Where Da Bird At? Dub Shack BBQ Presents Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters

 

I know it is way too hot to hang out around the smoker, but for a couple hours of hard work, the end result can be legendary!

I decided to smoke some chicken leg quarters for the three of us; one day after the coronavirus pandemic ceases, I’ll invite a few of you to the house to eat, drink, and enjoy each other. This is a very easy, versatile, and affordable way to put dinner together, and if that doesn’t suit your fancy, smoked chicken leg quarters also can become leftovers for sandwiches, shredded enchiladas, salads, and so forth.

For the backstory of the title:  In college, a few of us were day drinking on the patio and one of the guys had an idea of frying chicken that night. As par for the course, I had to work meaning I knew I was going to miss out on the bird, so I did not think anything of it until the next day when Lance’s chicken was the talk of the apartment and the four words I wrote on the shared whiteboard were:  Where da bird at? Instantly – and from that moment forward, the first thing in conversation was that question.

Back to the barbecue part – and the reason why you’re reading this post.

You don’t have to trim much on leg quarters, but I will remove the feathers the processing plant missed and the extra fat and skin. Below is a general seasoning recipe – again, make this your own.

·        Table salt

·        Black pepper

·        Chicken seasoning of your choice

One thing I did differently is I marinated the chicken in beer overnight before taking the pieces out of the Ziploc bag and shaking off the excess liquid before sprinkling the seasonings onto each piece.

Any grill will get the job done as long it is set up for indirect heat. I used my Oklahoma Joe offset smoker with a couple of chimneys of charcoal (your brand of choice is your preference, and as a FYI I have no real favorite on the big boy) and some chunks of hickory and cherrywood for smoke. Once the temperature made it to 275 degrees, I positioned all eleven pieces skin side up onto the cooking grate and let the smoker work its magic. After the first hour, feel free to take a look at the chicken and move the pieces around for an even cook; keep in mind that the temperature still needs to be around 275 unless you don’t mind sitting around and working a little harder for the quarters to reach an internal temperature of 175.

Three hours later, the chicken was thoroughly smoked and done! The trick with chicken is to cook it through without drying it out, and thankfully when leg quarters are cooked, they can take a hotter temperature. I cannot say the same thing of a boneless breast.

Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, and may the eating commence!

How did we eat ours? With greens and blackeye peas, if you really want to know. This works well with a lot of things – in sandwiches (try my Dat White, The O.G., or the newest flavor Dang! Oh, Mango sauces); family style with mashed potatoes and Brussel sprouts; and of course, for lunch with baked beans and Woo Pig mac and cheese with a pickle spear on the side.

Remember, every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! Stay safe, keep practicing social distancing, wash your hands often, be blessed, and please remain kind to one another.