Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

The perfect grilled chicken drumsticks are juicy, tender and flavorful.  This is easy to accomplish if you do three simple things. We provide easy instructions on how to cook the inside perfectly and create wonderful crispy skin. Towards the end of the cooking time you can always brush the with bbq sauce just like you would chicken thighs. 

Go directly to the Recipe Card or
Read on for valuable tips and step by step pictures (2 mins). 

How to Grill The Perfect Chicken Drumstick?

If not done correctly grilling drumsticks can result in chewy meat with a really dry, charred outside (borderline scorched).

But this is easy to avoid if you follow these tried and true steps: 

1. Brine before you grill. Chicken drumsticks benefit from spending time in a brine. The salt penetrates into the dark meat, denatures the proteins and loosens the muscle fibers to create gaps that become filled with water. This is how thee meat absorbs and retains moisture. In result the drumsticks remain juicy during grilling and the meat is more tender.
2. Use a dry rub instead of a marinade. A dry rub will add a ton of flavor to the already moist drumsticks and is very easy to mix and apply. Plus if you made a flavorful brine (not just water and salt, see below) it will impart the essence of its ingredients to the chicken and a marinade will be a bit redundant.   
3. Grill over indirect heat. This will ensure that the drumsticks are tender. Cooking near the heat source allows the fat to render (and as it does to flavor the meat) and for the skin to get crispy (even though it is guaranteed to tear up). 

Brine for Chicken Wings, Drumsticks & Beyond

You can use any kind of brine, even the most basic saline solution, and the salt will penetrate the dark meat and break down some of the proteins.  

But if you will be brining the drumsticks anyways why not infuse them with a few extra flavors?

For this post we modified Chris’ go-to brine for chicken (which already uses brown sugar and spices) to include a caramely, roasty, malty porter ale. You do not need to use the beer and can simply make the standard brine recipe which we use for smoked chicken thighs, chicken breast or whole chicken destined for the grill or smoker. 

If you want to do the same round up: 

• brown sugar
• coarse salt
• hot water
• a flavorful dark ale or lager (porter, brown ale, dunkel lager etc.)
• peppercorns, mustard seed, bay leaves and cloves

Process. To start place the brown sugar and salt into a suitably large container and pour the hot water over them. Stir until they are fully dissolved. Add the ale and the rest of the ingredients and stir. Let the brine solution cool down.

Submerge the drumsticks, cover and refrigerate. 

Brine the chicken drumsticks for at least two hours and up to twelve.

Dry Rub for Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

We all have a tendency to use the same tested recipes or methods so Chris simply mixed another one of his go-tos, a dry rub that he used for grilled chicken legs, wings, drumsticks.

It has only brown sugar, salt, paprika and garlic powder (see Recipe Card) but is well balanced and works great. The paprika gives a nice golden color to the surface of the drumsticks too. 

You can add smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, black pepper to season the meat or simply your favorite chicken dry rub, whether store-bought or homemade and use it generously. 

TIP: If the dry rub includes brown sugar once it melts it will have the desirable effect of causing the rest of the ingredients to stick together and to the surface of the drumsticks = more flavor.

How to Grill Chicken Drumsticks to Ensure Tender, Juicy Meat

Regardless of whether you opt for charcoal or gas heat only one side of the grill in order to have an area with indirect heat.

Gas grill. Clean, close lid and heat one side to 350 F. 

Charcoal grill. Light a full chimney with your choice of charcoal and after the coals are nearly covered with white pour them over one side of the grill.

• While the grill is heating remove the drumsticks from the brine and pat them dry with a paper towel, then apply the dry rub.

• Place the seasoned drumsticks directly onto the grill grates on the side near the direct heat, not over it and close the lid.

• About 20-25 minutes after you start grilling the drumsticks move the ones closer to the heat source to the periphery and the ones that were farther away closer in (see #6 above). Switching them around like this will allow them to cook evenly and be done at the same time.  

• Once the drumsticks reach internal temperature 185 F you can move them to the area over the direct heat for just a couple of minutes to char them. Optional: before you char the drumsticks you can use the grill surface directly over the heat to simultaneously grill veggies (watch them closely).

How Long to Grill Chicken Drumsticks?

Grill chicken drumsticks until the internal temperature reaches 185 F as specified above. Use a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the drumstick and not touching the bone to measure it. 

Even though chicken is generally safe to eat at 165 F we recommend that you slowly let it reach 185 F. This will ensure that the drumsticks are tender as the strong collagen in their connective tissue will break down. The longer time spent above 165 F, the more liquefied collagen, the more fall-off-the-bone-tender the meat.  

BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

As far as chicken recipes go you do no need a separate one to grill the perfect bbq chicken drumsticks. All you have to do differently is use minimal amount of rub before you begin grilling – jsut to season the skin enough but not as much as if you were only to rely on the rub for the full falvor. 

Instructions: Towards the end of the cooking time, just before you start moving the drumsticks towards the direct heat area apply your favorite barbecuse sauce. The easiest way to do so is to temporarily lift the drumsticks to a baking sheet, brush them with sauce and then using tongs carefully place onto the direct area to allow for a nice caramelization to occur during the final minutes of grilling. Flip around as necessary.

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Perfect Grilled Chicken Drumsticks (Juicy & Crispy)

Yield: 10-12 drumsticks

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

How to grill chicken drumsticks for perfectly juicy, tender and flavorful results. Our easy method will help you avoid common novice mistakes. Use a flavorful brine and a dry rub for best results.

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Ingredients

Porter Ale Brine for Drumsticks*

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup coarse salt
• 1 quart hot water
• 12 oz porter ale or another malty, dark beer
• 12 oz cold water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp peppercorns
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 3-4 cloves

Chicken Drumsticks

• 10-12 chicken drumsticks
• 1/4 cup dry rub of your choice (or mix 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp coarse salt**, 1 tbsp each of paprika and garlic powder, then taste and adjust to your liking)

Instructions

1. Brine the chicken drumsticks ahead of time.

Place the brown sugar and salt in a suitably large container and add the hot water. Mixed until dissolved. Add the porter and the cold water, then the spices and stir. Let the solution cool down and then submerge the drumsticks. Cover and let brine refrigerated 2 to 12 hours.

2. When ready to grill heat your grill to 350 F. Heat one side only in order to have an indirect heat area right next to it.

3. While the grill is heating up remove the drumsticks from the brine and discard it. Pat them dry and season liberally with your choice of dry rub.

4. Place the drumsticks over the indirect heat and grill with the lid on for about 20-25 minutes. Switch them around - place the ones farthest from the heat source nearer to it and the ones that were closest to it farther away. Continue to grill until the internal temperature reaches 185 F and the fat from the skin is nicely rendered.

Optional: Move the drumsticks over the direct heat for the final 2-3 minutes to char them.

Notes

The recipe for the brine yields a quantity sufficient for up to 20 drumsticks.

*Here is another alternative for brine for chicken.

**Be mindful of the brand of coarse salt you use. This recipe assumes Diamond brand. If using Morton, cut amount of salt by half. If using a store brand start by adding 1 tbsp and adjust to taste.

Grill chicken drumsticks until the internal temperature reaches 185 F as specified above. This is a much better gauge than a specified time. Use a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the drumstick and not touching the bone to measure it. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 5 Serving Size: 2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 660Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 177mgSodium: 172mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 54g

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