I hate the prep work for these but it always ends up being worth it.

  • databender@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
    4·
    5 months ago
    1. Get a paring knife and cut all the way around the base of where the thigh muscle begins; finish cutting through the tendons and other tissue with a pair of kitchen shears.
    2. Once you have it cleared down to the bone, grab the tissue towards the small end and pull it up and over the bone at the end.
    3. Find the pin bone; it’s a sharp bone that extends up the thigh and should be removed. Slide your fingers down each side of the pin bone, pushing the meat down towards the end. With a pair of pliers grab the bone as far down as you can and wiggle it till it breaks, then pull it out. This is the part that sucks.
    4. With the kitchen shears cut some small tinfoil squares and wrap the exposed bone of the drumstick up. This prevents smoke from sticking to the bone; while this is optional the bone will get all black if you don’t do this part.
    5. Season with whatever you use on poultry; I use a mix of kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chile powder, and sometimes cayenne pepper.
    6. Smoke until the meat is 155-ish (the grill in the next step can finish up the cooking)
    7. Finish on a gas grill to crisp up the skin.