I've been making these smoky, sweet, spicy, crispy-charred chicken wings for many, many years, and they are always a crowd pleaser at every backyard barbecue. As a matter of fact, anyone that comes to a get together in the spring or summer at our house invariably enquires about whether or not they are being served!
There is so much to say about barbecue, too much to wax poetic about here. Every type of meat cooked has it's own unique set of challenges and opportunities for flavors and textures. In this post we will focus in on barbecue chicken wings, which is a wonderful entry level protein, quite forgiving, and quick.
Newest Recipe!
Crunchy Thai-Style Slaw with Lime & Peanuts
Fresh lime juice, crunchy cabbage, and chopped peanuts make this crunchy Thai slaw a must have at your next holiday backyard party! Or simply one of your new favorite salads for any day of the week. This easy recipe made with simple ingredients is a great way to celebrate Thai flavors.
INGREDIENTS
- 4½ lb. three piece chicken wings drumette, flat, and tips
- 2 tsp. dry English mustard
- 1 tbsp. salt - Omit this ingredient if brining
- 3 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tbsp. paprika - Use the smoked variety if you would like
- 2½ cup barbecue sauce - we suggest the cherry/chili Colorado one linked to in this post, but any store bought brand that you prefer will be fine
- 1 recipe seasons two taste basic brine for grilled meats - Once again, linked to in this post, but optional
- 4 oz. barbecue wood chips - optional, use whatever type you'd prefer, see linked barbecue post for advice. soaked in cold water for at least 10 minutes.
Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- 1 grill-pellet, charcoal, or gas
- 1 tongs
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 barbecue sauce brush a pastry or silicon brush
- 1½ feet length of aluminum foil for wood chip smoking option, (charcoal or gas grill)
- 1 probe thermometer digital preferable
Ingredients
- 4½ lb. chicken wings, drumette, flat, and tips
- 2 tsp. dry English mustard
- 1 tbsp. salt omit if brining
- 3 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tbsp. paprika use smoked if not able to use wood to cook with, or if a more smoky flavor is desired
- 2½ cup barbecue sauce we suggest the cherry/chili Colorado one linked to in this post, but any store bought brand that your prefer will be fine
- 1 recipe seasons two taste basic brine for grilled meats Once again, linked to in this post, but optional
- 4 oz. barbecue wood chips optional, use whatever type you'd prefer, see linked bbq post for advice. soaked in cold water for at least 10 minutes.
Instructions
Brining (optional), (this will add 2 hours to total time, plus time to prepare the brine)
- prepare seasons two taste basic brine for grilled meats instructions
- place wings into the prepared brine and allow to sit in this for two hours
- remove from brine, pat dry.
Seasoning
- place chicken pieces into mixing bowl
- add all dry ingredients, minus wood chips, (and salt if brine is used).
- toss and mix wings with seasonings to evenly coat
Pellet grill heating
- heat grill to 350 degrees
- leave lid closed to get grill grates hot enough to sear for 10 to 15 minutes
Gas grill heating
- Create foil "bowl" if using wood chips
- strain wood chips from water, place in foil
- place foil bowl under grill grate, balanced over burner bevels, off to one side that can be kept at a lower temp.
- Light grill burners, keeping the side that has the wood chips on low, the rest on high
- close grill cover to heat for 10 minutes
Charcoal grill heating
- add enough charcoal to bottom of grill to create an even layer across the whole surface
- light charcoal in preferred fashion
- stack most of the charcoal to one side of the grill, leaving just a small amount on the other to create two heat zones
- Create foil "bowl" if using wood chips
- strain wood chips from water, place in foil
- place bowl with wood chips in it directly on top of the hot coals on the cooler side of the grill
- replace grill grate, close grill for 7 to 10 minutes to heat grate to sear
Grilling chicken
- place wings onto grill in organized rows, close cover to cook for 5 minutes
- open grill and check progress of the cook.
- if the skin on the grilling side has started to crisp or blister, flip them over and exchange their location on the grill with the slower cooking wings and close grill for another 2 or 3 minutes
- once all wings have been flipped over, repeat the process outlined earlier, until they are all just starting to crisp and blister on the outside as uniformly as possible
- brush the sauce onto the top of the chicken lightly, close grill to allow it to cook and "lacquer" .
- after another 5 minutes, and the sauce has formed a glazed appearance, flip them over, once again moving them around from hot spots to cooler ones in order to facilitate even cooking
- apply sauce again, repeat the "lacquering" process.
- flip them for a third time. you will start to see charred spots on the skin, and especially on the tips
- baste with sauce once again, much thicker this time, paying special attention to cover the charred bits
- close the grill again for 2 to 3 minutes
- take temperatures in the thickest part of the largest drumettes, once you see above 170 consistently, pull them from the grill and serve
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Jason says
Love it