WSM Chicken Legs Suggestions


 
J

JMies

New member
Two smokes under my belt on my new 18.5" WSM and looking to do a third this weekend. I've done beer can chicken and turkey legs so far, both turned out great. The beer can chicken was smoked low and slow between 225-250 and I did the turkey legs on high heat, 300-350. I am wanting to smoke some chicken legs this weekend and was hoping for some cooking instructions, I couldn't find any on the site. I want full smoke flavor with crispy skin if possible. I am willing to sacrifice some crispiness for more smoke if necessary. How do you guys smoke the legs? Low and slow, high heat, with or without a water pan, ect.? I'd like to completely cover the top rack of my 18.5" WSM with chicken legs or do a beer can chicken then fill the rest of the grate with chicken legs. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!
 
I cook my with a foiled pan (no water) and about 300-350 (wherever it settles in at). For thighs only, I start checking for about 170 in the thigh at about 45 mins into the cook.
 
J Reyes has you covered.

Another option would be to go low and slow smoke then crisp the skin on the "little black egg". That's where you remove the mid section, place the food rack right over the charcoal ring on the lower bowl, and cover with the lid to keep the flares down.

Either way your gonna like the smokey chicken flavor!
 
I just smoke them @ 300-325 until done. No water in the pan just foil. They come out good. But like Dwain said smoke them low and slow then quick sear is good also..good luck and don't forget to post pics.
 
J Reyes said:
I cook my with a foiled pan (no water) and about 300-350 (wherever it settles in at). For thighs only, I start checking for about 170 in the thigh at about 45 mins into the cook.
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Tony R said:
I just smoke them @ 300-325 until done. No water in the pan just foil. They come out good. But like Dwain said smoke them low and slow then quick sear is good also..good luck and don't forget to post pics.
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With the no foil and higher temps on your WSM are you using the top rack?
 
WSM , no water pan- chicken on top rack , nice and hot. The chicken is close enough to get roasted fairly quick but far enough away that the flare ups don't scorch the chicken. Plenty of smoke plenty of heat = good chicken.:wsm:
 
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I have taken to doing my chicken as stated above. No water pan, no baffle of any kind. I dump one chimney of lit (Weber Chimney) with all vents open. The temp runs around 350 degrees. I smoke with apple wood. I smoke until the skin crisps up. I also brine my chicken and consider this critical to moist chicken. I use a simple rub - salt, pepper, and a bit of cayenne. I use either Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce or Larry Wolfe's recipe for Orange Marmalade Sriracha Sauce (depending on my preferences at the time). I try to sauce three times at five minute intervals starting fifteen or twenty minutes before the chicken is done.

Dale53
 
Frank H said:
WSM , no water pan- chicken on top rack , nice and hot. The chicken is close enough to get roasted fairly quick but far enough away that the flare ups don't scorch the chicken. Plenty of smoke plenty of heat = good chicken.:wsm:
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This sounds like a winning approach. I'm thinking that without the pan the heat will be more direct and more even across the rack. I'll be interested to hear if the fat dripping into the fire gets in the way of keeping the temp up. I'm guessing it won't, but a whole rack worth of chicken legs is going to give off some fat. Post pics!
 
Smoking tomorrow, should I go foiled water pan or no water pan at all? I am going to dump a full lit chimney, throw about 3 chucks on apple wood on, put the chicken on the top rack and let the WSM it do it's thing.
 
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