Smoked Buffalo Chicken Wings
Smoky, crispy wings straight off the BBQ, tossed in a proper buffalo sauce with a homemade blue cheese dip on the side. Real backyard cooking, no deep fryer required.
Pat the wings completely dry before seasoning, any surface moisture steams instead of crisps, and the baking powder needs a dry surface to do its job. Keep them off direct heat too, indirect heat with the lid shut renders the fat slowly for that fall-off-the-bone texture without burning the skin.
The wings keep in the fridge for 4 days or the freezer for 3 months. Keep the buffalo sauce and blue cheese sauce in their own containers too, the buffalo sauce holds for about a week, the blue cheese for 4 days.
Smoked Buffalo Chicken Wings
CHICKEN · DINNER · MEDIUM
Fall-off-the-bone, without a deep fryer
Baking powder on a completely dry surface pulls moisture out and crisps the skin on the BBQ, the same trick that works in the oven, just with a lot more smoke flavour.
Wings actually benefit from a higher internal temp than most chicken, 80°C instead of the usual 74°C, since that extra heat breaks down the connective tissue for genuinely tender, fall-off-the-bone results.
Cooking them around the edge of the grill instead of directly over the coals renders the fat slowly and gets the skin properly crisp, without torching it before the inside's caught up.
Smoked Buffalo Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Wings & Seasoning
- 1.5 kg Chicken Wings Drums & Flats Separated
- 10 g Smoked Paprika
- 8 g Onion Powder
- 8 g Garlic Powder
- 6 g Baking Powder
- Salt & Ground White Pepper
Buffalo Sauce
- 110 g Unsalted Butter
- 250 ml Frank's Hot Sauce
Blue Cheese Sauce
- 60 g Mayonnaise
- 30 g Sour Cream
- 15 ml Buttermilk
- 1 Garlic Clove Grated
- 0.1 g Yellow Mustard Powder
- 50 g Blue Cheese Crumbled
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Method
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel and place them in a bowl. Add all of the seasoning, salt, and white pepper. Mix well to coat.
- Preheat your smoker or BBQ with direct heat to 230°C (445°F), using your favourite smoking wood and lump charcoal in the centre. This also works on a gas BBQ without smoking chips.
- Place the wings around the edge of the BBQ, not directly over the coals, and close the lid. Cook hot and fast for 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 80°C (175°F) — about 10 degrees hotter than the usual chicken target, since wings benefit from the extra heat to break down connective tissue for tender, fall-off-the-bone results.
- While the wings cook, add the butter and hot sauce to a small saucepan and heat over medium, whisking occasionally, until the butter has melted. Set aside. Alternatively, heat them in a cast iron or heat-safe pan directly on the BBQ for a smokier sauce, whisking well once the butter has melted.
- Combine all of the blue cheese sauce ingredients in a bowl. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Remove the wings from the grill and place in a bowl. Serve as-is with the dipping sauce, or toss in the buffalo sauce. Dig in.
Why do wings need a higher internal temp than other chicken cuts?⌄
Wings have more connective tissue than a lean cut like breast. Pushing the internal temp to around 80°C helps break that tissue down, giving you tender meat instead of tough or rubbery.
Can I cook these in the oven instead of on a smoker or BBQ?⌄
Yes, bake at 220°C (430°F) for around 35-40 minutes on a wire rack, flipping halfway, until they hit 80°C (175°F) internally. You'll miss the smoke flavour, but the texture holds up well.
Why use baking powder in the seasoning?⌄
Baking powder helps draw moisture out of the skin, which is what lets it crisp up properly instead of staying soft. It only works if the wings are completely dry to start with though.
Can I make the blue cheese sauce ahead of time?⌄
Yes, and it's actually better for it. Making it while the wings cook gives the flavours a bit of resting time to round out, rather than tasting freshly stirred together.
