Hickory Smoked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

A homemade hickory smoked BBQ sauce is brushed over chicken drumsticks and grilled to perfection. These Hickory Smoked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are a tasty backyard barbecue delight!

A homemade hickory smoked BBQ sauce is brushed over chicken drumsticks and grilled to per Hickory Smoked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Making your own barbecue sauce is incredible simple. I love having complete control over the ingredients and flavor combination. I catered a wedding a few years ago where I made 4 different kinds of barbecue sauce. I had made custom flavors for the bride and groom. It was a huge hit and everyone at the wedding was asking for each of the recipes. This is one of those sauces. Mmmmmm, so good!

In this recipe I use a little trick to keep things as simple as can be. Usually, barbecue sauces need to be simmered and cooked on the stove. Well, if I’m putting the sauce directly onto something that is going to cook anyway, why simmer? That’s right, I brush the raw sauce directly onto the chicken and let both the sauce and the chicken cook at the same time! Chicken drumsticks need a fair amount of time to cook all the way through, so it works. I also use this trick in the slow cooker with BBQ pulled pork. It’s a great time saver.

I’ve made a video to show you how I make this recipe and walk you through every step. You’ll see that I make my sauce in the blender. Another great time saving tip! Toss it all in and blend. Be sure to scroll down where I give you 8 more great barbecue recipes you can make in a blender. Can’t get any easier!

And check out my YouTube channel where you can find more of my cooking videos. I have over 100 of them so there’s sure to be something you like.

Hickory Smoked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

A homemade hickory smoked BBQ sauce is brushed over chicken drumsticks and grilled to perfection. These Hickory Smoked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are a tasty backyard barbecue delight!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time45 mins

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Servings: drumsticks

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hickory liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 generous pinch cayenne pepper
3 garlic cloves
12 chicken drumsticks

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a blender combine ketchup, worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, soy sauce, hot sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, onion powder, oregano, basil, paprika, pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic cloves.
Puree until smooth.
Brush sauce onto drumsticks.
Heat an outdoor grill to about 400 degrees. Put your drumsticks onto a well oiled grate. Sear on one side, flip, and brush on more barbecue sauce. Once the other side is seared, brush on more sauce and move to indirect heat. Reduce the heat to low.
Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Serve hot.

Notes

Be careful about cross contamination with the barbecue sauce. If you touch your chicken with a brush or spoon and then stick that utensil back into the bowl, the sauce is now contaminated. This means that the sauce cannot be eaten unless it has been cooked.