When Do You Add The Bbq Sauce
I like to add the sauce towards the last 20 minutes or so. This will be after the chicken has done 4 quarter turns so it should be relatively cooked through.
Ive found that this is enough time to build up the flavors of the sauce without it burning or sticking to the grill pan.
I use a basting brush to coat the sauce and do it a few times, especially between turns, before the chicken is removed from the grill.
Average Grill Temperatures And What They Mean
When a recipe says grill over medium heat, what do they mean?
If you arent familiar with the various temperature levels used in grilling, heres a handy guideline showing the average temperatures. Make sure you have a good wireless digital thermometer to check and monitor the temperature at the grill grates.
- Low heat 250 to 275 °F
- Medium low heat 300 °F
- Medium heat 350 °F
- Medium high 400 to 450 °F
- High 500 to 650 °F
- Cremation 650+ °F
Cooking chicken too fast or too hot will end up burning the skin but leaving the meat undercooked, ugh!
So, the correct chicken cooking temperature will be in medium range, to cook it long enough without burning.
Grilled Chicken Legs Recipe: How To Grill Chicken Legs Perfectly
Chicken is one of those meats that go down well with everyone, and with a fantastic grilled chicken legs recipe under your belt, the meal you cook for the upcoming family gathering will no doubt be a scrumptious success.
Perhaps you have already nailed your ideal chicken breast recipe, but are looking for some inspiration for a foolproof grilled chicken legs recipe. If that is the case, then you have arrived at the right place!
In this article, we will be discussing the most awesome grilled chicken legs recipe and will also answer some of those burning chicken leg cooking questions that have many puzzled in the kitchen. Have you ever wondered How long does it take to grill chicken legs? then not to worry, as we will be finding out the answer to this question and more before this article is up.
So stay tuned, as this article will cover everything you need to know!
Recommended Reading: How To Grill Brats Weber
What Kind Of Grill To Use To Grill Drumsticks At 350
You dont have to have a grill to cook drumsticks. If you dont, bake them in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The last option is using the stovetop, but its not as effective as grilling or baking.
If you want to grill your drumsticks, there are two options. You can either prepare them on the stovetop and put them over an open flame or use an outdoor grill with coals or gas burners. How Long To Grill Drumsticks at 350?
If you like to make sauces, marinades, rubs, and other ingredients for your chicken before cooking them, make sure you do that before putting it on the grill because it will be too hot if done afterward.
If youre using an outdoor grill with coals or gas burners, then be aware of how long it will take for your chicken to cook through. For example, if its 350 degrees Fahrenheit outside and your drumsticks are two inches thick, theyll take about 20 minutes to cook fully through. The time may vary depending on what kind of heat source youre using and how thick the drumstick is.
How Do You Check The Temperature Of A Chicken Drumstick
When using an accurate thermometer, such as the Thermapen, you can ensure that your chicken is safe and of high quality, regardless of the color of the meat. When its time to consume chicken, a probe put into the thermal center of a chicken breast, leg, or thigh should register 165°F , according to the USDA.
Also Check: What Is The Best Gas Bbq Grill
Using A Charcoal Grill
We use a charcoal grill for the flavor mostly . And we love it.
Using a charcoal grill may seem like more work but once you know how to set it up, it’s extremely easy to use and the flavor is 100% better. No propane flavored chicken.
The best way to heat up your grill with charcoal is with a chimney starter.
Do Chicken Thighs Get More Tender The Longer You Cook Them
Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs and drumsticks actually become more tender the longer they cook. Thats because of their makeup. Dark meat has an abundant amount of connective tissue, which dissolves into gelatin as the meat cooks, rendering it juicy and tender.
Recommended Reading: How To Light Lynx Gas Grill
You May Like: How To Grill Frozen Bubba Burgers
Why You Should Make These Grilled Bbq Chicken Legs
- they are easy to make and dont need any extra time to prepare since theres no marinating required.
- chicken legs are inexpensive so feeding your family or a crowd wont break your budget.
- the homemade BBQ sauce is made with just a few simple ingredients and produces an amped-up flavor thats so crazy delicious.
- they are juicy, smokey, sweet, and sticky. All you need is a stack of napkins!
How Long Do I Grill Chicken
In conclusion, the average grilling time for all chicken cuts is 10 to 12 ounces bone-in chicken breast, cooked for 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat . 30 to 40 minutes over indirect medium heat for a bone-in leg or thigh 4 ounces of boneless, skinless thigh cooked for 8 to 10 minutes over direct high heat .
Recommended Reading: What Is Infrared Grilling Technology
How Do You Know When Drumsticks Are Done On The Grill
The drumsticks should be grilled over direct fire for around 30 minutes, depending on their size. Every 10 minutes or so, flip the container. Cook until the chickens internal temperature reaches at least 165° Fahrenheit, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for at least five minutes before serving.
Garlic And Other Seasonings
Try to use “granular” garlic and not powder. Its texture will mix a lot better with the salt and pepper.
Modification for the Garlic-asaurus. I live with a garlic-loving wife along with the rest of my family when they are here. For them, I use 7:2:2
One of the most common suggestions is onion powder but add what you commonly use. Remember, it is easy to use your custom seasoning and another one for a specific recipe. But you can’t take the cayenne pepper out if you don’t want it when cooking for the kids.
Don’t Miss: What To Add To Grilled Cheese
Do I Need To Boil Chicken Legs Before Grilling
You are ready to learn the secrets of how to cook chicken without the need for any special equipment. You can boil chicken right after you buy it and keep it in water until you are done cooking it. This will ensure that the meat is fully tender and juicy and that all the extra fat and moisture is locked away in small pockets in between the bones. If you want to make sure that your bird is cooked to perfection, you should always cook it over a high heat.
How Long Do You Grill Chicken Drumsticks On A Gas Grill
You can preheat the gas grill for medium high heat and add the drumstick meat to cook on both sides for 5 minutes each side. After cooking, lower the temperature to 300 degrees F and turn the meat over. Continue cooking for 25 to 30 minutes. Turn the bird over again after cooking 20 minutes this will ensure that the internal temperature of both the breast and the thigh meat is between 165 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit. If you prefer, you may cook the whole bird for 35 to 40 minutes total. Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans. This recipe makes enough for two servings. Note: If using a charcoal grill, place the skillet in direct sunlight for 10 minutes before cooking. Also, if using gas, make sure the lid is closed tightly.
Also Check: How To Connect Gas Line To Grill
How Do You Grill Drumsticks Without Burning Them
Chicken takes longer to cook than steak, but it is quite hard to manage as it is more prone to stick on the grill grates. That is why there are ways to cook drumsticks without burning them.
To prevent the chicken drumsticks from burning, you can do some tricks when grilling. The first one is to prevent the chicken drumsticks from sticking to the grill grate when cooking.
First, get a brush and make sure that there are no food residuals on the grill grate. Brush it thoroughly, get a paper towel, and spray some oil on the grill grates before wiping it.
This is done before heating the grill so that the oil does not drip or burn away. The oil will help the drumsticks cook properly without the skin sticking onto the grill grates when heated.
You can also wipe all sides of the chicken with oil before putting them on the grill. Its either that you can make an oil-based marinade and let the drumsticks soak first in the marinade.
If that seems inconvenient or you do not want too many extra flavors in the chicken, you can do the oiled grill grates technique and then place a flame guard under the grill grates.
Should I Boil Drumsticks Before Grilling
Theres really no good reason to boil drumsticks before grilling.
The whole purpose of boiling drumsticks before grilling them would be to make sure they are cooked to a safe internal temperature. Weve already established that your chicken legs should be monitored and cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, so pre-boiling is unnecessary.
Also Check: What To Cook On The Grill For Dinner
How To Grill Chicken Legs
Ah the Mighty Drumstick. If youre a fan of meat on the bone, then youve gotta be a fan of the chicken leg. They have a ton of flavor, are tender and juicy and just look really cool! They are also perfect for slow cooking on the grill over the open flame. Because of the bone itself, chicken legs need to be cooked a bit differently than boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Rather than very intense heat for a short period of time, with chicken legs, you want to use indirect heat, over a longer timeframe. That technique allows you to get the chicken legs cooked all they way through , without burning the outside of the chicken.
Here I show you how to grill some BBQ chicken legs on a gas grill, but the same fundamental techniques apply for a charcoal grill too. In fact, youd use just about all the same methods even if you were to cook them inside in the oven.
How To Grill Chicken Drumsticks
How long to grill chicken drumsticks/legs? Best internal temp of chicken drumsticks? Great questions.
If youre wondering how to grill drumsticks youve come to the right place.
Today were cooking fall off the bone drumsticks on the BBQ and showing you how to make your own!
Firing up the BBQ grill and dont know what temperature or how long to grill chicken legs, more affectionately known as drumsticks? Youre in luck!
Here youll learn exactly how long to grill drumsticks, without a fancy recipe.
Grilling chicken legs to the right temperature will make them fall off the bone delicious!
Dont forget to check out how to grill beer can chicken, and how to grill thighs too.
As I said, this is not a recipe but a simple outline of how to make grilling drumsticks.
Also, check out how to make smoked chicken wings.
You May Like: What Is The Best Bbq Grill On The Market
How To Make Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Rub the chicken. Coat chicken drumsticks with a mixture of salt, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder or garlic granules, and smoked paprika. Let sit for at least 20 minutes or refrigerate overnight with the seasoning if you can for the best flavor.
- Start grilling without sauce. For the first 20 minutes of grilling time, grill without any sauce on the chicken. This will keep the sauce from burning.
- Baste with sauce toward the end. Brush the chicken with sauce every 5 minutes for the rest of the grilling time.
Delicious Chicken Legs On The Grill
Grilling chicken legs is one of our go-to summer meals becuase theyre easy and delicious. Seriously, these scrumptious grilled chicken legs are full of so much flavor all thanks to our homemade chicken dry rub.
We love how inexpensive chicken legs are and how easy they are to flavor up. The bone makes them super moist and flavorful. Plus, a little bit of char from the grill makes these the ultimate Spring/Summer meal that the entire family will love.
Pair your grilled chicken drumsticks with our foil pack grilled potatoes, Caprese quinoa salad, and a homemade honey lavender lemonade for the ultimate summer meal.
Also Check: Chicken Leg And Thigh On Grill
St John Restaurants Ocean Grill At Cruz Bay St John Usvi
Maintain a temperature of 300-400 degrees Fahrenheit on the grill and check that the chickens internal temperature is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap the drumsticks in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Grill grates with oil while the grill is preheating to prevent your chicken from sticking as you cook it.
How Long To Grill Chicken Legs
These chicken legs take about 30 minutes on the grill over direct heat.
They need to reach an internal temperature of 165°F, but we prefer them at 185 190°F otherwise you sometimes end up with a little blood around the bone.
Cooking to a higher temperature will give you crispy chicken legs that are juicy and delicious!
Read Also: How To Prep Steak For Grilling
Read Also: Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich
Are Grilled Chicken Drumsticks Healthy
Short answer yes. Chicken is a protein powerhouse . With the skin on, grilled chicken drumsticks still have the lowest fat content of any cut of chicken, and grilling allows you to eliminate a bit more fat, because anything rendered drips away from the meat.
And even with the added brown sugar for the dry rub, grilled chicken drumsticks are still pretty darn low carb .
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!
Don’t Miss: How To Brine Chicken Breast For Grilling
Should Chicken Sit Out Before Grilling
You may be familiar with the concept of allowing meat to rest after cooking, but you should also be allowing chicken to rest prior to grilling. To prepare a grilled chicken breast, let it to come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before putting it on the grill. Meat cooked at room temperature cooks more uniformly, and less liquids escape throughout the cooking process.
Should You Marinate Brine Or Rub Before Cooking Does It Affect The Cooking Time
Wet marinades and wet brining add flavor but can increase the cooking time for the skin on chicken. It takes longer for the skin to dry before it can brown.
Boneless cuts of chicken take the same amount of time, marinated or not.
Dry rubs for chicken will help the skin to dry and will not affect cooking time.
Keep in mind that good old salt and pepper are the simplest yet best grilling seasonings. The smoke from the charcoal while grilling will overpower more delicate flavorings like herbs. And, if you plan on slathering with sauce at the end, youll just mask the other flavors from the marinade or rub.
While this guide works well, it still comes down to what thermometer says. You cant rush quality.
I hope the information here helps you the next time you grill your chicken, whole or parts. Let me know what you think in the comments below, and I hope you found this article helpful.
Happy grilling!
Don’t Miss: How To Keep Your Gas Grill Clean
