Whatever happy accident of history led to the development of the spicy chicken wing—a history that is shrouded in uncertainty, controversy, and spurious claims—I’m glad it happened. The collision of crisp-skinned wings with smooth, spicy/vinegary sauce has created one of the greatest finger foods on the planet.
The first and most popular way to cook wings is, of course, to fry them. But just because frying them is the well-deserved default, doesn’t mean that we can’t cook them another way. In fact, grilled wings are delicious. The skin still crisps, but you get just that wisp of smoke and a kiss of char that shake the flavor up just a bit.
Here, we’ll look at how to grill chicken wings—from seasoning, to temp and sauce tips—so that you can enjoy these meaty treats in a new way.
How to grill chicken wings
The trick with grilling wings is to cook them at a high enough heat to crisp the skins, but a low enough heat that you don’t burn the skins in the time it takes to cook the meat. BBQ-great, Malcom Reed uses the Weber Vortex to cook his grilled wings. By placing all the charcoal in the center of the grill, contained in a cone, you create a ring of semi-indirect heat in which to cook the wings. We wanted the same effect, without the use of another piece of equipment. So we spread our coals, in a thin layer, over the entire bed of the cooker. A surface temperature of about 425°F (218°C) is what you’re after. This direct cooking over a medium-high heat gives the skin a nice crispness without fear of burning.
Chicken wings, being dark meat, are safe to eat at 165°F (74°C), but they won’t be as tasty as they could be until 175°F (79°C). Dark meat is richer in connective tissue which needs to dissolve into gelatin to be palatable, and that doesn’t happen until around 175°F (79°C). Using a fast and accurate thermometer, like the Thermapen® will take the guesswork out of cooking, ensuring proper doneness for each wing.
Advantages to grilling wings
Why not fry? That’s a good question. Consider a couple points. First, by not frying, we can add layers of flavor to our wings. We use a BBQ rub on them in this case—a rub that would normally float away in the fryer. That means deeper flavor, and that’s great. Of course, we’ll also get flavor from the grill itself, with tasty bits of char on each wing.
But more importantly, you get all the wings done at once. Frying takes minutes per batch, which leaves hungry family and friends eating all the wings while you fry and sauce, fry and sauce. By grilling your wings all at once, you get everyone eating at the same time.
Use a big bowl to sauce them all together and get eating.
What kind of wings should I use for grilled hot wings?
Though you can use party wings on the grill (they may cook a smidge faster), we went with full wings. Those nooks and crannies in the wing joint take up more sauce, and that is definitely a plus!
Chicken wing sauce
Though you can use any sauce you want for chicken wings, I like the classic spicy cayenne pepper sauce. Use your favorite cayenne pepper sauce—Louisiana-style versions are great!— and heat it to just over 100°F (38°C). Then stir in cold pats of butter, which will emulsify in the sauce, creating a luscious, rich texture that will adhere well to the wings.
Whatever you use for sauce, this method of emulsifying cold butter into a warmed sauce base is a great way to get that chicken-skin-coating yumminess that you want.
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Grilled Hot Wings
Description
Grilled chicken hot wings, based on recipes from HowToBBQRight.com and HeyGrillHey.com
Ingredients
- 3 lb whole chicken wings
- ¼ C BBQ rub
- 1 stick butter
- 12 oz cayenne pepper sauce, such as Crystal or Frank’s
Instructions
- Light a large chimney full of charcoal. Once it is all lit, empty it into your grill. You want a hot bed that isn’t scorchingly-hot at the grill surface. Go for about 425°F (218°C).
- Season your wings liberally with BBQ rub. Place them in a single layer on the grill and cook with the lid closed, turning them every 4 minutes. (Use an Extra Big & Loud Timer to keep track of the time.)
- Meanwhile, heat the cayenne pepper sauce in a small saucepan until it reaches about 105°F (41°C) as measured on a Thermapen Mk4. Whisk the butter, cut into pats, into the sauce, heating slightly if it’s not hot enough to fully melt the butter.
- When the wings reach an internal temp no lower than 175°F (79°C), remove them from the grill.
- Place the wings in a large bowl, sauce liberally, and toss.
- Dig in.
These wings are so delicious! The BBQ seasoning adds depth that I frankly didn’t expect, and the sauce clings just perfectly to the skin of each piece. Biting in, you find that cooking to 175°F (79°C) using the Thermapen® yields perfect texture inside. Of course, you don’t have to give up fried wings, but maybe save those for indoor-cooking months like, say, early February.
Now, in the heat of summer, grill your wings and enjoy.
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Donald A Nelson says
Hello Martin. Thanks for the recipe. The Spicy vinegar sauce mentioned early on in the article – I’m assuming since vinegar is never mentioned again in the ingredients is that is comes from the hot sauce that we choose to use?
Thanks for the clarification as to why dark meat is cooked to 175 instead of 165 like white meat…I’ve always wondered and never thought to ask.
Martin says
Yes, the vinegar comes from the hot sauce, there’s no need to add more unless you like your wings particularly vinegary, which might actually be pretty tasty.
Ryan says
Seems like a good recipe, but Chicken Wings are white meat, not dark meat.
Martin says
Ryan,
Your response sent me down quite the rabbit hole! I had been taught in culinary school as well as in other situations that wing meat was dark meat. But lo! It seems that wing meat shares almost as much in common with white meat as it does with dark. Cooks illustrated confirms this, as does Thomas Keller. Personally, I find that wing meat is still too rubbery at 165°F, so I like it cooked a little higher, but I might have to try cooking them a little lower next time. Thanks!
Len Blake says
I roast wings in the oven frequently.
I like to make a tight triangle with them by forcing
the tip back and up against the “drumstick part.”
This keeps the tips from over crisping.
Also utilizes grill space more effectively
to get more wings in the same space.
If they are cold out of the fridge, you may need to run one under warm
water to coax them without breaking a joint or the tip.
Satisfied Thermoworks customer
Martin says
Great tip!
Sullivan Maureen says
I would love to try this but you don’t provide info for those cooking on a gas grill. 😢
Martin says
The gas grill should be at a medium/medium-high heat.
mrpetep says
I play drums and have had the pleasure of bar food including outstanding wings. One restaurant/bar that has been around for 63 years serves awesome wings, you can order a bowl of 50. They are known for their wings. I think they are deep fried and then.. who knows. They serve breaded chicken fingers too with hot sauce, I’ve tied that at home but theirs is better.
At another place I’ve see the kitchen put wings in the grill and add hot sauce for an order. They were great, I’d get them nearly every week.
Speaking of wings, I recall when I orded 10 at a Chinese take-out there were 20 pieces. Not every place will count 2 pieces as 1 wing.
I have Frank’s, I like that though my wife does most of the cooking and will use something else. She has a timer, I have yet to convice her to get an instant-read digital thermometer. Thanks for posting the recipe/instructions!
Cookbooks are too often without instructions…
Cheers!
scovol says
Been grilling my wings forever. Marinating them ahead of time for a few hours or overnight in half italian dressing half soy sauce gives them a whole ‘nother layer of flavor with the umami aspect getting into the meat to compliment the spicy sauce, adding garlic and other flavors to the sauce is extra good flavor not just hot sauce and butter, which is fine but so many ways you can turn up the flavor.