Pickle Brined BBQ Chicken Leg Quarters

When you think BBQ food, nothing screams authentic BBQ food like some classic BBQ chicken leg quarters. A juicy and tender cut of chicken, eaten off the bone and topped with some crispy skin. Not only are these delicious but with our method they are quick and easy to BBQ as well. Let’s dive into how to make these BBQ chicken leg quarters and ensure you are the backyard pitmaster who’s BBQ’s become a must attend event.

Delicious BBQ Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe

This was hands down one of easiest most delicious meals I have ever made. It is more about the method than the ingredients but I am confident they both played a part. This first step in preparing the quarters was the brine. For this recipe I did not use a traditional brine recipe, like I have here for thighs but this time it was with pickle juice. I used pickle juice straight from the jar but if you wanted it in a large quality and do not normally have pickles hanging in the regfrigator, you can get a gallon jug on Amazon.

I put the quarters in a one gallon Ziploc bag and poured the juice in. I then put in back in the regfrigator for 18 hours, but a solid overnight or 12 hours should be sufficient. Every once in a while I would rotate and flip the bag just to ensure all the chicken was sitting in the juice.

Following the 18 hours of brine, I removed the quarters from the bags and patted them dry. After patting them dry, I let them sit drying for another hour, the goal here is to help get as crispy of a skin as possible. After that, I coated with a dry rub. I had 3 legs so I did two with an SPG and the 3rd I used some Tony Chachere’s. Once that was done, it was time to get these on the grill.

I would also recommend that you try to pull up some of the skin and get some rub underneath the skin and then lay it back down for some more rub on the skin itself. Getting that extra layer of flavor directly on the chicken will make a big difference.

Quick Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters

So the pickle brine played a huge part in the flavor profile here but the tender and juiciness I attribute to the vortex method on my Weber Kettle. If you have never heard or seen the Vortex, do yourself a favor and go get one. You will love it. The heat this generates is what allows for such a quick grill time and also delivers some great crispy skin on the BBQ chicken leg quarters.

You can start a vortex a couple of ways, either with the charcoal in the vortex and a couple of starters in there or with a chimney and pour the charcoal into the vortex. I went with the first method and got the charcoal started in the vortex. Once those charcoals are going, you can get the chicken on. By the time I put the chicken on the ambient temperature on my Weber Kettle was about 600°.

If you want to add another hint of smokey flavor, through a chuck of your favorite wood on the grate directly over the vortex. On such a quick cook you will not get ton of smoke flavor but enough that it will add to the flavor profile of the chicken.

When placing the leg quarters on the grate do so around the vortex and not directly over. These are going to cook fast so make sure you have a probe in there to monitor the IT. Overcooking can move these from juicy and tender to dry and distasteful, rather fast. Depending on how hot the vortex gets, will determine how fast these cook. It will be as fast as 30 minutes to as long as 60 minutes but closer to 30-45 minutes.

After placing them on the grill and close it up, you do not need to do anything else. Just stay close and monitor your internal temperature. As soon as these reach an IT of 145°, go ahead and pull them. If you are worried about them getting dried out, you can pull them a couple of degrees sooner and during the rest period you will reach a safe IT. Just be sure you cover them with some foil. You are going to let them rest 10-15 minutes and as soon as that is done, you can go ahead and serve.

Enjoying BBQ Chicken Leg Quarters

The pickle brine on these chicken leg quarters is an incredibly easy way to up your BBQ chicken game. These quarters are awesome eating right off the bone or pulled to enjoy piece by juicy piece. This method and recipe is so incredibly quick and easy you can do this for a midweek dinner or to serve the crowds at your next friends and family BBQ.

Thanks for being here and checking out this Pickle Brined BBQ Chicken Leg Quarters recipe. I hope you enjoy it! We always appreciate comments, 5 star recipe rating and social media shares. As always, keep that smoke rolling!

Need some other ideas on the grill? Here are some fantastic options:

• Bold Grilled Tilapia Tacos
• Easy Grilled Chicken Strips
• Grilled Prime Rib Roast
• Grilled Hot Dog and Onions
• Grilled London Broil
• Grilled Turkey Recipe

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