Buffalo Chicken Lollipops

Jan 30, 2024 • Tom Jackson

Transform your chicken drumsticks into a whole new experience with Buffalo Chicken Lollipops. These succulent, smoky delights are prepared by turning drumsticks into a convenient lollipop shape and smoking them to perfection on a Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill. Coated in a zesty homemade Buffalo Sauce and served with a creamy Blue Cheese Dressing, these lollipops offer an irresistible combination of spice, smokiness, and indulgence that's perfect for any occasion.

Buffalo Chicken Lolipops

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 2 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

6

Prep Time

20 minutes

Calories

394

Today Chef Tom admits that he's not the biggest fan of drumsticks. So what does he do? He makes them delicious! Find out how to make Buffalo Chicken Lollipops by removing the tendons usually associated with chicken legs and boosting the flavor with Hardcore Carnivore's Amplify rub and the Yoder Smokers YS640s. This one is as easy as it is impressive, so it's great for Game Day!

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 325ºF, set up for smoking/indirect grilling.
To make the blue cheese dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
To prepare the chicken lollipops, lay the drumstick on it’s side. Slice off a sliver of the cartilage and meat at the fat end, to allow the drumstick to stand upright. Next, where the meat meets the bone, cut down through the meat and cartilage down to the bone, all the way around the bone. Push the meat down to the fat end, and pull the skin and cartilage up to the skinny end, and remove from the bone.
Rub the chicken lollipops with a thin layer of Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce, then season with Hardcore Carnivore Amplify Seasoning.
Transfer the chicken to the second shelf of the smoker. Cook until the internal temperature reaches about 170ºF, about 45 minutes.
While the chicken cooks, make the buffalo sauce. Combine all ingredients in a pint sized mason jar, then blend using an immersion blender until smooth.
When the chicken lollipops reach 170ºF internal, dunk them in the buffalo sauce, inside the mason jar, then return to the grill. Let cook an additional five minutes to set the sauce.
Remove the chicken and serve with additional buffalo sauce and blue cheese sauce for dipping.

Recipe Note

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Barbecue Chicken Lollipops

Buffalo Cauliflower

Recipe Highlights and Insights:

Using an immersion blender to emulsify a sauce provides a practical and efficient technique for achieving a smooth, cohesive texture. When emulsifying with an immersion blender, the process involves combining two immiscible liquids, such as oil and vinegar, and dispersing one within the other to create a stable mixture. The blender's rapid rotating blades effectively break down the fat molecules, enabling them to disperse evenly throughout the liquid phase. This action results in the formation of a temporary bond between the oil and water molecules, facilitated by the emulsifiers present in the ingredients, which helps prevent separation and ensures a homogeneous sauce.

Understanding the difference between a temporary bond and a semi-permanent bond in emulsification is crucial for mastering the art of sauce making. In a temporary bond, as achieved through emulsification with an immersion blender, the emulsion remains stable only for a relatively short period. Over time, the oil and water molecules will begin to separate, requiring occasional stirring or agitation to maintain consistency. Conversely, a semi-permanent bond involves the addition of stabilizers or thickeners, such as egg yolks or mustard, which create a more enduring emulsion. These compounds act as binding agents, enhancing the viscosity and stability of the sauce over an extended period, even without constant agitation. While both techniques produce emulsified sauces, understanding the nuances between temporary and semi-permanent bonds allows chefs to choose the most suitable method based on the desired texture and shelf-life of the sauce.

In summary, utilizing an immersion blender for emulsifying sauces offers a convenient and effective way to achieve a uniform mixture of oil and water-based ingredients. The temporary bond formed during emulsification provides a stable texture for immediate use, though it may require occasional stirring to maintain consistency. Contrarily, semi-permanent bonds, often achieved through the addition of stabilizers, yield sauces with enhanced stability and longevity. By mastering these techniques, chefs can elevate their culinary creations, producing sauces that not only tantalize the taste buds but also showcase precision and expertise in the art of emulsification.