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Per serving
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- 1
Dry the wings
Pat every wing bone-dry on all sides with paper towels. Dry skin is crispy skin, so don't rush this. If you've got the time, set them uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge for a couple hours to dry the surface out even more. Separate flats and drumettes if they came whole.
- 2
Season and coat
Drop the wings in a large zip-top bag with the baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and brown sugar. Close it up and toss until every wing is evenly coated. Use baking powder here, NOT baking soda. The baking powder pulls moisture out of the skin and raises its pH so it browns and crisps. That's the whole trick.
- 3
Smoke low
Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. Hickory or oak if you want a real smokehouse punch, cherry or apple if you want it milder with a prettier mahogany color. Lay the wings straight on the grates, close the lid, and smoke for 30 to 45 minutes. This renders the fat under the skin and sets the smoke flavor before you crisp them.
- 4
Crank the heat and crisp
Bump the smoker up to 425 degrees F. If your pit won't climb that fast, move the wings to a 425 degree oven on a rack set over a sheet pan. Cook until the internal temperature reads 175 degrees F, flipping or rotating as needed to beat any hot spots. Yes, 175, not 165. Wings have enough fat and connective tissue that the higher pull temp renders them tender instead of drying them out. The skin should be deep golden and tight.
- 5
Sauce or serve
Pull the wings and rest them a couple minutes. Serve them straight up, dusted with more rub, or tossed in sauce. If you sauce them, warm the sauce first. Cold sauce hitting hot skin softens all that crisp you just worked for.
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Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings
Created by: SmokeRingSteve
Ingredients
- 5 lb chicken wings
- 2 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Dry the wingsPat every wing bone-dry on all sides with paper towels. Dry skin is crispy skin, so don't rush this. If you've got the time, set them uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge for a couple hours to dry the surface out even more. Separate flats and drumettes if they came whole.
- Season and coatDrop the wings in a large zip-top bag with the baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and brown sugar. Close it up and toss until every wing is evenly coated. Use baking powder here, NOT baking soda. The baking powder pulls moisture out of the skin and raises its pH so it browns and crisps. That's the whole trick.
- Smoke lowPreheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. Hickory or oak if you want a real smokehouse punch, cherry or apple if you want it milder with a prettier mahogany color. Lay the wings straight on the grates, close the lid, and smoke for 30 to 45 minutes. This renders the fat under the skin and sets the smoke flavor before you crisp them.
- Crank the heat and crispBump the smoker up to 425 degrees F. If your pit won't climb that fast, move the wings to a 425 degree oven on a rack set over a sheet pan. Cook until the internal temperature reads 175 degrees F, flipping or rotating as needed to beat any hot spots. Yes, 175, not 165. Wings have enough fat and connective tissue that the higher pull temp renders them tender instead of drying them out. The skin should be deep golden and tight.
- Sauce or servePull the wings and rest them a couple minutes. Serve them straight up, dusted with more rub, or tossed in sauce. If you sauce them, warm the sauce first. Cold sauce hitting hot skin softens all that crisp you just worked for.