Hot Salt Baked Drumsticks

Ingredients:

o  2-3 lbs. pasture-raised drumsticks (2 packs)

o  6 Tbsp. melted butter, preferably unsalted

Hot Salt Ingredients:

o  1 1/2 tsp. Pink Himalayan Thai Chili Salt

o  ½ tsp. sweet paprika

o  ¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

o  ¼ tsp. onion powder

o  ¼ tsp. garlic powder

o  1/8 tsp. ground poultry seasoning

o  1/8 – ¼ tsp. cayenne, optional (if you want it extra spicy)

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 375-degrees

2.      Rinse chicken drumsticks under cool water, being careful not to splash.

3.      Combine hot salt ingredients in a small dish.

4.      Drizzle about a Tablespoon of butter in the bottom of your baking dish (see notes).

5.      Place drumsticks close together in the dish, with the meaty ends facing out.

6.      Drizzle remaining butter overtop of drumsticks and season with all of hot salt, minus about a teaspoon.

7.      Place baking dish into preheated oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or beginning to become tender.

8.      Remove drumsticks from oven and increase temperature to 425-degrees.

9.      Brush or baste melted butter over the chicken a few times and sprinkle with remaining hot salt.

10.  Return dish to oven, uncovered, for another 10-15 minutes, or until the skin is nicely browned.

Notes:

·      2-3 lbs. fits nicely in an 8x11” baking dish. This recipe turns out best if the drumsticks fit somewhat snuggly in the dish, allowing the bottom to almost confit in the butter while the skin on top crisps.

·      This is a great base recipe for cooking for a crowd. You can easily double this recipe with a larger baking dish. If that's the case, check out the Drumstick Bundle.

·      If you have a favorite pre-made hot salt, this is a great recipe to use it.

·      This is also a great base recipe for lemon-pepper chicken. Cut the butter in half and replace Thai chili salt with your favorite lemon-pepper seasoning. Follow directions otherwise.

·      To make tender, never-stringy BBQ chicken, cut the butter in half and follow the directions otherwise until step 8. At this point, remove chicken from 400-degree oven and brush with BBQ sauce. Place onto a hot grill, basting a few times with sauce and turning a few times to caramelize the sauce to perfection. (Pitmasters, I’m sure, don’t approve of this oven hack!)