Name: Smokey & Saucy Turkey Drumsticks with Grilled Peach BBQ Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 8 cups water; ½ cup sea salt; ½ tbsp brown sugar (packed); 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 3 sprigs fresh rosemary; 1 head garlic (halved); 6 whole turkey drumsticks; 1 ½ tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp BBQ spice-rub; ¼ tsp sea salt; ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper; 6 large ripe peaches (halved); 2 tbsp butter; 1 large white onion (diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 jalapeño (seeded and finely diced); ½ cup poultry stock; 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika; 2 cups ketchup; 3 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; ¼ tsp sea salt; ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

First, brine your turkey. Combine the water, ½ cup sea salt, and ½ cup brown sugar in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. When the salt and sugar have dissolved, remove from the heat, add your thyme, rosemary, and garlic, then cool to room temperature. Add your turkey drumsticks, making sure that they’re completely submerged, then cover and chill in the fridge for 12 hours (or overnight).

Preheat your grill to 375°F.

Pat your turkey drumsticks completely dry with paper towels, then coat in olive oil, your spice rub of choice, and season with a pinch or two of sea salt.

Place directly on the grill grates and cook until the skin is golden and crispy, and the turkey is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (about 1 ½ hours, but remember – we’re cooking to temperature and not time. The size of your drumsticks and consistent temperature of your grill will ultimately determine cooking time, so an instant-read thermometer is essential here).

Meanwhile, halve the peaches, remove the pit, and place directly on the grill grates to char, about 8-10 minutes. Slice and dice the grilled peaches into small pieces. Heat a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat and melt your butter. When melted, add the onion, season with a pinch of salt, and cook until softened and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño, and cook for 1 minute, keeping a close watch that the garlic doesn’t burn. Add all of your remaining BBQ sauce ingredients, diced grilled peaches, season with salt and pepper, then bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 25-30 minutes, until thickened. Puree with an immersion blender, then set aside.

When there is about 30 minutes remaining in your turkey cooking time, coat the drumsticks completely in BBQ sauce. Cook until the sauce tightens.

Serve your beautiful grilled turkey drumsticks with extra BBQ sauce, and your favorite summer side dishes. Delicious!