Rich wood smoke and serious heat from a homemade dry rub send these chicken wings into another stratosphere – and soaking them in whiskey certainly doesn’t hurt either. An extended bath in a boozy marinade helps keep the wings plump and moist throughout the smoking process. Simple enough to pull off in an afternoon, these gorgeously charred babies make for a wonderful alternative to traditional deep fried or grilled wings.
Smoked Whiskey Wings
4 to 6 servings
4 cups water
¼ cup bourbon or mild American whiskey
4 lbs. chicken wings, drumettes and flats separated
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. sugar
• In very large bowl, stir together the water and whiskey. Add the wings, cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove the wings from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade.
• In a small bowl, make a dry rub by combining the remaining ingredients. Liberally coat the wings in the dry rub.
• Prepare a charcoal grill or smoker for medium-low indirect heat, around 300 degrees. When the coals are gray, add 1 cup hickory or apple wood chips. Place the wings over indirect heat, arranging the larger pieces closest to the fire. Cover the grill and smoke 40 minutes. Add another 1 cup wood chips, cover and smoke another 40 minutes, adding fresh charcoal as needed.
• Remove the wings and cover with foil until ready to serve.
This article appears in February 2017.