Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe

Prepare the brine: in a medium pot, combine 6 cups water, kosher salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf and smashed garlic. Heat just until salt and sugar dissolve, stirring. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes).

Place wings in a resealable container or large zip-top bag and pour cooled brine over them. Submerge wings, refrigerate and brine for 1–2 hours (up to 4 hours for more seasoning). Do not over-brine to avoid rubbery texture.

After brining, remove wings and pat very dry with paper towels. Let rest on a wire rack for 15 minutes to air-dry further—dry skin crisps better when smoked.

Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). Use apple, hickory or cherry wood for a mildly sweet smoke. If using a charcoal grill, set up for indirect heat and maintain similar temperature.

Toss wings with 1 tablespoon olive oil so rub adheres. Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper; evenly coat wings with the rub.

Arrange wings skin-side up on the smoker grate with space between pieces. Smoke at 225°F for 45–60 minutes until an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached and skin is set.

To crisp the skin once smoked: increase smoker temperature to 375–400°F (190–200°C) or move wings to a 400°F oven or hot grill and cook 8–12 minutes, flipping once, until skin is deep golden and crisp. Alternatively, finish under a broiler for 3–5 minutes watching closely.

Gochujang sauce

While wings finish, make gochujang glaze: whisk together 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar in a small bowl. Taste and adjust balance—add a touch of water if too thick. Toss finished hot wings with the glaze until evenly coated, or brush glaze onto wings for a lighter coating.

Ancho buffalo sauce

For ancho buffalo: melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder and 2 tablespoons hot sauce until smooth and emulsified. If desired, stir in 1 teaspoon honey or maple for a touch of sweetness. Toss hot wings in the sauce or brush to coat.

If you prefer plain smoked wings, skip sauces and serve as-is with bleu cheese dressing on the side.

Make the dressing while wings smoke: in a small bowl combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic. Stir to combine.

Season dressing with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. If you prefer a thinner dressing, stir in 1–2 teaspoons cold water until desired consistency is reached. For chunkier dressing, reserve a few bleu cheese crumbles to garnish.

Trim celery into sticks and chill briefly if desired. Transfer dressing to a small serving bowl, top with reserved bleu cheese crumbles, and serve with celery sticks alongside the wings.

Arrange smoked wings on a platter. If sauced, toss just before serving so skin remains crisp. Garnish with a few extra celery sticks and a bowl of bleu cheese dressing.

Serve hot. Provide napkins and a bowl for discarded bones. Leftover wings keep refrigerated up to 3 days—re-crisp in a 400°F oven for 8–10 minutes.