When I make a mess of chicken legs I try to do at least two recipes at a time to make sure I get something really hot, but the family doesn’t burn their face. The Weber setup with the vortex charcoal device lets you smoke and cook without direct heat drying out and burning your little bird legs. Here’s my Weber setup.
Spicy Smoked Chicken legs ( or wings):
Taking a page from Steven Raichlen’s BBQ Bible, I turn up the heat a bit and make these great little legs for me ( also good for wings, just triple the number of wings)
- 4-6 chicken legs
- 1 bundle of cilantro, chopped.
- 2 Tsp coarse salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 4 jalapenos, chopped
- 1/4 cup Sriracha ( Or your favorite hot sauce) for 4 legs, 1/2 cup for 6.
Mix all ingredients together and set aside 1/2 cup or so for glazing later. Marinade the legs with the rest in a ziplock bag for 1-2 hours. When ready to cook, place the bone ends toward the heat and arrange on the grill as shown. Smoke at 250 for an hour or two until the internal temp is 155-160, then use the rest of the remaining sauce mixture to glaze the chicken, and finish off the cook until their internal temp is 165.
Sweet Soy glazed smoked chicken legs:
Marinade: Marinade the chicken in a ziplock bag at least 2 hours, 12-15 is better.
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Sugarhouse Distillery Bourbon (or any bourbon I guess).
- 4 tbsp minced garlic
- 6-8 chicken legs
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup Sugarhouse Distillery Bourbon ( or any bourbon I guess).
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
Bring everything but the cornstarch and water to boil over medium heat in a saucepan, then simmer until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups. Save half a cup for serving with the chicken.
When ready to cook, place the bone ends toward the heat and arrange on the grill as shown. Smoke at 250 for an hour or two until the internal temp is 155-160, then use the rest of the remaining sauce mixture to glaze the chicken, and finish off the cook until their internal temp is 165.
