Apple Butter BBQ Drumsticks with Guacamole Slaw
If you are eating paleo or trying to stay whole30 compliant this is a way to get your bbq fix. This isnt some pale shadow of barbecue chicken for those with dietary restrictions and you wont feel like youre settling for something less than barbecue. This is absolutely delicious and fairly easy to make. You can make the sauce in advance making meal day even easier. Recipe calls for drumsticks, but you can do other types of chicken or a mix if you prefer
If you are eating paleo or trying to stay whole30 compliant this is a way to get your bbq fix. This isnt some pale shadow of barbecue chicken for those with dietary restrictions and you wont feel like youre settling for something less than barbecue. This is absolutely delicious and fairly easy to make. You can make the sauce in advance making meal day even easier. Recipe calls for drumsticks, but you can do other types of chicken or a mix if you prefer
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- dry rub for chickin
- 3-4 lbs chicken drumsticks (i used skin-on, skinless is fine too)
- for the barbecue sauce:
- 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil for sauteeing the garlic
- 1/3 cup apple butter (no sugar or spice added)
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or worcestershire sauce or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce such as tabasco
- 1/8 teaspoon coriander ground
- 1 pinch allspice
- 1 pinch ginger ground
- for the guacamole slaw:
- 10 ounce shredded cole slaw mix if can't find, ok to omit
- 1/2 red bell pepper julienned
- 1/2 cup gaucamole
- 1 tablespoon paleo mayonaise (or just use more olive oil)
- Carbohydrate 16.8709903835305 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.78741734214506 g
- Fiber 2.17066716564219 g
- Protein 1.6263931282978 g
- Saturated Fat 0.654361848709421 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (187g)
- Sodium 69.1071355506336 mg
- Sugar 14.7003232178883 g
- Trans Fat 0.238690093802084 g
- Calories 113 calories
Step-by-step
- Stir together all of the barbecue sauce ingredients except the oil and garlic.
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant and straw colored. Add the barbecue sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until thickened. Set aside to cool.
- Dump the chicken drumsticks in a slow cooker and coat them on all sides with the barbecue seasoning. Add salt unless you are using a pre-made barbecue seasoning which already contains salt.
- Measure out 1/2 cup of the sauce and coat the chicken with it (I used a basting brush). Cook for 4-6 hours on low.
- When ready to serve, set the oven rack 10" from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Set the drumsticks in a single layer on a lightly oiled slotted broiler pan. Coat them with half of the remaining sauce and broil 10-15 minutes until charred and crispy. Flip them over, coat with the rest of the sauce, and broil again for 10-15 minutes to crisp the other side. Serve immediately with guacamole slaw or side dish of choice.
- Stir together the guacamole, vinegar, oil, and mayo (if using)
- Add the cole slaw veggies and red bell pepper. Toss to combine.
- Let chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Variation -- pulled pork: Use a pork roast instead of chicken drumsticks, preferably a fatty cut like shoulder. Rub with BBQ seasoning and put it in the crock pot, pour half of the sauce over the top, and cook for about 8 hours on low. Shred with two forks and serve with the rest of the sauce.
Traditional vinegar-based barbecue sauces rely on thin, sharp profiles, but this variation incorporates unsweetened apple butter to build body and natural fruit sugars without burning on contact with direct heat. Balancing fruit purees with acidic components like cider vinegar requires controlled simmering to reduce moisture levels properly before the chicken ever enters the slow cooker.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
The single greatest mistake cooks make with slow-cooked poultry is failing to dry the surface thoroughly before applying initial seasonings, which leaves the meat steamed rather than properly seasoned. When transitioning the drumsticks from the slow cooker to the broiler, manage distance carefully by positioning the oven rack precisely ten inches away from the heating element. Direct exposure to high heat for ten to fifteen minutes per side renders the skin crisp and caramelizes the remaining sugars in the apple butter glaze without turning the coating bitter or acrid.
Judging Doneness and Texture
While instant-read thermometers remain the gold standard for food safety, evaluating poultry doneness visually requires looking for meat that has shrunk back significantly from the bone ends and yields completely under gentle pressure from tongs. The accompanying guacamole slaw must chill for at least thirty minutes to allow the high-fat avocado base to coat the shredded cabbage properly and soften the raw crunch of the vegetables before serving.
