Transform your chicken wings with Chef Tom's Smoked Fried Truffalo Wings recipe! A quick smoke followed by frying in a cast iron skillet to give these wings crispy texture. Then he shows you how to whip up a white truffle-infused Buffalo sauce to add an unforgettable zesty kick!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Making the Truffalo sauce first, before the wings even touch the grill, means it's fully cooled and ready to toss the moment frying is done
- Coating the wings in a cornstarch-and-rub blend instead of plain rub gives the skin something to crisp against once it hits the hot oil, on top of the smoke flavor already worked in
- Smoking the wings before frying builds smoke flavor into the meat first, so the fry stage is purely about texture rather than trying to do both jobs at once
- Resting the fried wings inside the warm grill while later batches finish keeps the first ones hot without drying out on a counter or plate
Smoked Fried Truffalo Wings
Tom Jackson
Rated 3.3 stars by 3 users
Category
Appetizer
Cuisine
American
Servings
5
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Calories
428
Level up your chicken wings with these Smoked Fried Truffalo Wings! Chef Tom fires up the Napoleon Phantom 500 to give these wings a quick smoke before frying them in a cast iron skillet on the side burner, then tossing them in a white truffle infused Buffalo sauce!
Ingredients
- 5 lb whole chicken wings, tips removed
- 2 tbsp corn starch
-
2 tbsp R Butts R Smokin’ R Steak Rub
- Roughly 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
-
2/3 cup Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup truffle infused oil
- 1 tbsp cayenne powder
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic
For the Truffalo Sauce:
Directions
- Preheat a Lodge 8” Cast Iron Skillet over medium heat (on a burner). Add all ingredients for the Truffalo Sauce. Bring to a simmer. Whisk. Cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or mason jar.
- Place a Napoleon Charcoal Tray in the center of the Napoleon Phantom Prestige 500RSIB. Turn on the center burners under the charcoal tray and set to LOW heat. The grill temperature will be around 300°F.
- Place a Finex 12” Cast Iron Skillet on the side burner. Fill about 1/3 full with vegetable oil. Heat and stabilize the oil temperature 375°F.
- Combine the corn starch and R Butts R Smokin’ R Steak Rub and mix well, coat the wings in the mixture.
- Place a few small chunks of smoking wood in the charcoal basket, directly over the burners. Light with a torch, if necessary, to start producing smoke.
Smoke the wings on the second shelf for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat inside the grill.
- Working in batches (typically 3 whole wings at a time), fry the wings in the skillet until golden brown. Flip and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 175°F. Remove from the oil and place in the grill to warm.
- When all wings are fried, transfer from the grill to a large bowl. Add the Truffalo Sauce and toss to coat.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why make the Truffalo sauce before the wings even go on the grill?
Building the sauce first gives it time to cool and set while the wings smoke and fry, so it's ready to toss the moment the last batch comes out of the oil.
Why coat the wings in cornstarch and rub instead of just seasoning them plain?
The cornstarch gives the skin something to crisp against once it hits the hot oil, building texture on top of the smoke flavor the wings already picked up on the grill.
Why smoke the wings before frying them instead of frying from raw?
Smoking first builds flavor into the meat, so the fry stage only has to handle texture and finishing the cook — rather than trying to develop smoke flavor and crisp the skin at the same time.
Why place the fried wings back inside the warm grill instead of just setting them on a plate?
Holding them in the grill keeps the first batches hot while later ones finish frying, rather than letting them sit out and cool on a counter or plate.
What internal temperature should the wings actually reach?
This recipe fries them until they reach 175°F, comfortably above the USDA minimum of 165°F for poultry no correction needed here.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
2 out of 5 a deep fryer or heavy pot on the stovetop can handle the frying stage entirely indoors, but the initial smoke is what gives these wings their character and is difficult to replicate without an actual smoker.
Recipe Highlights
Made-ahead sauce: Ready to toss the moment frying wraps up.
Cornstarch-rub coating: Builds crisp texture on top of smoked flavor.
Smoke-then-fry order: Separates flavor-building from texture-building into two stages.
Grill-held finished wings: Keeps early batches hot while the rest fry.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 6.29 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 428
- Carbs
- 15 grams
- Protein
- 17 grams
- Fat
- 34 grams
- Sodium
- 1714 milligrams
