Crispy Smoked Wings Recipe
Crispy house-smoked wings, carrots, celery, ranch dressing. Choice of sauce: buffalo, BBQ, mustard BBQ, nashville, mango habanero BBQ, hot honey maple, naked.
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Ingredients
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Wings & Seasoning
Smoking & Cooking
Sauces (choose 1)
Dippers & Garnish
Method
Wings & Seasoning
Prepare and dry wings
Pat wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. If whole wings are used, separate drumettes and flats at the joint and remove wing tips if desired.
Season and coat
In a large bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and baking powder. Add wings and toss until evenly coated. The baking powder helps create a crispy skin when finished.
Rest
Arrange seasoned wings on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for 30–60 minutes to dry the skin further (optional but recommended).
Smoking & Cooking
Preheat smoker
Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). If using a grill for indirect smoking, set up for low indirect heat and position soaked wood chips on a foil packet or in a smoker box. Place a water pan in the smoker to maintain moisture.
Smoke the wings
Place wings on the smoker racks in a single layer. Smoke at 225°F for 45–60 minutes until an internal temperature of 155–160°F is reached and wings have a light smoke color. This stage adds smoky flavor without overcooking.
Crisp finish (high heat)
Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C) or set grill to high direct heat. Alternatively, preheat a convection oven or use a 425–450°F broiler for the final crisping. Brush wings lightly with neutral oil and transfer to a wire rack over a sheet pan. Roast/broil for 10–15 minutes, turning once, until skin is deeply golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 175–180°F and skin is crispy. If using a fryer, you may double-fry at 350°F for 3–4 minutes to crisp instead of oven method.
Sauce & Toss
Warm chosen sauce
Warm your chosen sauce in a small saucepan over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until slightly fluid and hot. For Hot Honey Maple: combine 1/4 cup honey (preferably hot honey) with 1/4 cup maple syrup and warm gently. For Nashville: melt 3 tbsp butter and whisk in 1/4 cup cayenne oil mixture (adjust heat to taste).
Toss wings in sauce
Place crisp wings in a large mixing bowl, pour 1/2 cup (or desired amount) of the warmed sauce over them, and toss gently to coat evenly. For 'naked' option, skip this step and leave wings un-sauced.
Adjust and finish
Taste a wing and add more sauce if desired. If you prefer saucy-but-not-soggy, serve sauce on the side for dipping.
Dippers & Plating
Arrange wings on a large platter or serving board. Add carrot and celery sticks around the wings. Place a bowl of ranch dressing on the platter for dipping.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately while hot and crispy.