I ain’t one to cook drumsticks too often. I did do it in this instance, but really haven’t ventured into drumstick territory since.
However, a few months ago, I bought a rack specifically designed to hang chicken drumsticks as they cook. I meant to use it sooner, but… yeah. I don’t know.
But, for whatever reason, I decided this past football Sunday was the day I broke out this baby and filled it with dark meat chicken parts.
Rub Them Legs
There wasn’t a lot of fancy-shmancy culinary technique for this dish. I bought a pack of drumsticks from the grocery store, put them on a plate, then sprinkled them with an AP rub, as well as a barbecue rub from Killer Hogs. I placed them on the rack and set it on my Weber Smokey Mountain.
The good thing about chicken is that it doesn’t take a long time, especially if you’re cooking parts vs. a whole chicken. So I put these on for about 90 minutes at 250 degrees and checked the temperature.
Once they hit 170 degrees, internally, I brought them in the house and applied a tangy vinegar-based sauce. After that, it was back on the smoker for about 20 minutes.
The result was a rack of rich, mahogany chicken legs that were tender, tangy, and smokey. While I normally do wings for game day, it’s clear I have to incorporate drumsticks into my repertoire more often.
The Wine: 2021 Freixenet Cava
For this Game Day course, I selected a 2021 Freixenet Cava. The nose gave off fresh citrus fruits, green apples, and floral notes, while the dry, bubbly texture of the wine, along with its crisp apple and pear flavors were a great complement to the tangy, smokey elements of the drumsticks.
About the Producer
Freixenet is one of the most well-known Cava producers globally. Founded in 1861 by the Ferrer family, the winery has a long and storied history of producing high-quality sparkling wines. Over the years, Freixenet has played a significant role in popularizing Cava both in Spain and internationally. The winery is known for its commitment to traditional methods of Cava production and its dedication to crafting exceptional sparkling wines.
The Wine Region
Freixenet Cava is traditionally produced in the Penedès region of Catalonia, Spain, located in northeastern part of the country. Penedès is well-known for its production of Cava, a sparkling wine made using the traditional method.
The region features a diverse terroir with a variety of soil types and microclimates. This diversity allows winemakers to cultivate a range of grape varieties, including the traditional Cava grapes such as Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada.
The good thing about sparkiling wines like Cava is that they’re very versatile. Today showed off that flexibility and made for an excellent game day pairing.
Cheers!