Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers Loaded Wichita Offset Smoker to give these brined-then-smoked Barbecue Chicken Wings a quick soak in the smoke before searing them over direct flame inside the fire box. Finished with a toss in barbecue sauce and served with garlic parm dipping sauce, these wings are perfect for your next game-day party!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Brining before smoking: Soaking the wings in a butcher house brine for 1-2 hours seasons the meat through and helps it retain moisture during the low, slow smoke that follows.
- A two-stage cook: smoke first, then sear direct: Cooking the wings low and slow to 155°F first, then finishing them over direct heat on GrillGrates up to 175°F, builds smoke flavor before adding the char and crisp skin that direct heat alone would rush.
- Tossing the sauce on while the wings are still hot: Coating the wings in barbecue sauce immediately after they come off the grill lets the residual heat help the sauce tack onto the skin, instead of sitting on top of a cooled wing.
- A from-scratch garlic parmesan dip made while the wings brine: Whisking together the dipping sauce during the brining step means it's ready to go the moment the wings are done, with time in the fridge to let the flavors meld.
Smoked Barbecue Chicken Wings
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Appetizer
Cuisine
American
Servings
10
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Calories
231
Tantalize your taste buds with Chef Tom's recipe for brined-then-smoked Barbecue Chicken Wings. Finished with a toss in barbecue sauce and served with garlic parmesan dipping sauce, these wings offer a unique and delicious flavor for your next party.
Ingredients
- 5 lb chicken wings
- 3 qt water or apple juice
-
1 cup + 2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine
-
Yoder Smokers Chicken Rub
-
1 1/4 cups Blues Hog Smokey Mountain BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated on microplane
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp garlic, grated on microplane
- 1 tbsp parsley, minced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
-
1 tsp Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce
For the wings:
For the Garlic Parmesan Sauce:
Directions
- Combine the water (or apple juice) and Cattleman’s Grill Butcher House Brine in a 4 quart Briner Bucket. Whisk to dissolve. Add chicken wings to the liquid. Submerge the chicken with the plastic plate and lock in place to keep the chicken submerged. Place in the refrigerator to brine for 1-2 hours.
- While the wings brine, make the dipping sauce by combining all ingredients and whisking together. Store in the refrigerator.
- Light a chimney of lump charcoal in the fire box of the Yoder Smokers Loaded Wichita Offset Smoker. When the charcoal is red to the top, dump in the back half of the fire box. Top the charcoal with a couple of splits of hickory wood.
- Stabilize the grill temperature around 250ºF-275ºF. Maintain this temperature by adds another split of wood to the coal bed every 30-45 minutes, or as needed.
- Remove wings from brine and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Season with Yoder Smokers Chicken Rub. Grill until internal temperature reaches 155ºF, about 45-60 minutes. Remove from the grill and cover with foil.
- Spread out the coals and add more split wood. Install GrillGrate Grilling Panels in the fire box to cook directly over the wood fire.
- Grill the wings over direct heat until the internal temperature reaches 175ºF. Remove from the GrillGrates.
- Transfer the wings to a bowl while still hot. Toss with Firebug Mild Grillin’ Sauce immediately, to coat.
- Serve the BBQ Chicken Wings with the Garlic Parmesan Sauce for dipping.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why brine the wings before smoking them?
Soaking them in a butcher house brine for 1-2 hours seasons the meat all the way through and helps it hold onto moisture during the low, slow smoke that follows.
Why cook the wings in two stages instead of just smoking them the whole time?
Smoking low and slow first builds smoke flavor into the meat, and finishing over direct heat afterward adds the char and crisp skin that a long, low smoke alone wouldn't produce.
Why toss the wings in sauce immediately after they come off the grill?
Coating them while they're still hot lets the residual heat help the sauce tack onto the skin, instead of just sitting on top of a wing that's already cooled down.
Why make the garlic parmesan dip while the wings are brining?
Whisking it together early means it's ready the moment the wings are done, and the extra time in the fridge lets the garlic and parmesan flavors meld together.
What internal temperature should the chicken wings actually reach?
The first stage pulls them at 155°F, but that's only a checkpoint before moving to direct heat — the final target after the second stage is 175°F, well above the USDA minimum of 165°F for poultry. Make sure the wings reach that final 175°F before serving, not just the 155°F midpoint.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
2 out of 5 — the brine and dipping sauce can be made in any kitchen, but the offset smoker's wood fire and direct-heat sear are central to this recipe's flavor and difficult to replicate indoors.
Recipe Highlights
Butcher house brine: Seasons the wings through and helps retain moisture.
Two-stage cook: Smoke first for flavor, then direct heat for char and crisp skin.
Hot-tossed sauce: Residual heat helps the sauce tack onto the skin.
Make-ahead dip: Extra chill time lets the garlic parmesan flavors meld.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 6.75 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 231
- Carbs
- 3 grams
- Protein
- 26 grams
- Fat
- 12 grams
- Sodium
- 271 milligrams
