Griddle-Seared Butterflied Chicken Legs with South Fork BBQ Sauce


Griddle-Seared Butterflied Chicken Legs with South Fork BBQ Sauce

Pre-butterflied SVF drumsticks, brined, dry-rubbed, and griddle-seared to fall-off-the-bone tender.

Griddle-Seared Butterflied Chicken Legs with South Fork BBQ Sauce

These come pre-butterflied straight from us — Serenity Valley Farms ships our drumsticks already opened up flat, so all the hard work's done before they ever hit your kitchen. Butterflying opens the leg up and flattens it out, which makes it a whole lot easier to cook: it lays flat on the griddle instead of trying to roll around, cooks on just two sides, and gives you those crispy bits on the bottom that are second to none.

Bob wet-brines these first in a simple 2% salt solution with peppercorns, a little garlic, bay leaves, and a few chili flakes for good measure — that salt works its way into the meat and makes already-tender SVF chicken even juicier. After the brine, a no-sugar dry rub and a hard sear skin-side-down on a dry griddle, finished with a few thin coats of South Fork BBQ Sauce.

Raised the way we'd feed our own family. This recipe uses Serenity Valley Farms chicken — pasture-raised on our Kentucky farm, no antibiotics, no added hormones, no vaccines.

Recipe Details

  • Brine Time: 2-4 hours (inactive)
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes active (plus brine time)
  • Servings: 6-12 (1-2 legs per serving)
  • Cooking Method: Flat-top griddle
  • Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 12 Serenity Valley Farms chicken drumsticks (pre-butterflied), approximately 3 pounds

Brine

  • Water, enough to submerge the drumsticks, salted to a 2% solution
  • Whole peppercorns
  • Red pepper / chili flakes
  • Garlic, a few cloves
  • Bay leaves, a couple

Dry Rub (no sugar)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (approximately 8-10 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

To Finish

  • 2 tablespoons neutral high-heat oil
  • Approximately 1 cup South Fork BBQ Sauce, Tangy Apple flavor

Directions

  1. These SVF drumsticks arrive already butterflied — no cutting needed.
  2. Make a 2% salt brine and add the peppercorns, chili flakes, garlic, and bay leaves. Submerge the drumsticks and refrigerate 2-4 hours.
  3. Remove from the brine and pat dry as best you can — doesn't need to be perfect.
  4. Combine the dry rub and season the drumsticks generously on all sides. No sugar in the rub — it will burn on a flat top and turn bitter.
  5. Preheat a flat-top griddle.
  6. Place drumsticks skin-side down on the dry (unoiled) griddle. Cook about 2 minutes — the fat in the skin renders and crisps it up while it shrinks slightly, helping hold the juices in.
  7. Flip, add a little oil to the griddle near each piece, and cook 4-5 minutes.
  8. Once nearing done, brush on South Fork BBQ Sauce in thin coats, building multiple layers. Flip often from this point so the sauce's sugar doesn't burn.
  9. Keep flipping, saucing, and checking temp until the legs reach doneness (see Internal Temperature below).
  10. Final flip, bump the heat up slightly, and glaze the tops one last time. Cook about 2 more minutes.
  11. Pull off the griddle, rest briefly, and plate.

Internal Temperature: Food-safety minimum for chicken: 165°F, measured at the thickest part, away from bone. Bob's preferred finishing temperature is 190°F — he takes these to 190-200°F so the connective tissue breaks down and the meat pulls easily off the bone.

Bob's Tips:

  • "You really can't screw up Serenity Valley Farms chicken — especially thighs, legs, and wings."
  • No sugar in your dry rub on a flat top — it'll burn and turn bitter. Post-dust with a sweet seasoning after cooking instead.
  • Start skin-side down on a dry griddle — the fat in the skin crisps it up on its own.
  • Once you start saucing, flip often — the sugar in BBQ sauce burns fast.
  • Apply sauce thin, in multiple layers, rather than one heavy coat.

Serving Ideas

  • Grilled corn on the cob
  • Vinegar-based coleslaw
  • Baked beans
  • Cornbread
  • Cold potato salad
  • Fresh sliced tomatoes or garden salad

Leftovers

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven or air fryer until warmed through.

Watch the Video

Watch Bob make these butterflied chicken legs on YouTube

Cooking Photos

[NEEDS BOB'S INPUT — any additional in-process photos from the shoot]

Shop Our Chicken

Raised on the pastures of Monticello, Kentucky — Bob and Colleen's names are on every box.