First time with drumsticks

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kurt boutin

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Apr 3, 2011
128
52
Southern NH
I'm itching to grill this week and have a mess of drumsticks.  However, I've not had great success with chicken on the grill and am VERY paranoid about undercooking.  I'd rather they fall off the bone and be a little overcooked than be questioning things.

So...that all being said, I've got a gas grill and wasn't planning on smoking them. 

What should I be using for temps?  High/Low?  Sear/don't sear?  I'm getting a lot of mixed info (at least to my head).

Help?

Thanks,

Kurt
 
Why not smoke them look up Jeff's drunken chicken legs forum for the recipe they are great. Just plug in Jeff's drunken chicken legs in the search engine (the little hour glass upper right corner) If you are cooking what kind charcoal or gas? Slow and not to close to heat to keep from burning. Legs shoul split when done and clear juice should be what you see.

Warren
 
So, I'm smoking the wings as we speak.  However, something seems off.  My smoker is sitting at about 260, and it's been going for about an hour and the meat probe says 170 already.  Just checked them, and there's no way.  They're not done.

So, I'm presuming my probe hit a bone or something on the drum.  Providing that it stays around 260-275, how long should it take?  What I was going for was 90 minutes at about 325-350, but I'm completely cool with low and slow, especially with the temp problems I've had in the past. 

Q-View when they're done.  I promise. :)  I forgot to take before pictures, but the afters should be awesome.

Kurt
 
How do you know they aren't done? Have you tested your probe and whatever therm you are using to take your pit temp?

Quite often the stock therms that come on smokers and grills are not accurate. I would recommend using a reliable therm for monitoring your pit temp and the internal temp of your meat.

If your meat is reading 170 and your therm is accurate, your chicken is actually over cooked. 165 is the safe cook temp for chicken. And yes the meat, especially when smoked may look pink. This is normal and fine. Also if your pit temp was close to 300, drumsticks would be done in about 1 hour.

How test your therm probes:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...is-212-f-an-accurate-measure-of-boiling-water

USDA safe food temp chart:

http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html
 
Last edited:
Thermometer is a 2 probe wireless model.  I have verified its temp in the past.  The internal temp of the smoker was reading 260-270...  I know the chicken wasn't done because it was appearing to be undercooked...gelatinous/raw-ish meat on a couple I looked at.  I'll be checking again shortly.

Kurt
 
Color looks better than mine from yesterday, I'm jealous! 
icon_mrgreen.gif
 
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