North American barbecue style chicken wings, slowly smoked until golden brown, then lacquered with a glossy maple syrup, chili, butter and vinegar glaze.
Ingredients
- 2 kg whole chicken wings or drumettes and flats
- 18 g fine salt
- 25 g brown sugar
- 2 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 120 ml amber maple syrup
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 45 ml red hot sauce such as Louisiana hot sauce
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves fresh garlic
- 80 g apple or maple wood chips for smoking
- 0.5 bunches fresh chives
Method
- Trim the chicken wings: check for any remaining feathers, separate the wings at the joint if whole, then pat dry very carefully with paper towels. The skin must be dry to the touch, an essential condition for it to smoke properly instead of steaming.
- Apply the dry rub: mix the fine salt, brown sugar, sweet smoked paprika, ground cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Lightly oil the wings, then coat them with this mixture on all sides, including in the folds. Let rest in the refrigerator, uncovered if possible, for at least 45 minutes and up to overnight for drier skin and better seasoned meat.
- Prepare the smoker or barbecue for indirect cooking at 120 °C. Add the wood chips according to the equipment used: they should produce a fine, bluish smoke, never a thick, acrid white smoke. Place a drip pan under the cooking zone to prevent grease flare ups.
- Arrange the wings on the grate, skin side up, in a single layer without crowding them. Close the smoker and cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until the wings are deep golden brown, slightly shrunk around the bones, and the meat reaches 74 °C in the center.
- During the smoking process, prepare the glaze: melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the finely grated fresh garlic, then cook until fragrant without browning. Add the maple syrup, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer gently until you have a glossy, clinging sauce with small, even bubbles around the edges.
- When the wings are cooked, increase the heat of the smoker or barbecue to around 200 °C, or prepare a very hot convection oven. Brush the wings with a first layer of glaze, then return them to cook until the surface becomes sticky and shiny.
- Brush a second time, carefully turn the wings over, then cook for a few more minutes. The glaze should stick to the skin, form slightly caramelized edges and no longer run as a liquid pool at the bottom of the pan.
- Remove the wings from the heat and let them rest for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Toss them with the remaining hot glaze just before serving, to achieve a generous but still neat finish.
- Arrange the hot wings on a large platter, sprinkle with chopped chives, and serve immediately. The correct texture is a smoked, sticky and glossy skin, with juicy meat that easily falls off the bone.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 659.8 kcal
- Protein
- 71.91 g
- Carbohydrate
- 41.22 g
- Fat
- 22.62 g
- Fibre
- 2.08 g
- Calcium
- 61.11 mg
- Iron
- 1.59 mg
- Magnesium
- 22.44 mg
