It’s summer time again. And one good way to spend summer with the family is have a barbecue cook out. Americans generally love to cook different foods on the grill: chicken, pork, beef, fish even vegetables. And one of the best grilled dishes is chicken legs. So, how long does it usually take to cook chicken legs on the grill?
In reality, there is no exact length of time given to cook chicken legs on the grill. This is because several factors are considered when cooking this popular barbecue dish: type of grill you will use, the method of grilling and the size of the chicken leg you will cook.
Investing in a good quality cooking thermometer is also a good idea if you are a barbecue enthusiast. There are several types of cooking thermometers available in the market. From the simple ones to the more sophisticated ones like a voice alert electronic thermometer. The electronic ones give more accurate readings and are especially designed for non-professional users. You no longer have to guess and guessing is never an option when grilling meat, especially chicken. It could significantly affect the outcome of your food.
Before grilling your chicken legs, boil it first. You can put in some of the marinade when boiling the meat. The purpose of this is to thoroughly cook the meat on the inside before putting it on the grill therefore eliminating any uncooked portion that may carry unwanted bacteria and could result to illness. This also cuts the grilling time in almost half. However, there is a downside to this method. Since grilling time will be shortened, your chicken legs will have a lesser chance of picking up that delicious grilled flavor that everybody loves.
Also, your marinade matters. Marinating your chicken legs over night would give it the excellent flavor you desire and it would keep the chicken moist during grilling. You can create your own marinade or you can find excellent marinade mixes on the Internet or you local market. You can also experiment on your own to produce a perfect blend that would suit your taste.
Some grills produce intense heat compared to others so you might want to check if the heat is just enough that it would not overcook – or even undercook – your chicken legs. You should take note that chicken legs can be particularly thick especially around the thigh area so you need to take care to cook them properly. Another way to fully cook the thick parts of the chicken leg is to pre-cook them in a medium oven for about 40 minutes. Arrange them in a baking tray that is not too crowded to evenly cook the chicken legs. You can cook them by batch and grill them after baking.
Make sure that the chicken is fully cooked before putting it on the grill. Skewer the deepest part of the thigh and check the juices. They should come out clear and not pinkish. Turn each side of the chicken leg after four minutes. Avoid turning it over very often to avoid drying the meat. In case you cannot boil or bake the chicken prior to grilling, use a low setting on your grill and cook for around 35-40 minutes turning every 10 minutes so the meat is thoroughly cooked.
