serves 4

• 2 tablespoons margarine or olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons Braggs or soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons hot mustard
• 3/4 tsp. chili powder
• ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• ¼ cup rum
• 1-3 drops hot pepper sauce, or to taste (optional)
• 1 ½ tsp. coarse sea salt
• 12 chicken drumsticks

Melt margarine or olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté until onion and garlic are soft, approximately another 6 minutes. Add the next 7 ingredients and ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the rum; cook until heated through, approximately 3 minutes. Add hot sauce and salt to taste.

Mix salt and remaining ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Loosen the skin of the drumsticks. Rub the salt-pepper mixture under the skin without tearing the skin. Place chicken in a baking pan, large enough to hold chicken in one layer. Cover and leave at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Cook chicken for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and baste liberally with half of the sauce. Return chicken to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or the drumsticks have an internal temperature of 165.

Let chicken rest before serving.