The Secret Behind Perfect Crispy Chicken Skin Revealed
Drumsticks Directly Over the Coals
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Introduction
Chicken Drumsticks Over Direct Lump
What's up BBQ fans! If chicken drumsticks are your thing, today is your lucky day. I've made these on a drumstick rack on my Yoder plenty of times, and they turn out phenomenal. What I'd never done is cook them directly over the coals, so the chicken juices and fat drip into the lump and add a whole bunch of flavor. Today we're doing that on the Komodo Kamado Big Bad 32.
The Prep
Organic, air-chilled chicken drumsticks, a couple of packages
Yardbird rub, a great all-around Kansas City-style BBQ rub that's really good on chicken. You can get it at All Things BBQ (use code: RUMANDCOOK11 to save 11%).
A drumstick rack. Any of them will work. Give it a quick spray of nonstick cooking oil first.
You could spend time cutting the skin and tendons to make lollipop drumsticks. I don't have the patience for that. I just hang them on the rack, and they taste the same and look just as good to me.
Season them one at a time with a nice even coating all the way around, and don't forget the top. Yardbird has a beautiful red color that helps the final presentation. Then let them sweat for about 15 minutes while the kamado comes up to temp.
The Setup
Fuel: Komodo Kamado Coco Char. It's made from coconut shell and has zero flavor, so it's a neutral fire. It takes a lot of heat to get going, so I used the GrillGun (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%). Once it's going, it burns super hot.
Build a line of lump and set the rack right over it so every drumstick is directly over the coals. Use a small amount so the whole top is lit and they cook evenly.
Wood: a chunk of Bear Mountain Hickory under the lump and a big chunk on top once it came to temp. Let it clean up a bit. Smoke isn't the star here. The chicken is.
Use whatever lump you want. I like the little Coco Char cylinders for this because they stack into a neat row under the rack.
The Cook
These temps are dome temperature, not grate level, since we're directly over the lump.
250°F for the first hour. I had to walk the dogs and didn't want them overcooking while I was out.
Then 275°F to let the fat render out.
Cook to 195°F internal. I really wanted the skin to break down and do its thing.
The Sauce
Put your favorite BBQ sauce in a measuring cup.
Thin it with apple cider vinegar, added in three rounds and stirred well each time, so it isn't too thick on the chicken.
Set it on the kamado for about 10 minutes to warm, and give it a stir.
Dunk the drumsticks. I planned to do every other one, then decided I'm a saucy guy and sauced most of them. I left three plain so you could see that skin.
Rest them about 10 to 15 minutes before digging in.
Taste Test
The skin looked absolutely beautiful. I tried a plain one first, and more smoke came through than I expected. You can definitely taste the fat dripping and rendering over the lump.
Then I tried one with sauce. It's good, too, but the sauce covers up the little nuances of flavor from cooking over the lump. I actually liked the plain one better, and that's pretty shocking for me to say, because I always go for sauce on something like this. I was a little disappointed I sauced so many. The last two plain ones are mine.
Final Thoughts
If you want chicken that's a little different, grab a drumstick rack or two and cook them right over the coals. They're great for entertaining because you can make a bunch and serve them a couple of different ways, and people love them. Next time, I'm leaving more of them unsauced.
Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
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