Shouldn’t you be working up a smoke frenzy?

Today’s the day to try the art of smoked meats.  You don’t even have to have a smoker to prepare a crazy good meal with a rich, smokey flavor.  If you already have a smoker, you’re all set.  If not, take a regular gas grill and only turn on one side of the burners.  Directly above the heat, make a tray out of aluminum foil and place in it some flavored wood (like hickory or mesquite) that has soaked in water.  After about 15 minutes, you should start to see the wood smoking and the temperature creeping up.  Work the dials until you get in the smoke range of 150-180 degrees.

Just start with something simple like chicken legs.  The key with smoking is temperature control and indirect heat.  Try not to open the lid very often.  Just let it soak up the smokey flavor and check every 30 minutes. It should take about 2.5 hours for chicken legs to be done.  The meat should be firm, the skin should be crispy and the bone should want to slide right out.  Experiment with variations of rubs for the outside and wood flavors to create your own Kick Ass combination!