Wings Of Awesomeness Recipe

Make brine

In a medium bowl or container combine 1 cup beer and 1 cup cold water. Add 3 tbs kosher salt and 2 tbs light brown sugar and stir until mostly dissolved. Add 3 smashed garlic cloves, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Let the brine cool to refrigerator temperature if needed.

Brine the wings

Place 6 chicken wings into the brine so they are fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours (minimum 2, optimal 3–4 hours). This step seasons the meat and adds a subtle beer flavor.

Remove, rinse, and dry

After brining, drain the wings, discard the brine, and rinse the wings briefly under cold water. Pat the wings very dry with paper towels — dryness helps form a crisper skin and better smoke absorption.

Make the rub

In a small bowl combine 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 0.25 tsp cayenne. Mix into a paste.

Coat the wings

Brush or toss each wing lightly with the rub so they are evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes while you prepare the smoker and chips (do not leave out longer than 30 minutes).

Prepare smoker

Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). Add 0.5 cup soaked wood chips (drain excess water) to the smoker box or charcoal. Aim for light, steady smoke — wings require only a gentle smoke to avoid overpowering the buffalo flavor.

Smoke the wings

Place the wings on the smoker grate, spacing them so air and smoke circulate. Smoke at 225°F for about 45–60 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165–175°F and the skin has a light smoked color. Check after 40 minutes and then every 10 minutes — time will vary by smoker and wing size.

Make buffalo sauce

While wings smoke, combine 0.33 cup hot sauce, 2 tbs unsalted butter, 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk until butter melts and sauce is smooth, then keep warm on the lowest heat or off and covered.

Toss or glaze wings

When wings reach target temp, remove from smoker. Place into a bowl and pour the warm buffalo sauce over them, tossing to coat evenly. For slightly set sauce and extra crisp, return the sauced wings to a 425°F oven or a hot grill for 6–8 minutes, or back to smoker raised to ~300°F for 6–8 minutes — watch closely so sauce doesn't burn.

Slice and soak potatoes

Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice 2 medium russet potatoes very thin (about 1/16"–1/8" thick). Place slices in a bowl of cold water and soak 30 minutes to remove surface starch (this yields crisper chips).

Dry the slices

Drain the potato slices and lay them on clean towels or paper towels. Pat very dry; any surface moisture will cause oil splatter and steaming instead of crisping.

Fry the chips (two-step fry)

Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 325°F. Fry potato slices in small batches for 3–4 minutes — they should be softened but not deeply browned. Remove to a paper towel-lined tray. Once all batches are pre-cooked, increase oil temperature to 375°F and fry the batches again, 1–2 minutes each, until golden and crisp. Drain on fresh paper towels.

Season the chips

While still hot, toss the fries/chips in 2 tbs ranch seasoning mix and 1 tsp kosher salt so the seasoning adheres. Spread out to cool slightly — they will crisp more as they cool.

Make the dip

In a small bowl combine 0.5 cup mayonnaise, 0.25 cup sour cream, 2 tbs buttermilk, 1 tbs ranch seasoning mix and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth and refrigerate 15–30 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve chilled alongside the wings and chips.

On a serving plate or board spread a bed of the warm house ranch potato chips. Arrange the 6 buffalo smoked wings on top of the chips. Serve immediately with optional house ranch dip on the side and extra hot sauce if desired.