Patti and I are always trying to come up with something just a little different for the BBQ. This time we have come up with something that is hugely tasty and over the top!!

All of our “Crash Test Dummies” who have tried this chicken are still talking about it and want more; actually they call once a week to see if we’re making it again. That just makes us smile knowingly…
 
I will tell you that it did take three tries for us to get this one just right. We have to say that our “Test Dummies” showed exceptional stamina to keep coming back to test this one. But, they did and we have made an awesome Tailgater chicken, aka “Buffalo Stump Chicken”.
 
This one is a little labor intensive but well worth the time. What we did was to tackle 12 pounds of chicken drumsticks. Cut them all the way around the lower part of the leg bone just above the meat. Now, you have a nice handle. Then, wrap the drumstick with your favorite bacon and pin it down with a strong toothpick.

Thirty minutes on the smoker, then up to high with sauce for 15 minutes. Pull them and give another heavy coat of your sauce and another 15 minutes or until done and the bacon is crisp.
 
The chicken was so tender and juicy with every bite flavored from the rich smoke, the bacon crisp and the sauce to die for.  The sauce was screaming with flavor with no noticeable heat at first. But, at that point it was too late, you were hooked. You could not stop eating them, and didn’t want to.
 
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Grill: Royall Wood Pellet Tailgater
Pellets: Royall’s House Blend: hickory, oak and cherry
 

Ingredients: Chicken

• 12 lbs. chicken drumsticks
• 2 lbs. bacon
• Your favorite chicken rub
• Strong toothpicks

Ingredients: Buffalo Sauce

• 1 Bottle Country Bob’s Spicy All Purpose Sauce
• 3 cups Louisiana Hot sauce
• 3 Tbsp. onion soup mix (adds flavor and thickens)
• 2 Tbsp. dried crushed garlic
• 2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
• 2 Tbsp. Chipotle chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp. Cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. coarse ground black pepper

Directions: Chicken

Wash and pat dry your chicken. Then, cut the meat away from the upper end on the chicken leg, by the knuckle. I ended up using both a sharp knife and kitchen shears. This is a lot of work and it takes some time for 12 pounds of chicken. But, soooo worth it. Then, peel the skin and knuckle off the bone.
Season the chicken with your favorite rub, wrap a piece of bacon around the meaty part of the leg and secure with a toothpick. You are ready for the grill.

Directions: Buffalo Sauce

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan. Mix well and simmer for 30 minutes or until it thickens.

Cooking Directions: Royall Wood Pellet Tailgater

Open the lid and set the dial to “Smoke”, turn it on. After about five minutes you can shut the lid. Give it about 10 minutes to heat up. Patti has lined the drip pan with foil for me, it makes for easier clean up. Place everything directly onto the grill and just let it hang out in the smoke and get happy for 30 minutes or so.

This is referred to as “cold smoking”; the temperature is around 165-180 degrees. Thirty minutes of cold smoking is not enough to have any cooking effect on your meat, but it is enough to open up the pores so that the meat can pick up all the flavor of the smoke
After 30 minutes, turn the control up to high, around 400 degrees. Be careful here because this is where you can lose it. The chicken won’t be able to take this kind of heat for long. So, keep a close eye on it. Either dip or brush the chicken in the sauce and put it back on the grill for 15 minutes. Now, pull the chicken again and sauce it, placing it back on the grill. Give it another 15 minutes or until it is done.
Note: I get a lot of questions about the kind of pellets you can use with a recipe. Keep in mind that a recipe is just an outline. Some you need follow closely like when you are making bread, but most you can do anything you can dream, our favorite way to cook. Feel free to mix and match the pellets until you find a combination you really like.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Grill: Gas

Preparing Grill:  Low Indirect Heat “SMOKE”

Preheat your grill to low heat (180 - 225) and turn off one side so you will be cooking with indirect heat. Add your wet hickory chips over the fire and oil the grill. A cooking spray is easiest for this. (Note: you can add your hickory directly to the grill or you can use foil smoke packets.(Two handfuls wet chips and one dry, fold foil into a packet, poke holes in it with a fork and you’re good to go.)

Preparing Grill: Medium Indirect Heat “COOKING”

Preheat your grill to medium heat (300 - 350) and turn off one side so you will be cooking with indirect heat. Add your wet hickory chips over the fire and oil the grill. A cooking spray is easiest for this. (Note: you can add your hickory directly to the grill or you can use foil smoke packets.(Two handfuls wet chips and one dry, fold foil into a packet, poke holes in it with a fork and you’re good to go.)
Preparing Charcoal Grill

Get the Grill ready, you will want your temperature of around 350-400 degrees. Bank your coals over to one side of your grill. Add your “drained wood chips” and you are good to go… Your cooking times and temps will be the same as above.
Cooking In the Oven:

We have been getting requests for recipe conversions for the oven. I tell folks all the time that cooking on a Royall wood pellet grill is just as easy as cooking in your oven. Just about anyone can do it and do it well. Think about it. You set your control knob to the temp you want, put your meat in and leave it for a set time.
It is the same thing, time and temp. is what it is all about. The Royall is just like your oven except it uses wood pellets and has wheels.
If you want to smoke in your oven they sell oven smokers for that. I, myself, would not spend the money on one of those when you can make your own out of foil.
Foil smoke packets. (Two handfuls wet chips and one dry, fold foil into a packet, poke holes in it with a fork and you’re good to go.) Just set it in the oven. You might want to make sure you turn on your vent fan or your house will fill up with smoke. You will give your alarms a good work out.

Remember that a recipe is simply an outline; it is not written in stone. Don’t be afraid to make changes to suit your taste.
Take it and run with it….

Live Your Passion,
Ken & Patti