Went to the local grocer last Friday and they had Foster Farms chicken leg quarters on sale at 99 cents / lb with 4 in a bulk pack. For $4 for the bulk pack, what the heck.
Brought them home and brined them for 18 hours in 8 cups water, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup molasses, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. The molasses turns them a funky color before they are cooked but it really makes a difference.
On Saturday afternoon I dumped the brine, dried them off, then sprinkled with McCormick Sweet and Smoky, my go-to commercial rub when I don't want to make my own.
Fired up the Weber with Kingsford Blue Bag, mesquite, and hickory then dry smoked them for 2 hours at 275-290F. Internal temp was 172 then I glazed them with Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ sauce spiked with Kentucky bourbon and apricot-pineapple preserves. Cooked for 20 more minutes until the sauce was carmelized nicely.
Foster Farms got a bad rap here recently due to Salmonella, but I cooked mine to the proper temp so we had no problems at all. Delicious.
Before, during, and after shots below.
Brought them home and brined them for 18 hours in 8 cups water, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup molasses, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. The molasses turns them a funky color before they are cooked but it really makes a difference.
On Saturday afternoon I dumped the brine, dried them off, then sprinkled with McCormick Sweet and Smoky, my go-to commercial rub when I don't want to make my own.
Fired up the Weber with Kingsford Blue Bag, mesquite, and hickory then dry smoked them for 2 hours at 275-290F. Internal temp was 172 then I glazed them with Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ sauce spiked with Kentucky bourbon and apricot-pineapple preserves. Cooked for 20 more minutes until the sauce was carmelized nicely.
Foster Farms got a bad rap here recently due to Salmonella, but I cooked mine to the proper temp so we had no problems at all. Delicious.
Before, during, and after shots below.