Not all great BBQ has to drain your wallet.
Sometimes the tastiest things in life come in giant family packs for under ten bucks.

Enter: Smoked Chicken Drumsticks — the most affordable way to flex BBQ greatness without sacrificing flavor or dignity. Drumsticks are cheap, juicy, reliable, and they love being rubbed down and smoked until they’re dripping with personality.

These little beauties take smoke like champions, crisp up beautifully, and become downright irresistible once they’re dunked in a pool of BBQ sauce and thrown back on the smoker to get sticky and bold.

Whether you're feeding a crowd, meal prepping, or just trying to stretch your grocery budget while still eating like a pitmaster… this recipe delivers.

Let’s turn bargain chicken into backyard gold.

Ingredients

• Chicken drumsticks (as many as you want — they’re cheap, go wild)
• Rub Yer Meat
• Your favorite BBQ sauce
• Foil pan or large bowl
• Smoker set to 275°F

Instructions

1. Prep the Drumsticks

Pat the drumsticks dry so the rub sticks properly — nobody likes slippery meat.

Coat each drumstick generously with Rub Yer Meat.
Don’t sprinkle lightly. We’re building flavor, confidence, and maybe a few new friendships.

2. Smoke at 275°F

Place the drumsticks directly on the smoker grates at 275°F.

Let them ride until they hit an internal temperature of 165°F.
Depending on size, this usually takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.

During this stage, the skin tightens, the meat gets juicy, and that rub transforms into a smoky crust that tastes like a good decision.

3. Sauce Like You Mean It

Once the drumsticks hit temp, pull them off the smoker and place them in a foil pan or a big bowl.

Pour in a generous amount of your favorite BBQ sauce — enough to coat every nook, cranny, and curve.

Toss, stir, swirl, shake — whatever your saucing style is, embrace it.
Think “tossing wings,” but with more enthusiasm and fewer judging eyes.

Every drumstick should come out looking shiny and decadent.

4. Back on the Smoker

Return the sauced drumsticks to the smoker for 10–15 minutes or until they reach an internal temp of 185 °F.

This lets the sauce tighten up, caramelize, and cling to the chicken like it was meant to be there all along.
The smell at this stage is borderline illegal.

5. Serve With Swagger

Plate them hot.
Watch people grab seconds before finishing their first.
Pretend you planned it that way.

Why Drumsticks Are the Underrated BBQ MVP

Drumsticks are:

• Cheap (a whole pack costs less than fancy coffee)
• Hard to mess up
• Perfect for crowds
• Great smokers of flavor
• Ideal for aggressive seasoning
• Begging to be dunked in a scandalous amount of sauce

They’re essentially the “treat yourself” of budget BBQ.

Tips for Perfect Drumsticks

• Dry the skin for better texture
• Rub aggressively — let Rub Yer Meat do the heavy lifting
• Smoke low and slow for max flavor
• Sauce twice if you’re feeling wild
• Finish hot if you like a little extra crisp

Final Thoughts

Smoked Chicken Drumsticks are proof that you don’t need deep pockets to make BBQ that slaps. With a heavy dose of Rub Yer Meat, a lazy bath in BBQ sauce, and a quick finish on the smoker, these budget-friendly beauties become something special.

Serve them for game day, parties, weeknight dinners, or whenever you want big BBQ flavor without a big price tag.