Hot Wing Barbecue Chicken Drummies

Hot Wing Barbecue Chicken Drummies

Chicken lovers take note! This recipe is the best of both worlds – think hot wings meets barbecue chicken.  I like to be able to taste both the sweetness of the barbecue sauce and the heat of the hot sauce so I use a proportion of 3 to 1.  You can always adjust the recipe on how much heat your taste buds prefer.

Baking chicken is my go-to method of cooking for a busy weeknight supper.  If you have the extra time, these drummies would be delicious cooked on the grill. Either cooking method -  always add the sauce towards the end of the cooking time so that it doesn’t burn.

Enjoy!

Hot Wing Barbecue Chicken Drummies

12 chicken drumsticks (about 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 395 degrees.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and lightly coat with the olive oil. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce and hot sauce.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and spoon 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce mixture over the chicken. Toss to coat. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is caramelized, about 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan or microwave, warm the remaining 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce mixture. Pour the warm sauce over the cooked chicken. Serve warm.

Serves 4.

 

Weekday Ribs

People in Memphis take their barbecue seriously. In fact, many have perfected it to an art form. I am not here to argue that “low and slow” (the mantra for grilling ribs in the South) is not the best but the reality is that I just don’t have time to tend to the grill for hours on a busy weeknight.

By baking the ribs first in the oven, I have taken the guesswork out of making flavorful and tender ribs.

For a boost of flavor and moisture, I first slather my ribs with yellow mustard. For seasoning, I then apply a generous dose of barbecue dry rub seasoning. Wrapping them up tightly in foil seals in the juices that will make the ribs extra moist and flavorful. Throw them in the oven and forget about them! In an hour or so, they will be falling-off-the-bone tender.

To get that beloved smoky charred flavor, I finish the ribs on a hot grill just before serving. It only takes about 5 minutes per side. For a sauce-based wet ribs, slather them with your favorite barbecue sauce before throwing them on the grill. For Memphis-style dry ribs, leave off the barbecue sauce and add extra dry rub prior to grilling.

Weekday Ribs

1/4 cup French’s yellow mustard
1/4 cup barbecue dry rub seasoning
2 slabs pork baby back ribs (about 3 to 4 pounds total)
Vegetable oil, for the grates
1 1/2 cups your favorite barbecue sauce

Preheat an oven to 300°F.

Place each slab of ribs on a double layer of aluminum foil. Evenly slather both sides with the mustard. Generously season the ribs with the dry rub. Tightly wrap each slab of ribs in the foil and place on a baking sheet. Cook until meat pulls away from the bone and is easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat a clean grill to medium-high with the lid closed for 8 to 10 minutes. Lightly brush the grates with oil.

Carefully remove ribs from foil, pouring off any liquid. Brush the barbecue generously on both sides of the ribs.

Place the ribs on the grill. Close the lid and cook the ribs until sauce begins to bubble and brown around the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve ribs with extra sauce, if desired.

Serves 4.

Source: Simply Grilling (Thomas Nelson, Spring 2012)

 

Blues-y Bacon Onion Burger

I love burgers!  There is just something about a good burger I can’t resist.

But as much as I love a good old fashioned burger topped with the classic garnishes of cheese, tomato, and lettuce, I love to experiment with the ingredients to come up with my own “specialty” burgers.

This Blues-y Bacon Onion Burger is one of my favorites.

In my hometown of Memphis, folks take their blues and barbecue seriously.  And I can guarantee this burger will be sure to appeal to discriminating blues and barbecue fans everywhere!

For the blues, I stuff and top the finished burger with crumbled blue cheese.  (You can’t get enough of blue cheese in my opinion!) I also stuff and top the burger with zesty FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions.  The French Fried Onions are my secret ingredient.  They add flavor and texture both inside and outside the burger. Oh … and I almost forgot to mention the bacon!  I add crispy, crumbled bacon to the patty to give it an extra kick.  The barbecue sauce makes its appearance as the condiment of choice for the finished burger.

Enjoy!

Blues-y Bacon Onion Burger

1 pound ground beef
1 cup FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions, divided
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce
4 hamburger buns, split

Preheat a clean grill to medium-high.

In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, ½ cup FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions, ½ cup crumbled blue cheese, and the crumbled bacon. Generously season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix together, by hand or with a fork, until well combined. Divide and shape the mixture into 4 patties.

Grill patties 10 minutes or until no pink remains (160°F internal temperature), turning once.

To serve, toast the buns. Place each burger on a bun. Top with the barbecue sauce and the remaining blue cheese and FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Cooking Tip:  

Don’t have a grill?  No problem.  These burgers can easily be made indoors.

In a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil until a few droplets of water sizzle when carefully sprinkled in the pan. Cook the burgers until well-browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 8 to 10 minutes.