Side by side
Drumstick
Leg · pilon · muslo
The lower leg, threaded with the tendons the bird stands on. Those tendons never fully soften under quick heat, so the drumstick rewards either long braising or high enough heat to render everything around them — and the bone conducts heat inward, which is why it cooks faster than its size suggests.
Choose plump drumsticks with skin covering the whole leg — exposed meat dries and toughens first.
Oyster
Sot-l'y-laisse · solomillo de pollo
Two coin-sized nuggets sitting in hollows on the back, either side of the spine. They are the most tender and best-flavoured meat on the entire bird and there are only two per chicken, which is why the French name translates roughly as "the fool leaves it there".
Turn a roasted chicken over before carving and scoop them out with a spoon — they are hidden from above.
Which one to buy
- Better forDrumstick : Oyster
- FryingDrumstick90 : —
- BraisingDrumstick86 : —
- RoastingOyster80 : 92
- SkewersOyster— : 80
Other comparisons
All cuts
Beef Primals
Chicken Portions
Bluefin Tuna Cuts
Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.