Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with Bourbon-Cherry BBQ Sauce

June 23, 2025

Fireworks aren't the only thing worth firing up this Fourth of July. Whether hosting the neighborhood or keeping it close with family, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with Bourbon-Cherry BBQ Sauce deserves a place on your holiday table. Bold, smoky, and just sweet enough, these drumsticks bring backyard flavor with every bite—perfect for an afternoon under the sun or an evening by the fire pit.

The homemade sauce is the real standout—deep cherry richness meets the unmistakable warmth of bourbon, balanced by a subtle tang that keeps you reaching for one more drumstick. It's a flavor that sticks in the best way, made even better when grilled over an open flame.

This is cookout food with presence—no frills, no guesswork, just crowd-pleasing simplicity that tastes like summer. While others stress over dry burgers or underdone ribs, you’ll have a platter that disappears fast and leaves everyone asking for the recipe.

Serve it hot, plate it proudly, and let your outdoor space do the rest. A meal this good deserves the right setting—one built for gathering, unwinding, and making the most of every summer moment. Nicolock is here to help set the scene from your grill station to your lounge area.

Serves 8

Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with Bourbon-Cherry BBQ Sauce Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh or frozen sour cherries, pitted and thawed (about 20 oz.)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup unsalted ketchup
• 1/4 cup unsalted tomato paste
• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 4 pounds chicken drumsticks, skinned (about 16)
• Cooking spray

Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with Bourbon-Cherry BBQ Sauce Directions

1. Place cherries in a food processor; pulse until almost smooth. Bring cherry puree, 1/4 cup water, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl to yield about one cup of liquid; discard the remaining solids.
2. Add cherry liquid to the pan; bring to a boil. Stir in honey and the next nine ingredients (through ground red pepper). Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Cool. Place one cup of sauce in a bowl; reserve.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high (about 450°F).
4. Coat the grill grate and drumsticks with cooking spray. Arrange drumsticks on the grill; cover and cook for eight minutes, turning occasionally. Reduce heat to medium. Brush drumsticks with remaining sauce; cook 12 minutes or until done, turning and brushing every three minutes. Serve with the reserved one cup of sauce.

Taken from americanmadegrills.com