Jan

Please forgive the late posting of this recipe. Like most folk I was here and there over the Holidays and did not realize it never posted until a few days ago. Enjoy it, take the time to prepare it and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Love and Light!

These chicken legs are shaped to look like lollipops, they are dry rubbed with spices, then baked in the oven. The tangy barbecue sauce is delicious; however, you do have the option of using store bought.

Prep time: 45 minutes Marinate time: 30 minutes minimum (1 hour suggested) Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 2 packed tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 pinch salt (or to taste)
  • 1 pinch fresh ground pepper (or to taste)

For the Chicken Drumsticks

  • 8 medium bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks

For the Dry Rub

  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE

  1. Add ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, onion powder, salt, amd pepper to small saucepan. Mix well until ingredients are fully incorporated, then place saucepan on stovetop over medium-high heat.
  2. Bring sauce mixture to low, gentle boil. Once mixture begins to boil, immediately reduce heat under saucepan to low. Simmer sauce, occasionally stirring 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
  3. Once BBQ sauce has thickened, remove saucepan from heat and set aside. Let sauce cool completely, then transfer sauce to an airtight container until ready to use.

How to Lollipop (French) the Drumsticks

  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, ser aside.
  2. Place one drumstick on cutting board. Pat drumstick completely dry with paper towels.
  3. Focus on section where thick area of chicken meat tapers toward end of bone, about 1 to 2 inches from top of drumstick. Using shears or sharp knife, cut through chicken skin, meat, and tendons from bone.
  4. Hold thick end of drumstick in non-dominant hand.
  5. With dominant hand, use paper towels to pull skin, meat, and tendons off of bone, starting from incision and working toward small end of drumstick. If components don’t remove easily, use shears or knife to cut more as needed to uncover bone. Be sure thick end of drumstick remains intact.
  6. Once bone is fully exposed, place drumstick on cutting board. Using sharp knife cut small, angled piece off top of thick end of drumstick, creating straight edge to allow drumstick to stand upright later.
  7. Lay lollipopped drumstick horizontally on prepared baking sheet, repeat with remaining drumsticks.

Season Chicken Drumsticks

  1. Add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper to small bowl. Mix spices until well blended.
  2. Completely pat each drumstick with paper towels, then lightly spray cooking oil over chicken skin, coating all sides of drumstick evenly.
  3. Sprinkle dry spice mixture over chicken generously and evenly, coating skin completely. Use hands to gently work spice rub into skin of drumsticks.
  4. Cover drumsticks with sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil then place baking sheet in refrigerator. Chill seasoned drumsticks at least 30 minutes, although 1 hour is preferred.

Bake the Drumsticks

  1. Before removing baking sheet from fridge, preheat oven to 385 F, adjust oven racks as needed so drumsticks can stand upright in center of oven. Cut 2-inch squares of foil for each drumstick.
  2. Remove baking sheet from fridge, remove plastic wrap or foil covering drumsticks, and discard. Cover exposed bone on each drumstick with squares of aluminum foil.
  3. Lightly spray each drumstick with cooking spray again, then stand each drumstick upright on baking sheet. Place baking sheet in oven.
  4. Bake drumsticks 25 minutes, then remove baking sheet from oven.
  5. Brush chicken generously with BBQ sauce, coating all sides of each drumstick completely Return baking sheet to oven.
  6. Bake drumsticks 5 more minutes, then check internal temperature using meat thermometer into thickest part of drumstick. Continue baking checking temperature every 5 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165 F.
  7. Once drumsticks reach 165F, carefully remove baking sheet from oven and let drumsticks rest for 5 minutes.
  8. Serve immediately with extra BBQ sauce and desired sides.