Mesquite Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters Recipes

GRILLED CHICKEN QUARTERS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Stir the salt and brown sugar into the boiling water until dissolved. Place the ice cubes in a large container. Pour the brine over the ice cubes and stir to mix and cool. Add the leg quarters to the cooled brine, adding additional water if needed to make sure they are submerged. Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Turn one side of the grill off and place the chicken skin-side down over the indirect heat. Cook for 10 minutes, turn, cook another 10 minutes and then brush with a thick coating of basting sauce. Turn, cook another 10 minutes, baste and cook a final 10 minutes for a total of 40 minutes on the grill. The chicken should register at least 160 degrees F and the juices should run clear. Serve immediately.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup lemon juice, honey and salt. While constantly whisking, very slowly drizzle in the canola oil, drop by drop, until an emulsion forms, and then continue adding the oil in a slow steady stream. The mixture should thicken to the consistency of mayonnaise. Whisk in a little water to thin the final sauce to the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice, if necessary.

MESQUITE GRILLED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare grill for indirect medium heat (325°F to 375°F). Preheat grill by turning all burners to high with lid closed. Turn off burner(s) on one side of the grill. Turn burner on the other side to medium.Note: To maintain medium heat (325°F to 375°F), keep lid closed and adjust lit burner as necessary. Directions were developed using a gas grill. Grills vary; cooking time is approximate.
• Brush chicken with oil. Season cavity with 1 tablespoon of the Rub. Sprinkle remaining Rub evenly over surface of chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on unlit side of grill. Close lid.
• Grill chicken 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thigh).

MESQUITE-ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the rub: in a bowl, combine all the rub ingredients; set aside.
• Chickens: remove and discard the neck, giblets, and any excess fat from the chickens.
• Rinse the chickens, inside and out, under cold water; pat dry with paper towels.
• Remove the backbones and cut each chicken in half.
• Coat each chicken half thoroughly with the rub, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
• Make the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients together along with ½ cup water.
• Follow your grill's instructions for using wood chips; grill the chicken halves skin side up, over Indirect Medium heat until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 170° in the breast and 180° in the thickest part of the thigh, about 1 ¼ hours.
• Remove from the grill and loosely cover with foil; let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting the halves in two.
• Serve warm with the sauce on the side.

SPICE-RUBBED CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS

Steps:

• Mix water, sugar, salt, and vinegar for brine in a food-grade, nonreactive container.
• Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place it in the brine, cover, and let sit for 2 hours.
• Mix brown sugar, paprika, chile powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, cumin, and nutmeg for dry rub together in a small bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking dish with foil.
• Remove chicken from the brine and pat dry. Place it on a tray and generously sprinkle dry rub all over each piece, rubbing it into the skin and meat. (You will have some dry rub remaining.)
• Place chicken, skin-side down, in the prepared baking dish,. Cover with foil, making sure not to wrap it too tightly.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven. Increase the temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Remove the foil cover and turn chicken over. Sprinkle more dry rub onto the skin and return to the oven.
• Bake until skin is crispy, chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear, about 20 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

SMOKED CHICKEN LEG QUARTERS

Steps:

• Combine salt, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Marinate chicken leg quarters in the homemade seasoning rub for 4 to 8 hours.
• At the same time, set an electric smoker to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) for 3 hours. Keep the top vent closed.
• Place 1 chicken leg quarter on each of the wire racks. Place the racks into the smoker. Add water to the water pan. Add 2 loads of soaked wood chips according to manufacturer's instructions and open the vent.
• Smoke chicken until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 2 1/2 hours, adding more wood chips after each hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).