I hate the prep work for these but it always ends up being worth it.
databender@lemmy.worldOPEnglish1·2 months ago- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Season with whatever you use on poultry; I use a mix of kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, chile powder, and sometimes cayenne pepper.
- Smoke until the meat is 155-ish (the grill in the next step can finish up the cooking)
- Finish on a gas grill to crisp up the skin.