Buttermilk Chicken Wings
Cook Notes
BBQ Used: Weber 57cm Kettle
Cooking Method: Indirect (Using ProSmoke Fuel Dome)
Fuel used: Lumpwood Charcoal
Cooking Temperature: High Heat
Smoking Wood: Pecan Chunks from ProSmoke BBQ
Ingredients
12 whole chicken wings
1 pint buttermilk
Your favourite BBQ Rub
1 Cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Franks Redhot sauce
Method
Remove the wing tips from the chicken wings then separate the drumette from the flat. Place the chicken wings in a bowl then pour in all the buttermilk. Ensure the wings are completely submerged in the buttermilk. Put them in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours to allow the buttermilk to tenderise the wings
When you are ready to cook, remove the wings from the buttermilk and place them on a tray. In this recipe, I am going to make two different styles of wing so split the wings into two batches.
The first is a traditional style wing and the second in a fried wing - but we won't be using oil, just the incredibly high heat from the fuel dome.
Preparing the traditional wings
Place the wings on some paper towel then with a separate piece, pat the wings to remove any excess buttermilk. The wings should still be damp on the surface so they will catch the rub.
Coat the wings in a layer of your chosen rub. For this cook I used the Plowboys Yardbird Rub which is my favourite chicken rub to date. Once coated, leave them to the side so the rub can set to the skin.
Preparing the "Fried" wings
You want to leave a good layer of the buttermilk on the surface of your fried wing as this will hold the seasoned flour and give you the best coating.
In a bowl, mix your plain flour, baking powder and around 3-4 heaped tablespoons of your rub.
Next, toss the wings in the seasoned flour, shake off any excess and place them on a wire rack.
Setting up the BBQ
Light about 3/4 of a chimney starter of a good quality Lumpwood Charcoal then add it to the BBQ Fuel Dome in the centre of the BBQ. Add your cooking grates and close the lid to allow the BBQ to pre-heat.
You are aiming for a grill temperature between 250-300C
The Cook
Once your BBQ is up to temperature, add the wings in a circle around the fuel dome (not directly over it). It's a good idea to oil your cooking grates as the wings with the flour coating can stick easily. Before closing the lid, add a chunk of Pecan wood to the coals.
If you are cooking on a Weber Kettle, you will need to rotate the lid by 90 degrees every 10-15 minutes or so. As the heat is drawn towards your lid vent, this will help all the wings to cook evenly.
10 minutes before your wings are ready, spray the "fried" wings with a little oil. This will help to make the coating much crispier. Check the wings with your Thermapen and when they reach an internal temperature of 75C, they are good to lift off.
As soon as the wings come off the BBQ, place the traditional wings in a bowl and add some Frank's RedHot Sauce. I recommend allowing the fried wings to cool on a rack for a few minutes before saucing them as this will stop the sauce soaking into the crispy coating and making it soggy.
Place all the wings on a serving platter and tuck in. Both these wings tasted amazing but the best one in my opinion was the fried. That crispy coating kept the inside of the wing incredibly succulent and the tasty coating and sauce were awesome
