The Best Brine Grilled Chicken Legs for your Summer Picnic and The Cincinnati Reds Opening Day

The other day I went to the store and left with two small bags of groceries. There was no meat and no dog bones (the two things that really add the dollars to my bill.) The sum of the two bags was $92.97! What the heck? Buying groceries is really getting expensive. That got me to thinking about my upcoming Memorial Day Picnic. It is really going to be expensive and I need to seriously plan ahead.



Chicken Legs are a great value and definitely are delicious when grilled. When you are hosting a picnic you don't want to be stuck at the grill the entire time. That is where The Best Brine Grilled Chicken Legs comes to the rescue. These things are easy, good, and can be made ahead of time.



Best Brine Grilled Chicken Legs



Chicken Legs, skinned removed

1/2 of raw sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

4 tablespoons liquid smoke

barbecue seasoning of your choice

cooking spray

water



(1) To remove skin from chicken legs use paper towels and hold by leg and pull skin (do not throw away if you have a puppy.) (2) Dissolve sugar and salt in water. Add liquid smoke and chicken legs. (3) Brine chicken legs 4 to 5 hours. (4) Remove chicken legs, rinse and pat dry. Spray with cooking spray and lightly sprinkled with seasoning. (5) Grill on charcoal grill over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes. Turn frequently. (6) Remove to aluminum pans and place in a 250 degree oven for another 30 to 45 minutes. (7) Serve to your picnic guests!



The meat is tender, smoked, and seasoned perfectly. For all you Weight Watchers, these chicken legs are 1 point a piece! I guarantee your guest will rave about these chicken legs. I have never heard a negative comment about them. You can serve them with a side of your favorite barbecue sauce.



Here is why I said to keep the skin!

I take the skin and throw it in a hot pan with a little olive oil and fry it up like bacon. Of course, this is a treat beyond all expectations for Kramer. I guess I will have to put a disclaimer to ask your Vet first? I did this and all he did was stare at me. I am taking his silence as a vote of confidence in giving my puppy fried chicken skin!

It is getting ready to turn really bad weather wise here. If you live in this area you expect nothing different for the Reds (baseball) opening day! If it is not snowing or sleeting rain, you definitely would wonder "what the heck?" I figure warm weather and great picnics are just around the corner. I just can't wait!!