Chicken wings + 80 minutes - water pan = mock deep fried wings


 

Akio Stribling

TVWBB Member
Since a few of my last batch of bbq wings came out burnt, I made a sauce-free attempt this weekend.

I placed three big lumps of hardwood charcoal in the chimney, topped it off with Rancher briquettes, and lit some newspaper underneath. After about half-an-hour, most of the coals were ashey, so I dumped them into the WSM. I added my Big Green Egg grill extender to the top rack, covered, and let it torque up to 325. I layered a couple dozen wings dressed only with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. After 40 minutes, the smoker was spiked up to 350, so I flipped them once, shut down 2 vents completely, and waited another 40 minutes, then pulled.

I tossed on a little more salt and pepper and let them cool. The texture of the meat was like a chicken wing that has been properly deepfried at high temperature; crackling crips and light but not greasy. The skin reminded me of a cross between Grandma Utz' Kettle Fried Potato Chips (the kind that's deep fried in lard) and fresh pork rinds. HIGHLY addictive and like potato chips, impossible to eat just one. The wings were fairly meaty, so the flesh wasn't dried out, but I will probably do a basic brine next time to see if I can get them a bit more juicy. The lump charcoal added just the right amount of smokiness without becoming overpowering. But the real star here is the skin; it's almost as if the wings were a delivery vector for the intense poultry-ness of the skin.

"Frying" wings on the WSM
 
That is exactly how I like my wings...extra done. I may have to try this. Would it be just as easy to do an indirect on the kettle since you are cooking at 350*??
 
i did this exact same thing last wednsday, but after done i tossed them with franks extra hot. i didn't oil them at all. just sea salt and pepper. i think that is why the skin turned out so crisp. i find that wet skin, from oil or water, will not crisp up on the WSM.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tony C.:
i did this exact same thing last wednsday, but after done i tossed them with franks extra hot. i didn't oil them at all. just sea salt and pepper. i think that is why the skin turned out so crisp. i find that wet skin, from oil or water, will not crisp up on the WSM. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tony, this most likely depends on the cooking temp. I smoke turkey regularly on the wsm with temps. between 350-400 at the lid and the skin comes out very crispy when rubbed with canola oil. I haven't tried this with temps. below 300 on the wsm, but I imagine it would turn out rubbery.

There's a trick I learned whenever I fry up some wings. The night before I decide to fry up the wings, I put a few layers of paper towel on a cookie sheet, place the wings on top and then put another layer of paper towel on top of the wings and leave it overnight in the frig. The paper towels soak up a lot of the moisture and the wings turn out much more crispy. Try it out.

Erik
 
Akio, They look awsome man, great job.
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Off topic here, can you explain your avatar?
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Thanks, Bryan
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Doug D:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_SubGenius

Moderator, please delete as you see fit. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Doug, Thanks, It was driving me nuts. I know I saw it before just needed some help. When I posted about it I saw you were online and just knew you would know.
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Thanks again, Bryan
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff S:
That is exactly how I like my wings...extra done. I may have to try this. Would it be just as easy to do an indirect on the kettle since you are cooking at 350*?? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

With coals on one side of the kettle, and wings on the other, I'd imagine the results would be just as good.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JimH:
Did you brush them with oil before you applied the salt & pepper? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No oil. Just rinse, pat dry, toss with sea salt and cracked pepper. Then a little more to taste after they've cooled.

A quick toss in Frank's Red Hot and melted butter, with a side of celery and blue cheese dressing, and you'd have some excellent Buffalo Wings, minus the deep frying.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Akio Stribling:
but I will probably do a basic brine next time to see if I can get them a bit more juicy. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Brining will probably make the crispy skin aspect of your cook much more difficult (if not impossible) to achieve.

I would love to see the results though - lately I am off brining in general, especially for higher temp cooking. Don't know why, but I don't feel like I love the results of brining.
 

 

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