Smoked Buffalo Lollipop Chicken
The presentation is often the name of the game. And lollipop’d chicken drumsticks look amazing. Add in a honey bbq rub and baste in buffalo sauce, and you have a winner winner chicken dinner!
YouTube Instructional: https://youtu.be/FFeiETauA_4
Appx 2.5-3 Hour Cook Time
Ingredients:
1.5 Lbs of Chicken Drumsticks
Wet Brine Ingredients:
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
4 Tbsp Kosher Salt
4 Cups of Water
Honey BBQ Dry Rub Ingredients:
4 Tbsp Honey Granules (https://amzn.to/40nvP8d)
1 Tbsp Paprika
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
Buffalo Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Franks Red Hot
1/2 Stick of Unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Garlic powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
Step 1: Trim the Drumsticks
Cut the drumsticks about 1/2 way down and trim around the bone. Carefully clean off all meat and connective tissue to the bottom of the drumstick, so that only the bare bone is remaining. Repeat for all of the drumsticks.
Step 2: Wet Brine the lollipops
Combine the wet brine ingredients in cold water, and then add in the lollipops.
Move brine mixture to fridge and let it rest for appx 5 hours.
Step 3: Dry Rub the Lollipops
Mix together the dry rub (make sure it has no added salt)
Completely rinse off the chickens and discard the wet brine.
Pat the lollipops dry and apply a light coat of olive oil.
Coat all sides of the lollipops with the dry rub
Step 4: Start smoking the lollipops
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees. Cover the bone end of the lollipop with a layer of tin foil (not necessary but adds to presentation)
If using a lollipop rack, put the chickens hanging into the rack. Smoke for around an hour (to 130-145ish)
Step 5: Whip together the buffalo sauce
Melt the butter on a stove top burner (or in my case a propane grill) and then slowly add in the hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and dry ingredients. Set aside but keep warm
Step 6: Baste in the buffalo sauce
Bump the smoker temp to 300, and begin basting the lollipops in our buffalo sauce every 10-15 minutes.
Continue to smoke/baste until the temp is around 165-175
Enjoy!
