Easiest Way to Make Perfect Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

Smoked Chicken Drumsticks. Smoked chicken drumsticks are one of the most popular things I cook in the smoker. My family goes nuts over them and they get gobbled up so quickly. Smoking chicken drumsticks could not be easier and almost any smoker can hold lots of drumsticks so it is easy to feed a crowd.

Smoked chicken drumsticks are so easy to make and so full of flavor. Dark meat of chicken legs is already so juicy and flavorful but when you add smoked flavor and amazing dry rub, it's just perfection. Place drumsticks in a resealable plastic bag and sprinkle with the rub. You can have Smoked Chicken Drumsticks using 7 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you cook that.

Ingredients of Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

It's 1 package of drumsticks (10).
You need 1/4 cup of AP rub.
You need of (1 cup salt, 1/2 cup granulated garlic, 1/4 pepper).
Prepare of BBQ Chicken Rub (see my recipe).
Prepare of Wing Rub (same rub used on my smoked wings).
You need of Sauces:.
Prepare of Any kind you like, I used a trio of Buffalo, Hot BBQ and Teriyak.

Place drumsticks on the rack in the smoker. The number one fear cooks get with smoked chicken or smoked ribs, is that the meat will dry out after smoke exposure. The solution is to cleverly prepare a brine for the chicken. Do you know how to brine a chicken?

Smoked Chicken Drumsticks instructions

Put the drumsticks, AP rub and enough water for them to be about half submerged into a zip top bag. Flip the bag every 6-8 hours and let brine at least 24 hours. A large enough vessel to completely submerge all under the water can be used if you have the room..
After they have brined overnight pat dry and dust with the rub mixes. I did 8 with my chicken bbq rub and 2 with the wing rub for the ones I used the buffalo sauce on..
When coated on all sides with the rub mix hang on a leg rack and let sit to get the chill off while the smoker comes to between 250°-275°..
Let them smoke for 1-1/2 hours. Check them to see if a good color and slight crispness is set on the skin and some fat is starting to render out. If the skin is still on the light and rubbery side let them cook for another 15 - 30 minutes..
Once the skin is dark and and the fat is starting to render coat with sauce and let cook 1/2 hour..
Sauce again and smoke for another 15 minutes. Then let rest continuing to hang for another 15 minutes..
Grab a couple to eat now and hold the rest back to store for other meals. If you're planning a party skip the brine but still use the AP rub as a coating before the rub. Then smoke at about 300°-350° and for about an hour less and only saucing once should be enough..

Simple recipe for smoking chicken drumsticks during your next BBQ. Perfect recipe to start learning how to use your electric smoker! This Smoke Chicken Drumsticks post is sponsored by Traeger. I made these Easy Smoked ChickenView Recipe Place the chicken legs/drumsticks on a Bradley rack or Weber grill pan for easy transport to and from the smoker. Place the drumsticks on the smoker racks and place the racks inside the smoker.