It's Easier Than You Think To Butterfly Chicken Drumsticks For The Grill

Chicken may be one of the most challenging and rewarding grilled meats. The risks of undercooking or overcooking are greater than with steaks or burgers, but a juicy, well-spiced piece of bird hot off the grill is an edible work of art. When it comes to grilled drumsticks, the challenges are even more evident: One end is thick with dark meat, and since the bone is deep inside and the meat isn't flat, ensuring proper cooking is much more difficult. So any tips to add more flavor to grilled drumsticks — including marinades, rubs, and brines — are helpful.

A little-known trick many people are not even aware of is butterflying the drumsticks. If you're familiar with spatchcocking a whole chicken or turkey, where the backbone is removed, and the bird is split along the breastbone and flattened for faster, more even cooking this little technique makes even more sense. Fortunately, butterflying drumsticks is even easier, and all you really need is a good, sharp knife and a few minutes.

Regardless of whether you marinate, brine, or batter your chicken (or do nothing at all), butterflying your drumsticks is the perfect solution for a quick and thorough cook on the grill. The process is also fast enough that you can butterfly a dozen legs in a few minutes, once you get the hang of it. To begin, pat each leg dry, making sure to properly discard paper towels to avoid contamination of surfaces. Next, point the meaty end of the drumstick toward you, and hold the bony joint firm. Using a knife, carefully slice the top of the leg along the center down to the bone, as if you were cutting the leg in half long ways, much like you would butterfly a lobster tail.

Now, continue in smooth, firm cuts along each side of the bone, until you've separated about three-quarters of the meat from the bone, but do not cut all the way through. Splay the meat open so it rests flat. It should look vaguely like wings or a triangle of meat down to the end joint. With the skin side down, rub the interior with seasoning, then flip and rub the skin. Wash your hands and all surfaces thoroughly, and you're ready to grill.

The beauty of butterflying your drumsticks is two-fold: First, you've exposed more surface area for seasoning and crisping. Second, you've reduced the cooking time. A regular grilled chicken drumstick takes 25 to 30 minutes and you definitely need to check the interior with a meat thermometer (it should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit near the bone). The flatter surface also ensures even grilling and provides a great char on both sides.

Start by heating a clean grill to medium-high (usually around 400 degrees Fahrenheit). Lay the drumsticks flayed side down, close the lid (avoiding one of the big mistakes people make while grilling chicken), and cook for about three to four minutes until they're nicely browned. Flip them and repeat. At this point you can either start saucing and flipping the meat with the lid open until cooked through (about 10 minutes) or move to indirect heat (either the side of the main grill away from the fire or up on the shelf), close the lid, and cook 12 to 15 minutes, flipping and saucing two or three times. Double-check with a meat thermometer to avoid under- or over-cooking. The end result is a well-spiced, easy-to-eat, succulent drumstick — or three, please.