Grilled Huli Huli Turkey Drumsticks

July 2022. Memphis summer, 63 years old, and the heat wraps around Orange Mound like a wet blanket that nobody asked for but everybody wears because that is the deal you make when you live in the South. The smoker calls louder in summer — something about the heat amplifying the smoke, the way humidity amplifies everything in Memphis — and I answer, because answering is what pitmasters do.

Walter Jr. came by with the grandchildren, bringing the noise and energy that grandchildren bring, the house expanding to hold them the way a good pot expands to hold a good stew. Trey at the smoker, learning, absorbing, his hands getting steadier each visit, the fire recognizing him the way fire recognizes those who are meant to tend it.

Comfort food this week: a big pot of collard greens with smoked turkey neck, simmered for three hours until the greens were dark and silky and the pot liquor was a treasure. The kitchen smelled like Mama's kitchen in the shotgun house, and I stood at the stove and stirred and thought about hands — her hands, small and strong, teaching mine everything they know about turning humble ingredients into something that feeds not just the body but the soul.

I sat in the lawn chair next to Uncle Clyde's smoker as the dark came on, and I thought about what I always think about: the chain. From Clyde to me. From me to Trey, maybe, or Jerome, or whoever comes next with the patience and the hands and the willingness to stand next to a fire at three in the morning and wait for something good to happen. The chain doesn't break. The fire doesn't stop. And I am here, 63 years old, in a lawn chair in Orange Mound, Memphis, Tennessee, watching the smoke rise, and the rising is the living, and the living is the gift.

Now, the collard greens and smoked turkey neck were the comfort that week, but when the grandchildren are running circles around the yard and Trey’s posted up at the smoker like he owns the thing, you need something they can hold in their hands — something sticky and sweet and smoky that makes a mess worth cleaning up. These Huli Huli Turkey Drumsticks are that food. Big, glazed, caramelized drumsticks that come off the grill looking like a prize and tasting like summer in Memphis when the people you love are close enough to feed.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus marinating) | Servings: 6

Ingredients

6 turkey drumsticks (about 3/4 to 1 pound each)
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (for garnish)

Instructions

Make the Huli Huli sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Let cool. Reserve 1/2 cup of sauce for basting and serving.
Marinate the drumsticks. Place the turkey drumsticks in a large resealable bag or shallow dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the drumsticks, turning to coat evenly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
Prepare the grill. Set up a two-zone grill with medium-high heat on one side and low heat on the other. Oil the grates to prevent sticking.
Sear the drumsticks. Remove drumsticks from the marinade and discard the used marinade. Season with black pepper. Place drumsticks over direct medium-high heat and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until lightly charred.
Grill low and slow. Move drumsticks to the indirect heat side of the grill. Cover and cook for about 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes and basting with the reserved sauce during the last 20 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 175°F in the thickest part of the meat.
Glaze and finish. During the final 5 minutes, move drumsticks back over direct heat briefly to caramelize the glaze, turning frequently to prevent burning.
Rest and serve. Let drumsticks rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with any remaining reserved sauce on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Grilled Huli Huli Turkey Drumsticks — Smoke, Fire, and the Chain That Holds Us