How to Make the Best Smoked Chicken Wings in Your City
Your City: Smoked Chicken Wings are smoky, juicy, and crisp with bold flavor and an easy optional sauce finish at the end.
What Most People Don’t Know About Making Smoked Chicken Wings
- Hold the oil until right before cooking: Season the wings first, then add the oil just before they go on the smoker. Oil too early can trap moisture and make it harder to get that bite-through skin.
- Too much smoke can ruin wings fast: A couple of wood chunks or a small handful of chips is plenty. Wings do not need heavy smoke.
- Sauce after the final crisp: Tossing the wings in sauce after the high-heat finish helps the skin stay better and keeps the sauce from sliding off.
Ingredients
- 6 pounds chicken wings
- 3 tablespoons Bald Buck Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Optional for sauced wings: 1 to 1 1/2 cups of your favorite wing sauce or glaze
Instructions
- Prep the Wings: Separate the wings into drumettes and flats if needed. Remove wing tips if you want. Pat the wings very dry with paper towels.
- Season the Wings: Put the wings in a large bowl or pan. Season with Bald Buck Seasoning and smoked paprika. Toss well to coat.
- Rest for Better Skin: Let the wings rest for at least 1 hour. For even better results, refrigerate them uncovered for 4 to 8 hours so the skin dries out more.
- Add Oil Right Before Cooking: Right before cooking, drizzle the wings with the olive oil and toss again lightly.
- Preheat the Smoker: Heat your smoker or grill to 250°F and set it up for indirect heat.
- Add Light Smoke: Add 2 to 3 small wood chunks or a small handful of wood chips to start. You want a light, steady smoke, not heavy white smoke.
- Smoke the Wings: Place the wings on the grate over indirect heat in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Smoke for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the wings reach at least 165°F inside.
- Crisp Over Direct Heat: Move the wings over direct heat and crisp them for about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Watch closely so they do not burn.
- Finish Cooking: Remove the wings when the skin is crisp and the internal temperature is about 175°F to 185°F.
- Rest or Sauce: For dry wings, let them rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving. For sauced wings, toss them in sauce or glaze right after the high-heat crisp, then let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve: Serve hot and enjoy.
