Introduction: Perfect Smoked Buffalo Wings
Buffalo Wings are a fantastic treat, smoked meats are even better, this summer I decided to combine them for the 4th and for our weekly gathering: "Meat & Great: A Carnivore Carnival" where I fire up the smoker, the gas grill, and the charcoal grill for BYOB/BYOMeat Friends, Food, and Fun.
A quick parboil before smoking gives a crispy skin, great flavor, and when combined with using clarified butter for the buffalo sauce a deliciously non-greasy wing.
Step 1: Step 1: Homemade Buffalo Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 C Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter (or 1 1/3rd C Pre-Made Clarified Butter)
- 2 C Frank's Red Hot
Tools:
- Small Sauce Pan
- Spoon
- Cheese Cloth
- Funnel
- 2 1 pt. Mason Jars
- Measuring Cups
Part 1 - Make Clarified Butter (Skip this step if you buy Clarified Butter)
- Cut butter into cubes, put in sauce pan over low-medium heat to melt
- Bring melted butter to a simmer for about 20 minutes until it separates, skimming the foam off the top with a spoon
- When butter goes from bright yellow to a deep golden strain through cheesecloth in funnel in 1 Mason Jar
Part 2 - Make Buffalo Sauce
- Pour 3 Parts Frank's Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce (or similar) into 1 Mason Jar
- Pour 2 Parts Clarified Butter into same Mason Jar
- Shake well and keep warm until ready to add to wings
Step 2: Prep the Wings and the Smoker
Ingredients and Consumables:
- 15-30 Frozen Wings
- 2 Gallons of Water
- Wood Chips or Chunks for Smoking (I used Hickory, but Fruit Woods would work well too)
- Newspaper
- Propane
- Hardwood Lump Charcoal (Or Briquettes)
Equipment and Tools:
- Large Saucepan or Stew Pot
- Bowl to Soak Wood Chunks
- Smoker (I use and ECB-El Cheapo Brinkman with many of the Meatbot Upgrades)
- Propane Torch
- Starter Chimney
Countdown to Smoke Time:
- 1 Hour Before Smoking - Soak Wood Chips or Chunks in bowl of Water
- 30 Minutes Before Smoking - Bring 2 Gallons of Water to Boil and add Wings, Return to Boil for 10 minutes
- 20 Minutes Before Smoking - Using Chimney Starter, newspaper, and Propane Torch light the charcoal
- 10 Minutes Before Smoking - Drain and Pat Dry Each Wing
- 5 Minutes Before Smoking - Fill smoker water bowl
- 2 Minutes Before Smoking - Pour Ashed-Over Coals into coal bowl
- 1 Minutes Before Smoking - Add liberal amounts of pre-soaked wood to coal bowl
Step 3: Smoked and Sauced
Consumables:
- More Wood
- More Water
Tools:
- Thermometer
- Container with lid
- Maintain Smoker Temperature 225-250 Degrees Fahrenheit
- Add more smoke wood every 15 minutes (or when smoke dies down)
- When Chicken Internal Temp reaches 140 Degrees Fahrenheit (about 2:30-3:00 hours) remove from smoker
- Put Wings and Sauce in container with lid, shake well
- Serve with Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing and Sliced Celery (although, these are so good, most people skip it)
- SHARE & ENJOY!!