Description
Quick Tips: The barbecue sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator and can be made ahead of time to speed things up on the day you plan to make this.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 – 3 pounds chicken drumsticks, skin removed
- brine
- peach bbq sauce
For the brine:
- 4c water
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt (coarse salt)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- a few sprigs fresh thyme
For the sauce:
- 2 slices bacon*
- 1 bunch fresh thyme (pull out a few sprigs for brine)
- olive oil
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2c ketchup (I prefer no high-fructose corn syrup)
- 1c peach preserves*
- 1/4c brown sugar
- 1/4c molasses
- 2 Tbsp red wine or cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp dry mustard powder
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch (up to 1/8 tsp) cumin
Instructions
- For the brine, combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized zip top bag. Add drumsticks to the brine and refrigerate 30min-2hrs before cooking.
- *For barbecue sauce, wrap the bunch of thyme with the strips of bacon. Brown bacon/thyme bunch in a small drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven for 4-5 minutes. Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. You should have 3.5-4 cups of sauce.
- When ready to cook chicken, remove drumsticks from brine (discard brine). Toss with 1-2c barbecue sauce in a large bowl. Spread drumsticks over a large cookie sheet covered with foil and sprayed with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
- Bake at 450 degrees 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Serve with extra sauce.
Notes
*For gluten free version: double-check that your bacon and jam are gluten free. Most are, but you’ll want to check. I like Hormel Naturals Uncured bacon. It’s gluten and dairy free and has no nitrates/nitrites.