Smoking Chicken Leg Quarters

Q: I want to cook a bunch of chicken leg quarters, as they are only$4.30 a 10 pound bag and I am cooking for like 15 people. Can I smoke them the same way as your whole chickens and can I check the doneness the same way as when I grill them, by twisting the leg bone and when it spins freely it is done. I do alot of charity barbques for the community and that is how we check the doneness of the chicken. I just bought a big smoker grill with a firebox attatched to the side of it from Walmart for $138 and I cant wait to start smoking food with it. I have never smoked anything before but have eaten it and I and excited to try it. Thanks alot.

A: Chicken leg quarters do really well in the smoker..

I would use some "Lemon Pepper with Seasoning Salt" and some "Zatarains Blackened Seasoning" on the skin and up under the skin where possible for great flavor.

Place the chicken quarters in the smoker and try to maintain a little hotter than normal temperatures to help crisp up the skin a little. I try to shoot for 250-260 degrees for leg quarters.

The quarters will require about 3 hours depending on how hot you maintain your smoker and how close to the firebox the meat is.

(most horizontal smokers tend to be hotter close to the firebox and cooler as you get further from the firebox.. you can modify the smoker with a baffle to help disperse the heat better for more even cooking throughout the smoker.)

To check for doneness I highly recommend using a good digital probe meat thermometer and make sure the temperature is 165 degrees before pulling off.

If you have further questions let me know.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

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