Chicken Drums

[NoobNoob]

Need some advice on chicken drumsticks. I bought a package of about 15 full-size drums from Sam's awhile back. I'd like to smoke them. I have looked at tons of recipes online and almost all of them start with a smoker temp of 275 or higher. I'm assuming this is for skin crispiness. Unfortunately my smoker only goes to 250. Would it work to smoke until done and then finish on the grill? I'd haste to lose moisture that way. I do plan on brining the drums as well so maybe that will help. Thoughts?

 

[WaterRat]

You are correct the high temp is to get good skin. Smoke them how you like then crisp em up on the grill. Don't smoke till done, take them to ~160 then do the last 10-15° on the grill. Good idea with the brine, then season how you like. If you sauce be careful with the grill so you don't burn.

 

[PAS]

I have an electric Masterbuilt and dont care about the skins so I cut the skin off and smoke them naked with a rub.

 

[zwiller]

Do drums quite a bit and smoke and grill is the method to use. Sounds like a PITA at first but not at all for me because I never eat stuff same day I smoke. Smoke one day and rest in fridge. Grill em whenever. I like to use Pops' brine but at 1/4 of the salt since I dry rub later. Smoke and take to 200F. Once grilled and prior to serving I toss a bit rub on them. Kinda cool as you can experiment with different rubs.

 

[civilsmoker]

Yup what waterrat said. Just smoke till IT is 155-160 then grill them or even put them under the broiler in the house oven till IT 175-180. FYI at smoking temp they will start to stall at the 155 to 160 and release moisture so you want to quickly take them to the finish temp after that. I do them all the time this way but I use the oven broiler as it is an open flame gas IR. But a regular boiler will work just fine too. I personally think the broiler is easier and less likely to dry them out.

 

[JC in GB]

You can also use the Myron Mixon method. Brine and season as you like. Smoke chicken for 45 minutes to an hour. Transfer to a pan and add butter then chicken stock about halfway up the pieces. Best to have a fairly full pan... Seal pan tightly and place back in the smoker for another hour.
Remove from pan and put back on the smoker for about 40 minutes while you sauce them. Will give you tender, bite through skin and moist juicy chicken.

Times will vary with temp and smoker.

 

[NoobNoob]

Nice, thanks everybody. Never a shortage of solutions to a problem around here! I'll let you know how they turn out. Thinking smoke to grill method for now, might get fancier another time with that butter pan method because that sounds amazing too.

 

[zwiller]

Also do a search for pellicle. Doing that and skin is bite through, not crispy, but doable from smoker. I think it is similar to store bought rotisserie chickens.

 

[civilsmoker]

Nice, thanks everybody. Never a shortage of solutions to a problem around here! I'll let you know how they turn out. Thinking smoke to grill method for now, might get fancier another time with that butter pan method because that sounds amazing too.

I have said this on other threads, but chicken is one of the most versatile proteins when it comes to the various preparations options of just about any protein there is......It is also on of the least cost proteins as well. Just take notes on the size of drum, time and temp of smoker & drums as they cook and the temp of grill and time they take to crisp up....That way you can have a "recipe" to fall back on to get the process perfected. Then once you have one method down you can experiment on others to give a full suite of ways to make chicken!

Just think you might get a road named after you.....aka "Chicken Dinner Road".....Coolest road name ever...........