Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

[WARFAB]

Not exactly camp cooking, but I figured this was the closest forum.

I got a smoker for Christmas and have been working on smoking some different things. So far all I've been doing is ribs and chicken drumsticks. I'm pretty happy with how my ribs have been turning out and I think I'll just keep fine tuning them. My chicken drumsticks are tasty, but they keep splitting open when I'm grilling them to finish them off. I brine them overnight, smoke for about 2 hours at 140 degrees, then move the temp up to 275 degrees for the final hour. The reason I do the temperature that way is because I'm usually smoking the ribs and chicken together, so the final hour at the higher temperature is with the ribs wrapped in foil.

I think I've figured out that the meat cooks hotter down at the bottom of the smoker so I need to keep all the chicken up on the higher racks. But I'm not exactly sure what I should change so that the drumsticks don't split open when being grilled. Not all of them do it, but it's kind of annoying on the ones that do. I like chicken drummers at Sticky Lips and theirs don't split.

Anyone have any tips or suggestions?

[camper4lyfe]

I’ve only done chicken once or twice but that’s always been at a higher temp to help crisp the skin, otherwise it gets rubbery. Maybe you’re too low?

[dwa12479]

What kind of smoker?

Brining/cold smoking chicken is not easy. Drumsticks, thighs, and quarters I usually do hot and fast. 400 for about an hour with some chunk wood and add some chips whenever I flip them. Get great smoky flavor and crispy skip. But that does require a dedicated grill. Can't do ribs at the same time. I use the slow-n-sear insert in my kettle for that. The same one you got your father-in-law.

https://amazingribs.com/

This is by far my favorite bbq site. I've tried many many different recipes and techniques from Meathead Goldwyn (his Memphis Dust dry rub is THE BOMB, I make it in large batches and it's always on hand)

[WARFAB]

It's a Masterbuilt electric smoker. Based on the pictures camper4lyfe posted on Facebook I suspect we have the same model.

I'll definitely check out the amazingribs site. There's a lot of recipes and information out there and it's hard to sort through it all. Looks like tomorrow I'll be doing the ribs and chicken combo again. They're not at all bad when I cook them that way, but I'm always striving for better. I'm keeping pretty detailed notes about each smoking session so hopefully I can continue to improve. So far I've only used pecan wood chips. I picked up some applewood chips a couple weeks ago so this time I'm going to try the same rib seasoning with applewood.

Time to go prep the ribs and chicken.

[WARFAB]

Of course it rains on my BBQ day. Never fails.

[dwa12479]

Best thing you can do is get yourself a good dual probe thermometer and use it to track temperatures at grate. Wrap some tin foil around the front and rear and stuff it into the grating. Using an upright with 2 cooling surfaces, you've already noticed differences in temperature between the upper and lower. Then you also need a good probe in your meat. Trying to cook proper BBQ without knowing your grate and internal temps is like trying to run Watkins Glen blindfolded. In the snow. Ribs unfortunately you can't use a thermometer. I usually run the babybacks about 3-4 hours at 225. I don't wrap them in foil either. It turns them a little mushy if they're in too long, and also tends to ruin the crust. I like to pick up the end of them with tongs and gently bounce them. If they crack every so little on the surface, they're done.



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I absolutely love to BBQ. There's so many different things to do and try.

[WARFAB]

Last time I did the ribs for 2 hours at 225 then wrapped them with butter and honey and cooked them for another hour at 275. Then I move them to the grill to brown them up and add sauce to caramelize before serving.

This time I'm doing pretty much the same thing but I put the ribs into the smoker about an hour early while it was still getting up to temperature. Just moved them into tinfoil and they appear to be on track to where I want them.

[WARFAB]

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[dwa12479]

Yummy!!! I'll expect a full report after dinner.

[WARFAB]

My first use of the smoker was shockingly good. I couldn't believe it. Since then results have been mediocre. I'm happy to report I did well again this time.

Used applewood for the first time and tried using Dinosaur Big Action rub on half the ribs and 4 drumsticks. Everything tasted really good and I did much better cooking the chicken. My only disappointment was the wide end of the rib rack was a bit on the dry side. The narrow end was meatier and stayed moist, but the wide end didn't have much meat and what meat was there was on the dry side. I'll have to pay more attention to that next time and adjust how I cook it. All the plain drumsticks got hit with Sweet Baby Ray's sauce and tasted great. The drumsticks that just had the Dino rub on them also tasted really good, which is the first time I've been happy with how my drumsticks tasted without a sauce.

The drumsticks still popped open a bit here and there, but it wasn't as bad and things tasted great. Amazingribs.com is saying to dry brine chicken with skin on it, so I might try switching away from wet brining the chicken next time.

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[Norm DeGuerre]

I have best luck with 2 hours of salt (dry), and I have not cared for the smoked flavor of cherry on chicken

[WARFAB]

I've been reading amazingribs.com and now I'm itching to try Meathead's "Last Meal" rib recipe.

Side note: I guess there's an AA member who is personal friends with Meathead.

[camper4lyfe]

I need to dig through the freezer and see if I can’t find something smokable. This weekend is looking like a good time to hit the meats.

[Norm DeGuerre]

you might want to leave that freezer alone..
I was to Aldis's in Geneseo sunday, virtually no meat
had to settle for 3) "petite" sirloins
only 1/2" thick... gonna be hard not to overcook these !!

[Norm DeGuerre]

crap .. looking at these I am thinking Steak Sandwich is all thats good for

[WARFAB]

you might want to leave that freezer alone..
I was to Aldis's in Geneseo sunday, virtually no meat
had to settle for 3) "petite" sirloins
only 1/2" thick... gonna be hard not to overcook these !!

I probably pay too much attention to the doom porn news, but there are reports that the food supply chain in the US is under stress these days.

http://"https://www.newsweek.com/ano...cerns-1500285"

Smithfield Foods has closed another meat-processing plant amid the coronavirus pandemic, the company's fifth facility to discontinue operations this month as a result of the illness.

According to Smithfield, a significant supplier of the global meat market, the company has stalled production on a rolling basis since April 19 "out of an abundance of caution" for employees of its St. Charles, Illinois, facility.

[camper4lyfe]

I probably pay too much attention to the doom porn news, but there are reports that the food supply chain in the US is under stress these days.

http://"https://www.newsweek.com/ano...cerns-1500285"

I'm starting to see similar reports. Meat is getting to be hard to come by. I have a few friends saying "now's a good time to go vegetarian". I respond with "now's a good time to take up hunting and fishing"