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This week I’m smoking Chicken Leg Quarters and finishing them with an White BBQ Sauce made famous in the state of Alabama.
You can find chicken leg quarters fresh or frozen for as little as 0.50¢ per lb, so we’re talking inexpensive meat here. If you’re doing chicken for a crowd, chicken leg quarters are the way to go.
Remove the chicken leg quarters from the packaging and place in a large plastic bag. To get some flavor into the chicken leg quarters, I marinate in 1 bottle of Zesty Italian dressing for at least 4 hours. After several hours remove each chicken leg quarter from the marinade and let the excess drip back into the bag. If some of the spices from the Italian dressing stick to the outside , it’s ok.
For the outer seasoning I use a blend of seasonings I call my “Chicken Rub”
Here’s the Chicken Rub recipe:
- 3 cups Salt
- ¼ cup finely ground Black Pepper
- 1/8 cup ground red pepper
- ¼ cup Granulated Garlic
- ¼ cup Chili Powder
- ¼ cup Accent
Sprinkle each side of the chicken leg quarters moderately with the chicken rub and let it sit while the smoker is coming up to temp. Today I’m cooking on a Yoder pellet grill but any grill or smoker will work for this recipe. The key to good chicken is maintaining a temperature of 275-300 degrees. It may sound a little high for smoking, but trust me; this range will cook the skin perfectly while the meat stays tender and juicy. For smoke flavor I use Cherry pellets on chicken because they’re mild. If you’re using something else be careful, because chicken can absorb smoke fast and it will taste bitter if you go to heavy with the wood.
When the pit hits the target temp it’s time to start cooking. Place each Leg Quarter skin side up on the rack and close the lid for 1 hour. Keep an eye on your cooking temperature and hold it at 275 degrees.
After an hour, the chicken skin has started to get some color and firmed up a bit. Now it’s time to flip the chicken skin side down to really render that fat. This will give it that soft, bite-through texture. There’s nothing I hate more than rubbery chicken skin! Set a timer for 30 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, flip the chicken skin up. It’s a good idea to check the internal temperature here. Chicken Leg Quarters need to cook to an internal of 175 degrees, at the 1:30 mark they’re right at 160 internal, so they should need a little more cooking. I set the timer for 20 more minutes at this point.
At the 1:50 total cook time mark, these thighs were registering just over 175 degrees which is right where I want them. It’s ok if the temp slips past 180. Like I mentioned earlier dark meat is forgiving and will remain juicy even if it’s a little over cooked.
If you want to go the traditional route, you can glaze these chicken leg quarters with your favorite sauce right at the end of the cooking process. I’m opting for a different style of chicken today. This is where the Alabama sauce comes into play. It’s a mayonnaise based sauce with a touch of vinegar and some heat. I promise you it taste much better than it sounds! Here’s my version of a Alabama White BBQ Sauce:
- 2 cups Duke’s Mayo
- ½ cup Cider Vinegar
- 1 TBS Course Ground Black Pepper
- 1 TBS Granulated Garlic
- 1 TBS Sugar
- 1 heaping teaspoon minced Horseradish (I use the kind from a jar)
- 1 tea Salt
- ½ tea Ground Cayenne Pepper
- Juice from 2 Lemons
Whisk the above ingredients in a large bowl and store in the refrigerator for a few hours before using. It makes enough sauce for 8-10 Leg quarters.
To sauce the chicken pour the White Sauce into a bowl large enough to hold a leg quarter. Dip each piece into the sauce and turn to coat both sides. Now you have Alabama Leg Quarters! The sauce is creamy, tangy, and spicy all at the same time. The next time you’re thinking about cooking chicken; make up a batch of this white sauce and give it a try.
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For Killer Hogs BBQ Sauce, Rub and Competition BBQ equipment, visit: howtobbqright.com/bbqshop/