Smoked Chicken Wings
Crispy-skinned, smoky chicken wings that blow away anything you'd get at a sports bar. The secret is smoking them low and slow, then cranking up the heat at the end to crisp the skin. I stole this recipe from Penny Black in downtown Rochester MI. Toss them in your favorite sauce or serve them dry with a good rub – either way, they're addictive. No deep fryer needed.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings, tips removed, drums and flats separated
- 2 tbsp baking powder (for crispy skin)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ cup BBQ sauce (optional, for tossing)
- 2 tbsp butter, melted (optional, for sauce)
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (optional, for buffalo style)
Instructions
- Pat chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. This is crucial for crispy skin.
- In a large bowl, toss wings with baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Make sure they're evenly coated. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Preheat smoker to 225°F. Use apple wood or cherry wood for a mild smoke flavor.
- Place wings directly on smoker grates, leaving space between each wing. Smoke for 1.5 hours.
- Throw them all on a baking sheet and put them in an oven heated to 375-400°F (or move wings to a hot grill). Cook for an additional 10 minutes, flipping once, until skin is crispy and internal temp reaches 175°F.
- If using sauce: In a bowl, mix BBQ sauce (or hot sauce + melted butter for buffalo style). Toss wings in sauce while they're still hot.
- Serve immediately.