Who doesn’t love rooster? Smoked Rooster Quarters are meaty and flavorful and really easy to make. In reality, they’re smoking rooster 101, and you may be feasting on meaty rooster in about an hour!
Desk of contents
Infused with taste, meaty and juicy rooster is all the time a success. Whether or not you’re feeding your loved ones or a bunch of associates, there’s nothing like tearing into rooster leg quarters and feasting on huge, daring taste.
The perfect half about these rooster legs is how straightforward they’re. A easy rub is all it takes to infuse taste into the rooster, after which a visit by means of the pellet grill so as to add that smoked taste. Prepared in about an hour, these rooster leg quarters are really easy!
🍗 What Are Rooster Leg Quarters
An entire rooster may be butchered in varied methods, however one of many extra economical cuts is the rooster leg quarter. These typically go on sale for not very a lot money, and once they do, I replenish and cargo my freezer.
A rooster leg quarter is the rooster leg and thigh nonetheless hooked up. It has 2 fundamental bones in it – one within the leg and one within the thigh, and it options the darkish meat of the rooster. With loads of fats and pores and skin to crisp up, rooster quarters are good consuming.
Cross the napkins, and let’s get cooking!
📋 What You’ll Want
- Rooster leg quarters – these are meaty rooster parts of the thigh and the leg (drum) that are typically cheaper on the grocery retailer. We love cooking them as a result of they take nicely to smoking, grilling, or oven baking and have tons of taste.
- Olive oil
- Berbere – It is a spice mix with loads of flavors that we’re utilizing as a dry rub.
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika – Provides additional smoky taste.
- Chili powder
- Salt
- Lady Carnivore Chick Fest – Or your favourite all-purpose rooster rub.
🔥 How To Make The Finest Smoked Rooster Quarters
Pat the rooster dry and minimize away any extra pores and skin or fats. Rub the rooster with the oil.
Mix the spices in a small bowl, then liberally coat either side of the rooster leg quarters with the spice rub.
Preheat your pellet smoker to 250-275 levels F and shut the lid, letting the smoker come to temp.
Prepare the seasoned rooster quarters on the grill grates. Smoke the rooster skin-side up for about an hour to an hour and a half, or till it reaches 180-190F with a digital meat thermometer.
Take away the rooster from the grill and switch the warmth as much as a better temperature to sear in your smoker, or 450 levels F.
Return the rooster to the grill pores and skin facet down. Sear the rooster for 5-10 minutes or for crispy pores and skin, rotating it as wanted to keep away from any charring.
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Take away the rooster and switch up the warmth -
Sear pores and skin facet down.
Take away the rooster from the smoker, ensuring the inner temperature of the meat is 185-195F, and let the rooster relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than serving.
Lady Carnivore Professional Tip: Pellet people who smoke all the time have a lighter smoke taste, however to amp up the genuine wooden smoke taste on this rooster leg quarters recipe or any recipe, you’ll be able to add a smoker field together with your favourite sort of wooden chips. Or stick a few wooden chunks within the again hotter corners of the grill. Each of those assist to supply that additional smoke taste it’s your decision.
❓FAQs
How a lot rooster ought to I purchase?
What number of smoked rooster leg quarters per particular person is an effective query. I normally rely on one per particular person, however heavier eaters might want extra.
How lengthy does it take to smoke rooster leg quarters?
Smoking rooster leg quarters ought to take about an 1 to 1 ½ hours however all the time cook dinner to temp and never time. Use digital meat thermometer to make sure they’re totally cooked, and don’t overlook to sear the quarters to crisp the pores and skin. Resting time also needs to be accounted for when planning your meal.
Are Smoked Rooster Quarters good?
Sure! In case you love rooster and taste and smoke, then you’ll love these. They’re meaty and juicy, and you may completely channel your interior caveman and rip into the meat together with your fingers. They’re considered one of my favourite cuts for worth and taste!
What’s Berbere?
Berbere is a chili-forward spice mix from North Africa, particularly Ethiopia and Eritrea. It’s not overwhelmingly spicy although, and I discover the complicated mix of coriander, garlic, ginger, and different earthy spices an ideal different to conventional barbecue blends whenever you wish to combine it up.
In case you don’t have a berbere spice mix, a standard bbq rooster seasoning combine works simply as nicely. My alternative all the time being GirlsCanGrill Rooster Rub.
🥗 What Goes With Smoked Rooster Quarters?
Something goes! Make your favourite fries, whip up a recent and leafy salad, or go carb-happy with tasty eats like Smoked Potato Salad or Skillet Corn. When in season, we love grilling spring onions to serve with these for dinner.
Sauce or No Sauce?
These Smoked Rooster Quarters are well-seasoned with a superb rub, however whether or not you sauce them or not is as much as you. Seize your favourite barbecue sauce or select one thing deliciously totally different, like Alabama White Sauce. This tangy sauce pairs so properly with this Smoked Rooster Quarters recipe!
Storage
Retailer any leftover rooster leg quarters in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3-4 days. You should utilize your leftover rooster in all of your favourite recipes, together with Smoked Chicken Nachos, Chicken Mac and Cheese, and Chicken Quesadillas.
Extra Scrumptious Smoked Rooster Recipes
📖 Full Recipe
Smoked Rooster Quarters
Speak about taste! This straightforward smoked rooster quarter recipe get a easy spice rub earlier than being smoked after which completed with a fast sear for completely crispy pores and skin and scrumptious bites.
Servings: 8
Energy: 536kcal
Directions
Prep the Rooster
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Pat the rooster dry and trim as wanted to take away extra pores and skin or fats.
5 lbs Rooster leg quarters
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Rub the rooster with the oil.
2 tablespoon oil
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Whisk the spices collectively in a bowl.
2 tablespoon berbere, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon Chili powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Lady Carnivore Chick Fest
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Liberally coat either side of the rooster leg quarters with the spice mix.
Smoke the Rooster Quarters
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Temp your Traeger or pellet smoker for 250-275 F.
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Prepare the rooster on the grill grates.
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Grill rooster pores and skin facet up and the lid closed.
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After 1 hour, test the rooster for a temp of 180 to 190 F.
Sear the Rooster
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Take away rooster from grill, put aside.
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Enhance warmth for sear, round 400 to 450 levels.
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Sear rooster to crisp the pores and skin 5 to 10 minutes, rotating as wanted.
Notes
Grill Choices: This recipe was made on a Traeger pellet smoker however may very well be made on an electrical smoker, charcoal, or gasoline grill.
If utilizing gasoline or charcoal, set your warmth up for oblique warmth and grill the rooster legs on the cooler facet of the grill till you’re able to sear them on the finish.
Diet
Diet Info
Smoked Rooster Quarters
Quantity Per Serving (1 g)
Energy 536
Energy from Fats 360
% Day by day Worth*
Fats 40g62%
Saturated Fats 11g69%
Trans Fats 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fats 8g
Monounsaturated Fats 17g
Ldl cholesterol 236mg79%
Sodium 448mg19%
Potassium 508mg15%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 0.1g0%
Protein 39g78%
Vitamin A 359IU7%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 3mg17%
* P.c Day by day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie eating regimen. Diet data offered is an estimate. For particular well being issues, please put the recipe into your Dr really useful vitamin calculator.
