Drumsticks Diable

Diable means devil in French, kitchen shorthand for anything punched up with mustard and chili. This drumstick recipe leans into both, building a sweet-spicy-tangy tomato sauce around bone-in chicken that simmers all day in the slow cooker until the meat is falling off.

The single move that makes or breaks this is browning the drumsticks before they go in. Slow cookers won’t develop that deep golden color on their own, so you skip the skillet step and you skip the most important layer of flavor. Five minutes per side in melted butter is enough.

The sauce is a study in contrast. Brown sugar plays counterweight to vinegar; Worcestershire and chili powder add savory depth; dry mustard gives it the eponymous devilish bite. Stirring everything to a boil before adding the chicken back in dissolves the sugar and integrates the flour from the dredge into a glossy sauce.

Pro Tips

• Use bone-in, skin-on drumsticks. The skin renders flavor into the sauce and the bones add body. Boneless cuts dry out over an 8-hour cook.
• Don’t skip the dredge in seasoned flour. The flour helps the chicken brown and thickens the sauce as it cooks.
• Skim the fat off the surface before serving. Rendered chicken fat will pool and can dull the brightness of the sauce.
• Reserve some fresh hot sauce for the table. Slow cooking mellows heat, so an extra dash at serving wakes everything back up.

Variations

• Swap drumsticks for bone-in thighs for a richer, fattier dish.
• Use honey in place of brown sugar for a more floral sweetness.
• Add a chopped green bell pepper and a handful of pitted olives for a Cuban-leaning version. Try it ladled over white rice instead of spaghetti.