When to sauce smoked chicken legs?

[11earl]

Plan to smoke some chicken legs today. I'm planning on using some Oakridge Pork & chicken rub and then was thinking of saucing as well. Questions:

1) Should I even bother with the sauce?

2) If I do sauce, do I do it at the end and then sear? Or earlier than that?

TIA.

 

[ShadowDriver]

Guessing/hoping you're cooking at higher heat in the hunt for some nice skin texture...

IF I sauce, I do it late in the game. I'll either treat it like a glaze with a light coat and a return to the grill over last 10-ish minutes of the cook.

Otherwise, we might toss the bird in the sauce JUST before service as to keep that skin as crispy as possible.

Just a thought.

Have fun!

 

[11earl]

Guessing/hoping you're cooking at higher heat in the hunt for some nice skin texture...

IF I sauce, I do it late in the game. I'll either treat it like a glaze with a light coat and a return to the grill over last 10-ish minutes of the cook.

Otherwise, we might toss the bird in the sauce JUST before service as to keep that skin as crispy as possible.

Just a thought.

Have fun!

Thanks, Shadow - appreciate the direction.

Finishing some butts now, then am thinking I'll try to crank the smoker temp up to 350 or so for the chicken legs - is that high enough?

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Agree with Marc, I will sauce either at the very end, or warm in small sauce pan and serve a bowl of warmed sauce on the table.


I use one of those chicken leg holder dealies, but usually need to toothpick the skin so it doesn't ride up the leg like a skirt while smoking.


Finishing butts at 7:45amCST, mighty fine start to a holiday weekend cook.


Good luck to you on the rest of the cook!

 

[11earl]

Agree with Marc, I will sauce either at the very end, or warm in small sauce pan and serve a bowl of warmed sauce on the table.


I use one of those chicken leg holder dealies, but usually need to toothpick the skin so it doesn't ride up the leg like a skirt while smoking.


Finishing butts at 7:45amCST, mighty fine start to a holiday weekend cook.


Good luck to you on the rest of the cook!

Thanks, Bill - never would have thought to use toothpicks to keep the skin intact!