Raichlen makes crispy wings on a WSM using water?


 
The only way to get that deep-fried crispiness is to deep fry. As far as grilling/smoking is concerned, "crispiness" should be defined as "not rubbery." If you marinate wings in something that contains oil, and baste your wings a couple of times with another thing containing oil, you have a chance of getting a satisfying "tooth" to your wing skin that's best described as "almost crispy." Finishing them with a minute or two of high temp sear also helps a lot.

The photo below shows wings cooked using Raichlen's Buffaque Wing marinade, cooked on a kettle indirect at about 300°, and basted with 1/2 butter and 1/2 Frank's Red Hot sauce. They were finish-seared over direct coals.

Grilled wings by Jeff Hasselberger, on Flickr

Jeff
 
Your wings look awesome but I am far too lazy to marinade, baste, baste, sear, lol. I rub, Vortex, eat, sleep.
 
BFletcher said:
Your wings look awesome but I am far too lazy to marinade, baste, baste, sear, lol. I rub, Vortex, eat, sleep.
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I might give you a run for your money in the laziness department, Fletch, but the marinade is pretty simple -- just dump the ingredients in a gallon freezer bag, then the wings. You can leave it in the fridge for a couple of days. I make the Buffalo sauce (pot on the stove; stick of butter, half cup of Franks') to dip the wings in and slopping some on them while they're cooking isn't much of an effort. The sear bit is a PITA, but it's about the only exercise I get, so I roll with it.

I love Buffalo wings and bought a deep fryer and everything, but it's sat there lonely since I started grilling them.

Jeff
 
That grate is squeaky clean. There is no sign of smoke, steam or even heat rising from that WSM. And those wings look like they've been sitting for quite a while.
 
Crispy wings with water

Bob Correll said:
edit to add a link to the episode, wings off the smoker at about 8:45
http://video.mpt.tv/video/2365802824/

Caught part of a Project Smoke episode.
Steven put marinaded drumettes on a 22" WSM, used lump charcoal, 2 chunks of wood, and put water, lemons and beer in the water pan.
He said the cooker temp was about 300, and that they would be done in about an hour. All vents wide open. No turning of the wings, skin side up throughout.

They were dark brown, cooked black in places. He said they were crisp, and they looked like they were.
Does this seem possible with the water pan in place and liquid added?
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Bob,
I am with you i find this hard to believe, only one thing could change this from our areas of grilling, is he still grilling outside of Tuscon ? with like zero humidity then the water may actually help, Maybe Rich would know he is up north in Prescott they have a bit more moisture.

Just a thought.
 
I just mixed up the marinade & OMG this is good! (I ate probably 2 T during quality control)

*I used some of my smoked salt in place of the salt the marinade called for, I don't think I could taste much of it, but it was smoky by itself.

I made ~2.5x the recipe and have 8-9# of wings in a 5 quart bowl. Not sure how I'll cook it yet, I still haven't cleaned out my WSM...just got back from skiing & wanted to get it in the marinade ASAP.

.....It's a no burn day in Smog-Lake-City so onto the gasser they'll have to go. Only 3 people are coming over so I hope to have 10 or so still in the marinade for tomorrow.

It's been lightly snowing all day & that cleans up the air, I might be able to cook any leftovers over charcoal tomorrow. (should be leftovers, I also have tequila, cervezas, & wine)
 
Cook wings over direct heat and crispy skin as good as fried chicken everytime, its that easy.
 
Raichlen adding lemons and beer to the water has me turning the channel.

many times, I believe, the "things" he does on his shows are intended to make the viewers ooh and aah.

adds nothing to the success of his cooks.
 
Noe said:
Cook wings over direct heat and crispy skin as good as fried chicken everytime, its that easy.
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I agree. I often use the WSM with no pan over direct heat using the top grid. It's far enough from the coal so it's doesn't burn. I added an additional vent to the top of the 18.5" for high heat cooks.
 
Jim Lampe said:
Raichlen adding lemons and beer to the water has me turning the channel.

many times, I believe, the "things" he does on his shows are intended to make the viewers ooh and aah.

adds nothing to the success of his cooks.
Click to expand...

I made these a couple times (one batch)....on the gasser because charcoal was prohibited on those days (bad air in the city). The first time we didn't baste, the 2nd time I lowered the temp a little, they'd marinated an extra 18 hours or so, and I basted them several times. I liked it best the first time without the baste & just the sauce - had a good flavor. Wasn't overly crispy...pretty much prefer my own way but glad I tried it.
 
Trying to get this thread back on topic. :)
My whole point is/was how did he supposedly get crisp wings using water, etc, on the WSM?

giphy.gif
 
I've made wings on the WSM a time or two. I've never been able to get "crispy" with the diffuser in, bet it wet or dry. I need a temp of 350+ and usually more than an hour. If there's a way to achieve this cook as instructed, it's eluded me. When I do get crispy chicken, it usually loses it crispiness during the rest (un-tented) granted, wings don't usually lose their crispiness, but then it takes 350+, no diffuser and usually 75 to 90 minutes
 
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