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Grillin’ some wings …

I’m not the biggest fan of buffalo wings. Too much vinegar … one note spiciness. Just not my thing. If we’re out and someone orders a plate, I’ll have one, but I don’t order them for myself. They are also incredibly greasy and messy — I get the stuff all over face and up my arms. Or maybe I’m just a slob.

But throw some wings on our Big Green Egg– well — that’s a different story altogether. First of all, a slow moderate roast in the BGE renders off all the fat, leaving the meat moist but not flabby. Secondly, I can toss the hot wings in my own sauce — whether that’s a sweet and spicy tomato-based barbecue sauce (like Sweet Baby Ray’s!), or a mustard-based barbecue sauce, or even a Thai sweet chili sauce! And I don’t have to drown them — a little goes a long way (and keeps my arms clean, right?).

Smoked Chicken Wings
Serves a crowd

Enough “party wings” to cover your grill grate without crowding [*]
Barbecue rub [**]
Barbecue sauce

Lay your wings out on a cookie sheet or two. Pat them dry if they are super wet. Liberally dust both sides with barbecue rub of your choice. Let them set out for the 30 to 45 minutes it will take to set up your grill and get the fire going. This rest period is important for seasoning — the salt will draw moisture out of the meat and then the salt gets drawn back INTO the meat.

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Set up your grill for indirect grilling — on the BGE, we set up for indirect grilling with a plate setter. Aim for about 350F.

Once the grill has reached temp, lay out the wings out on the grate. Shut the lid and let it go about 45 minutes. No peeking!

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At the 45 minute mark, flip the wings, rearranging if you are seeing hot spots. Shut the lid and let it go another 30 to 45 minutes. You may peek at the 30 minute mark to see if they are done. They should be evenly browned/charred and pulling away from the bone a bit. Poke one with your finger — should be fairly firm.

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Pull them from the grill and immediately put in a large bowl and pour your favorite sauce over them. Toss gently, adding more sauce sparingly. It’s important to do it the moment they come off the grill — so the oh-so-crisp skin will soak up the sauce. But not drown in it!

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Eat immediately!

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[*]  “Party wings” means the first two joints of the wing, separated, and the wing tip discarded. Feel free to buy full wings and separate yourself. For me, it was more efficient to buy them ready to go. Our BGE holds about 40 pieces — I think that was 5 or 6 pounds worth.

[**]  We usually make our own rub. Salt, fresh ground black pepper, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander, ground chipotle, I’d skip the brown sugar for these wings. But a purchased barbecue rub will work just fine.

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