Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks on the BBQ26S Chicken Flipper

Our go-to method for grilling chicken on a chicken flipper is to dry rub the meat at the beginning and grill it until it's done, flipping the meat frequently throughout the process. It's the classic Meadow Creek chicken method that crowds around the country have grown to enjoy and crave.

This glazed chicken drumstick recipe is an entirely different approach and the perfect way to introduce some exciting flavors into your grilled chicken. Instead of seasoning the chicken with a barbecue rub, we put it on the grill with nothing on it, then about halfway through the cook we dip it into an Asian style glaze and return it to the grill to finish it. 

I'm cooking this recipe in my Meadow Creek BBQ26S, a versatile backyard charcoal grill with a pivoting double-sided grate. The method works perfectly on the BBQ26S—the meat cooks thoroughly without charring the sugary glaze.

The flavor, texture, and presentation are off the charts and the BBQ26S makes it nearly effortless! Who would have thought a lowly chicken drumstick could be this good?

This grill uses what I call semi-direct heat—the food is separated from the fire by vertical distance, to give us a cross between direct and indirect heat. The grate is two-sided, pivots in the middle, and is distanced far enough from the fire to make it easy to cook bone-in chicken without burning the outside. A really marvelous invention, actually!

Instructions for Grilled Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Here are the steps we will follow to grill the glazed chicken drumsticks.

Ingredients

• 28 chicken drumsticks
• 3 batches of the glaze recipe below
• Sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Glaze Recipe

This is my wife's paleo recipe with conventional ingredients in parentheses. Mix all of the ingredients in a small pot on the stove and simmer it for 20–30 minutes, stirring it as needed to keep it from burning.

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon tapioca flour (or corn starch)
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Firing the BBQ26S Chicken Cooker

I'm cooking with Chef's Select charcoal briquettes and using my propane torch to light the coals.

Steps for Firing the Grill

Start with enough briquettes to fill the charcoal pan when spread out. Heap the charcoal in the center of the pan and torch the middle of the pile for 6 minutes or until about 1/3 of them have white edges as shown below. Remove the torch and let it burn for 15 minutes, then use a shovel or hoe to mix the lit coals with the unlit ones and spread the heat evenly in the pan.

Vent Adjustments, Flip Frequency, and Lid Position

I cook more by instinct on this grill than by temperature. This means I use the lid to help control my fire and I base the vent adjustments and frequency of flipping on how fast the chicken is cooking. It's easier for me to explain the principles than the exact process, but here are some pointers to help you control the fire:

Coals lit with torch

Coals mixed and spread

Grilling the Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Here are some photos of me grilling the chicken on my Meadow Creek BBQ26S. The step-by-step recipe is listed above.

Stretching the skin over the meat 

Chicken drumsticks on the grill 

My BBQ26S has the optional stainless steel body and the handsome pedestal base. The stainless steel makes it easier to maintain and the pedestal base is perfect for a patio or deck.

Dipping the chicken

The chicken dipped in the glaze

The double-sided grate hooked onto the lid

Flipping the chicken on the BBQ26S.

Almost done!

The coolest grill grate in the history of grill grates

The entire rack pivots effortlessly.

Edge view of the double-sided grate

The final glaze

Close-up of the final glaze

Removing the grilled chicken from the grill

Glazed grilled chicken drumsticks ready to garnish

Ready to eat

Who thought a chicken drumstick could be this good?

These revolutionary grills really are one of the barbecue world’s best-kept secrets—an experience hard to explain, but impossible to forget.

Each Meadow Creek grill is handcrafted in the Amish community of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with the integrity of workmanship that has made this culture legendary. Our entire line of smokers and grills is designed to give you many years of trouble-free fun and flavor.