Beer-B-Q Bull Horns

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup freshly ground hops
• 1/4 cup freshly ground malted barley
• 1/4 cup ground cumin
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons chili seasoning
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon hickory smoked salt
• 2 (12-ounce bottles) American lager beer
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (18-ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce
• 16 chicken wing drumettes
• 16 strips thinly sliced bacon
• 16 heavy duty toothpicks

Directions

Preheat grill. If using charcoal, bank the charcoal on 1 side of grill. If using a gas cooker, light only one half of the grill.

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, hops, malted barley, cumin, kosher salt, chili seasoning, pepper, celery salt, and smoked salt. Set aside.

In large bowl whisk 1 bottle of lager beer with 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture and the olive oil. Set aside.

In a saucepan, whisk together remaining bottle of lager beer and the barbecue sauce for a beer glaze.

For "bull horns", cut the skin and tendons around the base of the drumette. Push chicken meat up into a ball forming a "lollypop-like" shape. Wrap the ball of chicken meat with a strip of regular bacon. Secure the bacon to the drumette by skewering with a toothpick.

Place the bull horns in the bowl of marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour up to overnight.

Remove bull horns from marinade. Sprinkle generously with the spice mixture. Place on the indirect (unlit) side of the grill and close the cover.

Cook, turning occasionally, until chicken juices run clear and bacon is crispy, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Smother with the beer glaze, grill, turning often, to caramelize all over, about another 10 minutes.

Note: This recipe makes more spice mixture that you'll need, but will keep for several months in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place. Leftover beer glaze will keep in the refrigerator up to 1 week.