Can I get crispy wings on my WSM 22.5?


 
JeffB

JeffB

TVWBB Pro
I normally fry wings in peanut oil and they turn out great, but I'm wondering if I can achieve similar success on my WSM 22.5 without the added calories?

Are wings run on a WSM typically soggy or can you get them crispy and delish like those cooked in oil? Any tips / tricks / advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, and SMOKE ON! :wsm:
 
Seeing as it's tricky to get crispy fried style wings on the kettles, the WSM might make it even harder.

I don't smoke my wings, but if I did, I'd smoke at a lowish temp until I feel the flavor of the smoke is good enough, then flash fry them to crisp them up... or finish on a searing hot grill, being careful not to over smoke and over-cook.
 
JeffB said:
I normally fry wings in peanut oil and they turn out great, but I'm wondering if I can achieve similar success on my WSM 22.5 without the added calories? Are wings run on a WSM typically soggy or can you get them crispy and delish like those cooked in oil? Any tips / tricks / advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks, and SMOKE ON! :wsm:
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This is how I do it on my 18" lid off, door off, lots of wood. They get pretty crispy and no oil

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I'm always hopeful they'll (weber) come out with an adjustable grate, one where the coals can be raised or lowered. They can most certainly be crisped up over direct heat but the area isn't but so big.
 
If I had a choice between my WSM, Performer, and Jumbo Joe; I'd choose the JJ every time, provided I didn't need the larger cooking area. Wings can be goofy to cook, as it's easy to overcook them trying to get crispy skin. The shallow lid of the Jumbo Joe really helps I think.
 
Jeff, if you can let the wings air-dry in the fridge for a day or 2 that can help give them crispier skin.
 
I love cooking crisp wings on 22" WSM: put a full chimney of lit charcoal in, no water pan and open up all the vents.
 
I smoke mine on the smoker and then pop them in a dryer for a couple of minutes to crisp the skin. Get the smoked taste and crispy skin!
 
NeilH said:
I'm always hopeful they'll (weber) come out with an adjustable grate, one where the coals can be raised or lowered. They can most certainly be crisped up over direct heat but the area isn't but so big.
Click to expand...

You can remove the water pan and move the charcoal grate and ring to the water pan position. The techniqe used to be in the early user guides.
 
I use my 26er with a weber charcoal basket on each side filled with lit coals. On top of the lit coals i add 8-10 unlit coals. Place chicken wings intact skin side down in center of grate and put lid on grill. After 20 minutes flip wings over till done another 20-30 minutes. Perfect crispy wings every time. Rub of your choice will work fine but done over rub the wings, let the wings be the star of the show not the rub.
 
I've had pretty good results cooking in the WSM at 350. I've also cooked them at 225 and then did a quick 2 or 3 minute fry. I usually do a pretty typical sauce. 1 bottle of franks, half a stick of butter and 2 tbsp of white vinegar because I love that vinegar bite. I typically don't use rub if I do the buffalo sauce. There is a danger of getting the wings too salty.
 
I did similar to what ChuckO posted above, I didn't take the door off, but I left the lid off and took the water pan out and my wings came out pretty damn good.
 
So, I know two things:

1.) This thread is old, and I apologize for bumping it, but it's right up my alley!

2.) The grill is superior to the WSM for cooking and crisping up wings, but......

I want to get some cherrywood and smoke some wings hot'n'fast on my WSM and dirty it up some more. Any tips? How long?
 
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