New Belgium Beer-Spiced Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Seasoned with New Belgium, these beer-spiced grilled chicken drumstick skewers are paired with a beer-infused BBQ cream sauce. So much beer. Grab your mugs and let’s grill.
Beer Spice in a Jar
This summer New Belgium and Spiceology came together to release this awesome lineup of rubs, infused with their beer and fresh flavors. Bright seasonings with flavors of ginger, citrus, chiles, and honey remind us that BBQ is meant to be enjoyed outside with a beer.
I’m spoiled in the world of BBQ. Brands will come out with products often and ask me if I’d like to sample them. One day a box of the New Belgium BBQ sauces showed up at my door unexpectedly, and shortly after this lineup of seasonings followed. Obviously, my next move was to run to the store and pick up some beer. Voodoo Ranger was calling me.
Most of the time when I’m testing variety-packs of rubs there are 1-2 that stand out to me. This pack was challenging, as most of them surprised me. Hot Honey is becoming a staple flavor profile, and the Moroccan Tangine has my mind spinning.
Chicken wings or drumsticks have become my staple for testing most seasonings, a combination of being affordable, easy to cook, and able to take on bold flavors. Loading up 2 skewers of chicken drumsticks, my weapons were chosen: Summer BBQ and Citrus Ginger.
Get 15% off the New Belgium online store with code “chilesandsmoke” at checkout through October 31st!
Grilled Chicken Drumstick Skewers
Long skewers loaded up with chicken drumsticks aren’t something you see every day. This technique was first revealed to me by my friend Derek Wolf, utilizing many different methods of grilling from South America. Grilling is meant to be relaxing and enjoyable, and skewers mean a lot less flipping for me. I’m game.
These long skewers are what I’d refer to as Shish Kabab skewers, typically used for ground meats with recipes from the Middle East and Africa. You could use Churrasco-style skewers as well if you have them, but they are quite a bit more expensive. Sharing the link to the similar ones I’ve used below:
You don’t need skewers to grill chicken, it’s for fun and keeping it simple. As you go through this recipe, feel free to simply put your chicken drumsticks (or other cuts) directly on the grill grates for a similar flavor experience.
Cooking these Chicken Drumstick Skewers
Beer-Spiced Grilled Chicken Drumsticks: It’s a mouthful, I know. Just wait until you try them.
Take the chicken out of the fridge before you start anything. It’s important to bring them up to room temp and season ahead of time. You don’t want the center of the chicken to be cold when you’re grilling, and this allows the seasoning to draw out a bit of the moisture on the skin as well.
Pro tip: Dry-brine the chicken with the seasoning hours before in the fridge, uncovered. This will allow the skin to crisp up more when grilling.
The recipe is extremely simple, utilizing the seasoning and the fire for the flavors. Cooking over fire takes a bit of prep work, so lighting the coals and building the heat is the first step. You’re aiming for about 350F, and it needs to last for 25-30 minutes and you rotate the skewers over the fire.
When ready, it’s time for the skewers to be set above the coals. Rotate as needed, every few minutes to ensure there are minimal burnt sides early on. BBQ is a live process, so you’re bound to have some imperfections. Sometimes those are the best bites.
I didn’t forget the sauce.
This beer-spiced grill chicken is meant to be dipped or sauced. The recipe for this BBQ cream sauce is extremely simple, one I’ve used for a very long time as well:
Equal parts Mayo, Sour cream, and BBQ sauce.
Yup, that’s it. You can add herbs if you’d like. Sweet BBQ sauce? Add some fresh chopped chiles. I’m giving you the template to make it your own.
This recipe used the Voodoo Ranger BBQ Sauce, which gave a nice spicy kick and tied into the beer flavors coming through from the chicken seasonings as well.
Try these popular sauces:
New Belgium Beer-Spiced Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Seasoned with New Belgium, these beer-spiced grilled chicken drumstick skewers are paired with a beer-infused BBQ cream sauce.
- Total Time: 60
- Yield: 6-8 1x
Ingredients
- 12 chicken drumsticks
- 1 tbsp Spiceology New Belgium Summer BBQ
- 1 tbsp Spiceology New Belgium Citrus Ginger
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1/3 cup BBQ Sauce (Voodoo Ranger)
- Limes/lemon slices
Instructions
- Take your chicken out of the fridge and pat dry. Season each side generously with the rub, using more if needed. Allow it to sit at room temperature while you light the coals.
- Preheat your grill to a medium-high temperature of around 350F.
- Skewer the chicken drumsticks, alternating their direction. Make sure you don’t pierce the bone, skewer through the thicker side of the drumstick.
- Place the skewers over the coals, about 6-8″ away. Rotate as needed, making sure that the thicker parts are cooked through. You will grill for 20-25 minutes until they reach about 175F internal temperature. Stay near them to avoid burnt spots.
- Pull the skewers when ready and allow them to rest for a few minutes while you prepare the sauce.
- Mix the sour cream, mayo, and BBQ sauce together. Add herbs or fresh chiles if using.
- Serve with citrus slices and beer, squeezing the citrus over the chicken.
Notes
You can customize the sauce and seasonings to your preference. Grill directly on grates if you do not have an open pit or skewers.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Grilled Chicken
