Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Chicken Wings

If you're ready to take your chicken wings to the next level, you're in the right place. This recipe for Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Chicken Wings is a game-changer. Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, rice, and salt, brings a unique, spicy, and slightly sweet flavour that’s simply addictive. After a lot of experimenting, I've nailed down the perfect balance of heat and sweetness. Let's get grilling!

Prep Time 2 hrs

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 3 hrs

Cooking Method: Grilling, Indirect Heat, Smoking

Cuisine: Asian BBQ

Courses: Dinner

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cooking Temp: 200 C

Servings: 4

Estimated Cost: 10

Calories: Approximately 400 per serving

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

For the Wings:

1 Kg Chicken wings (Separated into drums and flats)

For the Rub:

5 Tbsp Light brown sugar
4 Tbsp Sea salt
3 Tbsp Ground black pepper
2 Tbsp Chinese five spice powder
1 Tbsp Onion powder

For the Sauce:

175 Ml Cold water
1/2 Can Sprite
75 Grams Granulated sugar
50 Grams Dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp Soy sauce
225 Grams Gochujang
1 Tsp Dark sesame oil
1 Tsp Rice vinegar

For Plating:

White sesame seeds
Black sesame seeds
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1/2 Tsp Gochujang
1 Tsp Lemon juice
2 Spring onions (Curled)

Instructions

1
Preparing the Wings
- Separate Wings: First things first, separate your wings into drums and flats. This won’t affect the flavour, but it'll make your wings look top-notch.
- Apply Rub: Mix together light brown sugar, sea salt, ground black pepper, Chinese five spice powder, and onion powder to make the rub. Apply the rub all over the wings for an even coating.
- Sprinkle Cornflour: Sprinkle the wings with cornflour and leave them on a wire rack in the fridge for a couple of hours. This helps the skin get extra crispy.
2
Cooking the Wings
- Preheat Grill: Preheat your grill to 180°C – 200°C, setting it up for indirect heat.
- Grill Wings: Place the wings on the grill and cook them indirectly until they reach an internal temperature of around 90°C. This ensures the skin is crispy and the meat falls off the bone.
3
Making the Gochujang Sauce
- Combine Ingredients: In a saucepan, combine cold water, Sprite, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugars dissolve.
- Add Gochujang: Reduce the heat and add Gochujang, dark sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Simmer until you’re happy with the thickness of the sauce.
4
Tossing and Plating
- Toss Wings in Sauce: Once the wings are cooked, toss them in the Gochujang sauce until they’re well coated.
- Plating: Plate the wings and pour over a little extra sauce. Sprinkle with white and black sesame seeds.
- Gochujang Mayo: Mix mayonnaise, Gochujang, and lemon juice to make the spicy mayo. Drizzle over the wings.
- Spring Onions: Add curled spring onions on top for a finishing touch.

Note

Extra Crispiness: For extra crispy skin, you can increase the cooking temperature slightly during the last 5 minutes of grilling.
Gochujang Mayo: If you want more heat, add more Gochujang to the mayo.

Keywords: Gochujang, Chicken Wings, BBQ, Sweet and Spicy, Korean BBQ, Grilling, Chicken Recipes

Read it online: https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/sweet-and-spicy-gochujang-chicken-wings/

Thank you for trying out this recipe! I hope it brings joy and flavour to your table. For more delicious recipes and BBQ tips, visit Smoke & Sear. Happy grilling! Cheers, Lee.