Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings

These chicken wings are one of the most popular appetizers at Super Smokers BBQ. The sweetness comes from honey and the kick comes from using the hottest, spiciest barbecue sauce your taste buds can handle. You will need apple wood chips and a disposable foil pan for this recipe. Make a dry rub by sifting the pepper, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder, and seasoned salt into a bowl to blend.

Place the chicken wings in a large zippered plastic bag. Pour in the dry rub and shake to coat the wings well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (at room temperature) or as long as 24 hours (in the refrigerator).

Prepare coals using 3 pounds of charcoal. Make sure the coals are in a pile to one side of your grill or smoker. After the coals have turned white, place 2 cups of soaked and drained apple wood chips on the pile of coals. Set the wings on the grate so they will cook by indirect heat -- in other words, not over the coals -- and smoke for 25 minutes. Turn the wings and smoke for another 20 to 25 minutes.

Mix the honey, barbecue sauce, and apple juice together in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until warmed through.

Place the wings in a disposable foil pan and pour the warm sauce over the wings. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and smoke for another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is finished the way you like it. If you're using a grill, you can move the aluminum pan directly over the coals while you're glazing the wings.

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings on the Grill

Regarding BBQ Inc.According to most, the modern "buffalo" wing was first served up at the Anchor bar in Buffalo, New York on October 30, 1964. Since then the buffalo or chicken wings have become a mainstay of bars, restaurants and kitchens around the world. There are literally thousands of recipes for chicken wings ranging from the traditionally "hot" wings to sweet and savory wings and every flavor and ethnic variation in between.

Cutting: To start out with, buy some chicken wings. You'll want a lot, so it's best to buy them in "family packs" or large bulk packs. You can buy chicken wings already cut up or whole wings and do the cutting yourself. If you don't mind the time and the cutting it can be cheaper to buy them whole. Cutting chicken wings is easy once you get the feel for it. Start by holding the wing at the base upright. Spread it out a bit and with a knife slice gently in between the bones. If you softly move the knife around you'll find the easiest way through. This way you don't splinter the bones. A little practice and you'll fly right through them.

Grilling: As difficult as it might sound, grilling is about the best way to cook chicken wings. Grilling allows the fat to drain away and gives you a nice, crispy wing without a lot of excess fat. Of course the real challenge in grilling chicken wings (beside them falling into the fire) is flare-ups and burning. To resolve this keep a medium flame. You don't want too high of a temperature. You will also need to turn the wings frequently to avoid burning. It will mean standing by the grill, but you can cook a lot of chicken wings in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Sauces and Marinades: Since you will need to pay some extra attention to you wings while they grill you can afford to use sauces that could normally cause burning. When it comes to chicken wings it's best to apply the sauce before or early in the cooking time. Marinades don't add a lot to wings. When grilling chicken wings you will want to turn the wings every 3 to 4 minutes. It is also a good idea to keep a portion of the grill clear in case of a flare-up that requires you evacuate your chicken wings to another location.

Finishing Up: A large batch of wings should be on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. As always with poultry overcook, don't undercook. Test your chicken wings when they are getting close by removing one and cutting it open. There should be no pink inside and any juices should run clear. Wings are best served hot from the grill so plan everything ahead to get it done on time.