When properly prepared, grilled turkey drumsticks can be a culinary delight. Grilling can really bring out the flavor in a turkey bird like no other preparation method.
If you live in an area of the United States that has an annual Renaissance Festival, you probably crave the unique food available from a range of fantastic food vendors. At the top of most people’s list is the turkey drumsticks, which is one of the premier foods associated with the Renaissance Festival. The vendors use very large drumsticks that are grilled to a golden brown. The skin is slightly crunchy and the meat very tender and succulent. Mmmmmmm! They are so good!
So how do they do it? Here is the secret for barbecue grilling turkey drumsticks like a pro.
- Select large turkey drumsticks from your grocery store. The larger, the better.
- Wash the drumsticks in cold water and perforate the skin in several places with a fork.
- Place the turkey drumsticks in a large pot, cover them with water and boil for an hour.
- After boiling, remove the drumsticks using tongs and baste them with melted butter. Sprinkle on your favorite poultry seasoning. We use a little Lawry’s seasoning salt, which is available in any grocery store.
- Grill the drumsticks on medium heat for about a half-hour. Be sure to turn them as each side browns.
The boiling is an important step and serves two purposes. First, it removes most of the greasy fat in the turkey drumstick. While fat usually enhances the flavor of most grilled meats, it tends to alter the flavor for turkey drumsticks. They taste better without it. Second, boiling pre-cooks the drumsticks so that you do not have to grill them for an hour, which tends to dry them out. The boiling also adds moisture.
Grilled turkey drumsticks go great with grilled corn-on-the-cob, baked beans or any of your favorite barbecue side dishes.