Oh the humble chicken wing . . . there are thousands of methods and recipes out there that all claim to produce that perfect bite, but for me, I’m looking for something a little ‘special’.
By special I don’t mean expensive . . . let me paint the picture!
I’m looking for tender white meat . . . a touch of sweetness, a sprinkle of heat and a smoky flavour that carries through until the very last bite. On top of this let’s not forget the skin . . . crisp with elements of char and caramelisation with an initial flavour that instantly grabs you . . . one that makes you sit up in your seat and appreciate what you have in front of you.
I tall order I appreciate . . . I’m getting very close . . .
Here is my best method to date:
The Wings
As previously mentioned, the wings I often use are ‘Birchwood British Chicken Wings’ from Lidl.
The tips have already been removed from the wings, so all we need to do is separate the flat from the drum (or drumette) and tidy up a little.
As you can see from the photos . . . just a simple cut on the joint and jobs done.
Marinade
Again, this couldn’t be easier . . .
Place the chicken flats and drums on a baking tray and drizzle with a splash or two of olive oil. Once you’ve ensured the wings are completely coated on all sides reach for some ‘Angus & Oink – Honey Chilli Seasoning‘ and cover the wings.
Note: I’ve also used ‘Meat Church – Honey Bacon BBQ Rub‘ which is just another level up entirely!
Happy you’ve covered the wings in the honey infused magic? Chuck them all in a resealable bag, squeeze out the air and place in the fridge for 2 hours.
Quick Brine
The secret for me was buttermilk.
I was only planning to make a small batch of wings (1kg) so I didn’t need to use a lot of ingredients for the brine at all.
Asda sell a 300ml tub of buttermilk which works out just right. To the buttermilk I added 1 teaspoon of ‘Pink Himalayan‘ salt from Sea Crack and stirred well. Once all was mixed together I poured into the resealable bag with the chicken and put back in the fridge for at least 2 hours . . . but I prefer overnight.
The Smoke
For the initial smoke I decided to use the Bradley Smoker. I set the temperature at 250°f and added cherry bisquettes for the smoke.
I found there to be no need to rinse the wings first. Instead I patted them dry slightly with a paper towel and added a little more rub after I’d placed the wings on the rack(s).
Next I added a small foil tray below the chicken to help with clean-up, inserted a probe into one of the wings to monitor the internal temperature and then headed back inside.
Time for some Heat
After about 1.5 hours you’ll be hitting an internal temperature of around 165°f which means we’re ready for a quick blast of heat.
Once my wings were reading an internal temperature of around 140°f I fired up the
Kamado Joe Jr. grill and ensured all vents were FULLY open.
With the deflector plate in (due to how close the flames are to the grill in the Jr.) I placed the smoked wings inside, closed the lid and listened to the skin bubble, blister and pop for around 10 minutes to ensure they developed that perfect CRUNCH.
Oh . . . saucy!
Whilst the wings were cooling slightly in a bowl I knocked up a simple sauce.
I used the trusted Stokes Sweet & Sticky BBQ sauce a generous knob of butter and some local honey . . . all heated in a cast iron on the KJ for a few minutes.
Once my wings were plated I poured over the sauce, sprinkled with some sesame seeds and spring onion before topping with a nice bacon crumb I made from finely chopped bacon cooked whilst the KJ was coming up to temp.
The Final Result
