, add some dark soy sauce for sweetness and some cayenne for a little kick, rub the chicken with the spice mix and throw on the grill.
Then, magically, the cheapest part of the chicken becomes some of the best que youve ever had. I think what makes these grilled chicken legs so special is the balance of sweet and salty, subtle pepper, garlic and onion flavors and a nice kick from the cayenne pepper. There are no overpowering ingredients, and the flavors are clean.
Don’t Miss: How Do You Grill Pizza
How Long Does It Take For Chicken To Cook At 450
Chicken can cook at a range of temperatures, but the oven is usually the best place to cook them. Most chicken processors will achieve a temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, but some may go as high as 500 degrees. The time it will take for your chicken to cook at this temperature is generally around 20 minutes per pound.
Time For Chicken Barbecue On Charcoal:
- The base safe inside temperature for grilling chicken leg pieces is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. There is a dissimilarity among got and done.. The pork is ensured at 145 degrees Fahrenheit. In any case, you sure will not require your pulled pork to be cooked to 145°. It could be unpleasant.
- In like manner, I estimate that it may even be underneath the secured most insignificant temperature since the pinkness disappears at approximately 155 degrees Fahrenheit.
Recommended Reading: Are Pit Boss Grills Good
How Do You Know When Chicken Legs Are Cooked
Chicken legs can be cooked in a variety of ways, but there is a way to know when they are done. The chicken should be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that the chicken is cooked through and doesnt come out dry or undercooked. For those who prefer their chicken legs charred on the outside, cooking them until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit will result in a crispy outer crust.
Do You Need To Flip Drumsticks In The Oven
Its a common question that many people face. If you do, be sure to read this article first! In this article, well discuss the pros and cons of flipping drumsticks in the oven.
The good:-Flipping drumsticks in the oven can help remove any stuck on food from your pan.-It also helps make your dish more evenly cooked and less likely to stick.-If youre using nonstick pans, flipping drumsticks in the oven can help prevent sticking.The bad:-Flipping drumsticks in the oven can also cause them to get stuck on each other and release quickly, which could damage your pan.-If youre using delicate or precious pans, its important to be Careful when flipping them in the oven!
Also Check: Landshark Bar And Grill New Jersey
Temperature To Grill Chicken Legs
You have to Set your barbecue to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If the barbecue temperature goes up or down several degrees, dont stress because this is the natural behaviour of barbecue.
We like to barbecue our chicken somewhat more smoking than what wed heat it at with the goal that it gets pleasant and scorched. There truly is nothing satisfactory compared to barbecue marks!
Simply ensure that you watch your drumsticks and pivot them regularly after some minutes to not consume. You are grilling them on straightforward blazes, all things considered.
Can I Make These In The Oven
Yes, you can also make these in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place drumsticks on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature for 165 degrees F.
Then brush the BBQ sauce onto the drumsticks and cook for 4-5 more minutes to caramelize the BBQ sauce.
Also Check: Where To Find Weber Grill Model Number
How Long Do You Cook Chicken Legs On Charcoal Grill
Grilling on a grill for 30 minuets, depends on how big the drums are. After flipping every ten minutes , cook until internal temp of chicken reach atleast 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Chicken will be juicy and tender. I used my electric griddle. You can use a gas grill too. Just make sure you have a thermometer handy. If you dont have one already, youll need to buy one. Also, make certain you know how much oil youre using. This is important because you want to avoid burning the meat. Use a little less than half the amount of oil recommended. For the best results, use 1/4 cup of olive oil.
