How to Cook Chicken Legs on the Grill

Grilled chicken legs are not only a yummy summer meal, but they are also economical as legs are one of the cheapest parts of the chicken. Just because they are cheap, does not mean they have to lack in flavor. Actually, the dark meat of poultry has more flavor as it contains more fat.

One of the biggest problems grilling enthusiasts face however is with cooking times and temperatures. One of the most often asked questions is: how long do you grill chicken legs?

Charcoal Weber Grill

It beyond doubt isn't inherent to give an exact sass to this question as it beyond doubt depends on the type of grill you are using, the grilling formula and how big the chicken legs are.

How to Cook Chicken Legs on the Grill

It beyond doubt is an perfect idea to spend in a good quality cooking thermometer. I personally own a voice alert electronic thermometer. It beyond doubt is a remarkable minuscule cooking tool and I would be lost without it. It is highly strict and eliminates all guessing, and guessing is not an selection when cooking meat, especially chicken.

Chicken Grilling Methods

Boil the Chicken Legs First

The goal with this formula is to cook the meat all the way through before it goes on the grill. This greatly reduces the risk of any food born illnesses and also cuts down the grilling time significantly. The downside to this formula is a serious lack of flavor. Since you will be cooking the meat on the grill for a much shorter duration of time, the meat will not have a chance to pick up that yummy grilled flavor.

Marinate Then Grill

Marinating your chicken legs first is all the time a good idea. Not only does it give your food a remarkable flavor, but it also keeps the meat moist while the cooking process. For the best results, marinate the chicken over night. Below is an perfect marinade that I use often and it is quite versatile. It works well with seafood like shrimp and scallops as well.

Citrus Herb Marinade

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Legs

1/4 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 1/2 Tablespoons of Fresh Lemon Juice

1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice

1/3 Cup of Freshly Chopped Parsley

1/3 Cup Freshly Chopped Cilantro

2 Cloves of Garlic Minced

1 Teaspoon of Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except the chicken legs. Add chicken to the bowl with the marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate for several hours, over night if possible.

Let's Start Grilling!

I have found that the best formula for cooking chicken legs on the grill is to first sear the meat and then finish the cooking process over indirect heat. The supervene is a nice moist chicken leg with a delightfully crispy skin.

Step 1: remove chicken from marinade and rinse. This is to remove any ingredients from the marinade that are stuck to the chicken. If left on, this can burn. Coat the chicken with some oil to prevent it from sticking to the grill.

Step 2: Clean the grill. The best formula for cleaning a grill is to turn the grill up high and allow the heat to burn off any grease and grime. Use your grill brush to scrape the grates clean. For charcoal grills, just light up the charcoal and allow the fire to heat up the grates and scrape the grates clean.

Step 3: Heat the Grill. We are going to set up our grill for the searing/indirect cooking method. For gas grills, this is pretty easy. All you do is turn one burner up high and leave the others off. For charcoal grills, it is a minuscule more involved, but not rocket science. All you do once your charcoal is ready, is push all of your charcoal over to one side leaving half of the grill without charcoal. The side with charcoal is for searing and the other side is for the indirect cooking.

Step 4: Begin Cooking. Once your grill is good and hot, go ahead and put your chicken legs on the hot part of the grill and sear on all sides. Only sear your legs for a few minutes per side. You are finding for a nice sear, so avoid burning the skin. After you sear them, go ahead and move them on over to the cool side of the grill and cover.

Let them cook for a good 20 minutes and then get out your basting sauce. If you used the citrus herb marinade from above, try and find a thick basting sauce that compliments the citrus flavors. Baste the legs on all sides and then cover. After someone else 20 minutes or so, using your thermometer, go ahead and check to see if the legs are done. You are finding for an internal climatic characteristic of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the legs are done, If they aren't as crispy as you like, put them on the hot side of the grill again for a few minutes before removing them from the grill.

Enjoy!

How to Cook Chicken Legs on the Grill

Barbecue Smokers Grills - How to select the Right One For You If You're Just starting Out!

So you're tired of dropping tons of dough at your local barbecue restaurant and you're ready to start turning out some tasty barbecue of your own and now you need to form out how to pick a barbecue smoker grill. choosing a barbecue smoker grill may seem like a difficult decision but I'm hoping this report will help cut your learning curve so you can make a very informed buying choice.

Now if you're just smoking meat in your backyard for your house and friends you can use just about any type of grill you want. Heck, you can even use a gas grill! Basically you just need a Barbecue grill that keeps your indirect fire going for a long duration of time for your low and slow cooking experience.

Charcoal Weber Grill

So without any further delay, here are some basic barbecue cookers I recommend if you're just starting out. However, I would also like you to keep in mind when choosing a barbecue smoker these smokers can also be used if you want to enter a barbecue competition.

• Kettle Style Charcoal Grill

Barbecue Smokers Grills - How to select the Right One For You If You're Just starting Out!

A Weber Kettle Grill is the most basic tool you can use to smoke meat. Any way I recommend you purchase the 26 inch model if you can find it because its easier for you to smoke larger cuts of meat. You'll be using charcoal to start your fire with a consolidate of your beloved wood chunks thrown in for smoke. You'll also want to use an aluminum pan on one side or in the center with your charcoal on whether side of the pan so your meat is not over the flame. You'll also want to check out a hinged style cooking grate so you can flip the sides up and honestly add further charcoal or wood chunks to keep your fire going.

• Vertical Bullet Style Smoker

I honestly recommend this minuscule cooker if you're just starting out but also works great if you are a seasoned pro. The charcoal goes in the lowest third of the cooker in the fire ring with a water pan directly on top. Your food then cooks on two levels in the middle and the top. This smoker grill is very easy to use and it maintains it's temperatures very well during long cooks. Its exquisite if you're barbecuing for your house in the backyard but you'll want to buy a few of them if you're using it as your competition cooker. This goes for all three of these cookers I'm discussing with you.

• Electric "Bullet" Smoker

This cooker is very similar to the charcoal type but uses lava rocks instead of charcoal. The lava rocks rest on galvanic coils which produces the heat. This type of cooker is a minuscule easier to use because you don't have to worry about tending a "real" fire. You'll want to soak your wood chips and place them in an aluminum pan so they don't burn up. Also, you don't want the wood honestly touching the heating coils to furnish your smoke.

Remember, these smoker grill suggestions are best used for backyard cooking but you can also use them in a barbecue competition. So there you have it, If you've been struggling trying to form out how to pick a barbecue smoker grill you now have three types of smokers to chose from all under 0.00.

Barbecue Smokers Grills - How to select the Right One For You If You're Just starting Out!