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Drumettes and Drumsticks are NOT the Same Cut of Chicken

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By Dylan Clay
December 10, 2024

The drumstick is the lower joint of the chicken leg.

The drumette is the upper arm of the chicken wing.

Drumstick pictured left, Drumette pictured right

drumstick vs drumette size comparison

What are Drumsticks?

Drumsticks are irregular in shape – they have a thicker end that tapers into a thinner end.

The thick end connects to the upper joint or “thigh” of the chicken where-as the thinner end connects to the feet.

drumstick

What are Drumettes?

Colloquially called “drums” – are the upper arm of the chicken wing.

whole chicken wing anatomy

Drumettes are irregular in shape – they also have a thick end that tapers into a thinner end.

The thicker end connecting to the breast and the thinner end connecting to the wingette or “flat.”

drumette or drum

The Main Confusion Lies in the Name of the Cuts

To start with, let’s take a look at “drumstick”:

Some etymologists believe that the word “drumstick” was used to describe the leg because phrases like “thigh” or “leg” weren’t polite words to use in the 18th century.

Similarly – breast is replaced by bosom; Thigh by upper joint; Leg by lower joint.

Looking at the word “drum-ette“:

In the English language, -ette is added to words to indicate a smaller version of something.

For example:

  • Cassette
  • Baguette
  • Kitchenette
  • Featurette
  • Flowerette
  • etc.

You get the gist.

So in the case of the “drum” – the drumette is simply a smaller version of the drumstick.

Drumsticks are the Cheapest Cut from a Chicken

Using the pricing from Wild Fork Foods:

  • Chicken drumsticks: $1.79/lb
  • Chicken wing sections (both flats and drums): $3.79/lb

Drumsticks and Wings Cook Similarly

I prefer to have my drumsticks and wings to hit around 190F+.

drumsticks cooked
Drumsticks grilled and removed from a whole chicken

By that time the exterior skin has likely crisped up and the meat pulls cleanly off the bone because the collagen/connective tissue has rendered.

Even though wings are considered “white meat,” you can push these to around 190F+ simply because they have tons of skin, fat content, and collagen.

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