Conventional grilling typically involves placing meat directly above live charcoal and grilling on each side for several minutes. However, achieving a smoky flavor in chicken legs -- without charring away the skin -- requires an indirect grilling method in which hardwood charcoal and wet wood chips provide the heat and flavoring. Smoking chicken using indirect grilling in an outdoor barbecue grill also requires more cooking time than direct grilling, allowing the smoke to thoroughly penetrate the meat.
Step 1
Rub each chicken leg thoroughly with poultry seasoning, covering all skin and meat surfaces with a thick coat of spices.
Step 2
Place the legs in the large bowl, and seal the lid. Place the bowl in a refrigerator overnight prior to cooking.
Step 3
Place the wood chips in a small plastic bowl, and fill the container with water until all wood chips are either submerged or floating. Allow the chips to soak for an hour prior to cooking time.
Step 4
Open all grill vents wide for optimum airflow, and remove and set aside the grill lid and cooking grate.
Step 5
Fill the chimney starter to the top with charcoal, then crumple the sheets of newspaper into balls and place them in the lower compartment of the starter. Place the starter inside the grill on top of the coal grate, and light the newspaper from below with a long grill lighter or wooden match.
Step 6
Allow about 20 minutes for the coals to thoroughly ignite, then dump the lit coals into equal moon-shaped piles on opposite sides of the charcoal grate, leaving a coal-free zone in the center of the coal grate large enough for the foil roasting pan.
Step 7
Place the foil roasting pan in the center coal-free zone of the charcoal grate between the piles of lit coals. Pour three or four cups of water into the foil pan to squelch any grease drippings during cooking.
Step 8
Toss a handful of wet wood chips on top of each pile of coals, then place the cooking grate back in the grill.
Step 9
Fold a paper towel into a small square, dip in in vegetable oil, and drag the oiled towel over the cooking grate using a pair of long-handled grilling tongs to grease the cooking surface.
Step 10
Arrange the seasoned chicken legs in the center of the cooking grate directly over the foil roasting pan. If some legs are fatter than others, place the larger legs toward the outside and nearer to the piles of coals.
Step 11
Close the grill lid tightly with the lid vent positioned downwind and between the two piles of coals. Grill the chicken legs for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on outside temperatures and wind speeds.
Tips and Warnings
- Avoid the urge to frequently lift the grill lid during cooking, because this lets out crucial heat and smoke, causing uneven flavoring and cooking. Don't skip the seasoning or the wood chip soaking. Seasoning the chicken overnight adds flavor and creates a moisture barrier, and wet wood chips produce more smoke and thus more flavor. For extra flavor, dip the legs in your favorite barbecue sauce after removing them from the grill, and garnish them with toasted sesame seeds.
- Never handle hot grill lids, handles or vents without protective grilling mitts or gloves.
Things You'll Need
- 12 chicken legs
- Poultry seasoning
- Kettle-style barbecue grill
- Large sealable plastic bowl
- Small plastic bowl
- 2 handfuls hickory wood chips
- Large bag natural lump charcoal
- Charcoal chimney starter
- 2 full sheets newspaper
- Paper towel
- Grilling tongs
- Foil roasting pan
References
- Barbecue Bible: Direct vs. Indirect Grilling
- Barbecue Bible: The Art of Smoking
- "BBQ USA"; Steven Raichlen; 2003
