Grilled Lemon Pepper Buffalo Wings with Beer Mop

Grilled Lemon Pepper Buffalo Wings with Beer Mop

These Grilled Chicken Lemon Pepper Buffalo Wings are smoky, zesty, and downright old school—with a fiery edge and crispy skin that’ll keep you licking your fingers clean. We hit them with bold rubs, grill them hot and fast over a charcoal pellet fire, then finish 'em off with a beer mop sauce that’s got tang, heat, citrus, and a whisper of vinegar twang. It’s a flavor bomb wrapped in golden crackly chicken skin.

Grilled Lemon Pepper Buffalo Wings with Beer Mop | Heath Riles BBQ

These wings are made for game day, tailgating, cookouts, or just because it’s Friday and you want to eat something that slaps. They’ll have your friends hovering around the grill with a cold drink in hand, waiting for the next batch to hit the cutting board.

Let’s fire it up and make some wings worth talking about.

Ingredient Rundown

We kept it simple but flavorful. Here's what you need for this recipe:

12 Whole Chicken Wings – Let them rest on a wire rack in the fridge for about an hour to dry the skin. That’s key to getting that crispy bite.

Duck Fat Spray – Used as a binder to help our rubs stick and get that golden-brown finish. (You can skip it, but we love the results it gives.)

Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Rub – A balanced base of flavor for the first seasoning layer.

Heath Riles BBQ Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning – Brings the citrus pop and classic buffalo zing with a touch of heat.

Beer Mop Breakdown

This mop sauce is the kicker—it builds layer after layer of flavor during the cook. It was inspired by the old-school pitmasters who used vinegar-based mops on everything from pork butts to whole hogs. Turns out, it still holds up just fine on wings.

Here’s how to make it:

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir it well, then warm it up right on the grill to blend those bold flavors together. The beer gives it depth, the lemon adds that fresh pop, and the cayenne? That’s your kick.

The Wing Grill Method

We grilled these wings on the Recteq Bullseye Pellet Grill at 450°F, sometimes even pushing 500°F. What makes this setup shine is the cast iron deflector plate—it gives you that open-flame sizzle with just enough protection to avoid flare-ups. That’s how you get wings that are juicy inside and crisp on the outside.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the Wings:

Lay out 12 whole wings on a cooling rack + sheet pan. Pop them in the fridge uncovered for about an hour. This step dries out the skin, giving you better texture on the grill.

2. Season Liberally:

Spray the wings lightly with duck fat spray. Dust both sides with Chicken Rub. Then come back with a light coat of Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning—this is where that citrusy buffalo heat comes alive.

3. Fire Up the Grill:

Set your Bullseye Pellet Grill to 450°F and load it up with Royal Oak Hickory Blend Pellets for bold smoky flavor. Close the lid and let that heat soak in.

4. Grill the Wings:

Place the wings on the grates, shut the lid, and let them go for 15–20 minutes. Flip the wings, close the lid again, and cook for another 10 minutes.

5. Start the Beer Mop:

After flipping, grab your mop brush & pot set and brush the wings with the warm beer mop. Get them good and coated. Let them go another 8 minutes, then flip and mop again. You’ll want to repeat this 2–3 times across the rest of the cook.

6. Finish Hot:

Cook the wings until they hit an internal temp of 204°F–208°F, measured with your Thermapen ONE. This took about 35–40 minutes total for us. By this point, the skin is crisp, the mop is sticky, and the flavor is next-level.

The Results

These wings don’t mess around. The Lemon Pepper Buffalo Seasoning hits you with citrus and buffalo tang right up front, then the beer mop builds on that with layers of spicy vinegar flavor. The cayenne creeps in just enough to warm your palate, while the skin stays crispy and golden from the high-heat cook.

That cast iron plate in the Bullseye Grill turns it into a wing-cooking machine—perfect char, juicy interior, no flare-ups. This is how you turn backyard wings into something folks ask for by name.

Serve It Up

These wings are bold and flavorful, so they pair well with cool, creamy sides and fresh, simple veggies. Here are some killer pairings to round out your plate:

Pair it all with a cold beer or a tall glass of sweet tea and you've got a winning plate.

Leftovers & Storage Tips

  • Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 375°F for 8–10 minutes until hot and crispy.
  • Skip the microwave—your skin won’t thank you.

Equipment and Tools

Recteq Bullseye Pellet Grill, Royal Oak Hickory Blend Charcoal Pellets, Duck Fat Spray, Cooling Rack + Sheet Pan, Thermapen ONE, Mop Brush & Pot Set, Hi-Temp Silicone Basting Brush

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