Braised chicken drumsticks

We hadn’t eaten chicken for a couple of weeks. Don’t know why, just were into other things. I got a package of 6 legs yesterday for about $3. Seemed like a good deal. I decided to try a new cooking method – well, not new, just new to me: braising on the stovetop.

Braised chicken drumsticks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
6 chicken legs, brined for several hours*
Chicken broth, enough to come halfway up the legs in a sauté pan
Montreal grill seasoning for chicken (or other seasoning you may have)
Pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter in a sauté pan large enough to hold the legs without crowding too much. When the butter has melted add the drumsticks and brown all over, a total of about 6 minutes..

Add broth, seasoning and pepper to taste. (If you’ve brined the legs, don’t add more salt.) Bring to a simmer, cover and cook about 20 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a knife in the thickest part of the meat. If the juices run clear, they are done.

*To brine: dissolve 2 tbsp kosher salt in 2 cups of water; stir in 1 tbsp cracked black peppercorns. Place in a ziplock bag and then into a bowl to prevent leakage from doing any damage. 1 hour can be sufficient, but I like to go 3 hours or so and then not add salt. Before cooking, rinse them well and dry with paper towels.