Ghost Pepper BBQ Chicken Pops
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
BBQ
Cuisine
American
Author:
Jay Gleaton
Servings
7
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
90 minutes
Let's do a BBQ recipe to get us set up for many smoking days in the new year! These BBQ chicken pops are also known as Texas Lollipops but as with everything I come across and decide to make, we are going to add our own spicy twist and make these extra amazing.
I like this recipe because I was able to make 14 legs for under $20 all-in. Seven servings is about $3 a person for the protein. I'm not always thrifty but it's good to know how to cook on a budget when you have a crowd to feed.
And to the curious, The Ghost Pepper BBQ Rub is about 1% Ghost pepper. It's in there but with the protein and fat from the recipe, the overall heat of the dish is spicy but most people who can handle a tabasco style pepper sauce will be fine with the spice level.
Ingredients
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14 Chicken Legs (Family Pack)
-
1 lb Thinly Sliced Bacon (about 18-20 slices)
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Ghost Pepper BBQ Rub (To Dust)
BBQ Sauce
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2 Cups Ketchup
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¾ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
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¾ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
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3 Tbsp. Ghost Pepper BBQ Rub
Directions
Time to get your hands dirty! I like gloves and you’ll need a very sharp knife for getting the chicken ready. A de-boning or filet knife work best here. Begin by removing the skin from the chicken.
This is optional, but if you want that clean bone handle, take that extra sharp knife and cut a circle right around the bone a few inches up from the skinny side of the leg. There is some sinew and ligaments in there that is hard to cut through, hence the sharp knife. Carefully strip the bone and then insert the knife in-between the knuckle and clean that out too. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. It will taste amazing regardless.
Season the chicken pop with some Ghost Pepper BBQ rub and lay it on a piece of bacon. Wrap the bacon around the leg, starting from the fat end and ending by tucking the last bit of bacon under the last wrap. You could also use a toothpick. Up to you.
Wrap the legs and season the outside again with the Ghost pepper BBQ Rub. Repeat this for as many chicken legs you have.
Get your smoker or oven preheated to 250 degrees. and throw the chicken on for 60 minutes. Indirect heat if you’re using a smoker. I used hickory this time.
While those legs are smoking it’s time to make your BBQ sauce or just open up a bottle of your favorite if you want. Combine BBQ sauce ingredients, mix and taste. Adjust sweetness or tartness to your liking by adding more sugar or apple cider vinegar. You can even add more seasoning if you think it needs it.
After an hour it’s time for your chicken to take a sauce bath. Grab your sauce, put it in a jar that the legs will fit in leaving an inch of space at the top and start dunking your legs. Coat them and put them back on the smoker and let it come up to 275. Let them smoke or bake another 15 minutes. If you have an oven that has convection, turn it on for the last 15 minutes at 275 to help set the BBQ sauce.
Serve and Enjoy
