Why make one wing recipe when you can make two? Once you try my Smoked Wings 2 Ways, you’ll never go back! These wings couldn’t be more different from each other, but both are lick your fingers good.
Your grill will be graced with Cherry Black Pepper Wings, a spicy wing with a hint of fruit on the back end. You’ll also serve my Crispy Garlic Butter Wings, a classic wing that packs a lot of garlic in one bite! Two homemade sauces are the cherry on top. Wing night has never been better.
You may think Smoked Wings 2 Ways would be time-consuming or difficult. My simple method helps you multitask with ease! This recipe would be fantastic to serve at your next football party or as an appetizer with one of my Woodfired Pepperoni Pizzas.
The Ingredients
Though you’re creating two recipes, you don’t need a lot of elements. You probably have most of these things in your pantry. If not, here’s what to add to your shopping cart.
Chicken wings. For this recipe, I used 3-4 pounds of chicken wings. It came out to about 42 pieces, which I divided into two piles. Be sure to thaw your chicken wings before cooking so the seasonings stick.
Heath Riles BBQ Cherry Rub. This gorgeous rub gives chicken, seafood, beef, and pork a burst of fruity flavor. It also provides meat with a brilliant golden color. If you’re a fan of spice, you’ll love the hint of heat on the back end.
Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub. This excellent seasoning blend contains multiple notes of garlic. I use it on chicken, pork, turkey, eggs, and popcorn. It’s just that good!
Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce. If you want a vinegar-based sauce that’s not too sour, grab a bottle of mine. This sauce is delicious on its own, but it shines when paired with my other products. Use it as a salad dressing if you’re feeling up to it.
Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. This AP rub is one of my best-sellers, and anyone can see why. It features a blend of garlic, peppers, and salt. It’s great on veggies, fish, wings, or pork chops. This seasoning truly does it all.
Cornstarch. If you want a genuinely crisp wing, toss it in cornstarch. The starch absorbs moisture, allowing your wings to dry thoroughly. Plus, it gives the wings a gorgeous color.
The Smoker Setup
Pellet grill/smoker. I used a Traeger Pro 34 for this cook. This pit is incredible because you can use it to grill or smoke. This model cooks with wood pellets and can smoke up to 8 chickens at once!
I stoked the pit with Traeger Hickory Hardwood Pellets. This gave the wings a hint of wood-fired flavor. Hickory is a great neutral wood that complements any meat.
Prep the wings. I removed the chicken wings from their packaging and patted them dry. Then, I arranged them on a baking sheet and let them dry in the fridge for 1 hour. This step creates crispy skin! Because I’m making two types of wings, I divided them into two sandwich bags. Then, I added two tablespoons of cornstarch to each bag, shaking to coat.
Season the chicken. I designated one bag for Cherry Black Pepper Wings and added ½ a bottle of Heath Riles BBQ Cherry Ruband 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper. The other bag was for my Crispy Garlic Butter Wings, so I added ½ bottle of Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub. I shook both bags, so the wings were coated evenly.
Start cooking. I laid the wings on my metal cooling rack and sprinkled black pepper over the Cherry Black Pepper Wings. Then, I placed the entire rack on the Traeger Pro 34and let the wings go for 45 minutes, flipping the meat halfway through.
Sauce and serve. Once the wings hit 170℉ internally, I removed them from the Traeger Pro 34 and tossed them in the sauce. The Cherry Black Pepper Wings were smothered in my Sweet and Spicy Tangy Vinegar Sauce, and I doused the Crispy Garlic Butter Wings in Kinda White Alabama BBQ Sauce. The only thing left was to dig in!
The Results
The wings came off the grill with a gorgeous golden color. Adding the cornstarch kept the wings crisp and dry! Both sets of wings had a different flavor profile, adding a sense of adventure. These Smoked Wings 2 Ways will be one of your favorite recipes!
Serving Suggestions for Smoked Wings 2 Ways
Serve these wings with carrots and celery, with plenty of ranch for dipping!
Storing Leftovers
You can store leftover chicken wings for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Dry off chicken wings with paper towels. (For best results, air dry wings on a rack and sheet pan in the fridge for at least 1 hour) Separate wings, half for Cherry Black Pepper Wings and half for Crispy Garlic Butter Wings.
Mix rub and cornstarch separately for each set of wings. Cherry Rub, Black Pepper and cornstarch in one bag; Garlic Butter Rub and cornstarch in the other bag.
Place wings in bags and shake to evenly coat. (If you do not wish to shake in bags, you can season both sides while shaking rub on, etc...)
Fire up Traeger grill (or any pellet grill) to 375º F and preheat for approximately 20 minutes.
Once grill is hot and preheated, cook wings for 45 minutes flipping half way through.
For Sweet and Spicy Tangy Vinegar Sauce, mix 1 cup of Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar Sauce& 1/2 cup of honey
For Kinda White Alabama BBQ Sauce, mix 1 cup of mayo, 1/4 cup of Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar Sauce, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp prepared horseradish, 1/2 tsp Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub & 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Toss Cherry Wings in the Sweet and Spicy Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce (return to the grill to char if you wish)
Toss Garlic Butter Wings in the Kinda White Alabama BBQ Sauce (or drizzle over if you wish)
