Introduction: Perfect Smoked Buffalo Wings

About: I'm a maker, gluten free home brewer, laser cutter, and aspiring space cowboy who lives with his lovely wife, wonderful dog and 2 cats in Charlotte, NC. I enjoy riding dual sport motorcycles and restoring old …

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)

  1. Cut butter into cubes, put in sauce pan over low-medium heat to melt
  2. Bring melted butter to a simmer for about 20 minutes until it separates, skimming the foam off the top with a spoon
  3. When butter goes from bright yellow to a deep golden strain through cheesecloth in funnel in 1 Mason Jar

Part 2 - Make Buffalo Sauce

  1. Pour 3 Parts Frank's Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce (or similar) into 1 Mason Jar
  2. Pour 2 Parts Clarified Butter into same Mason Jar
  3. 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. 1 Hour Before Smoking - Soak Wood Chips or Chunks in bowl of Water
  2. 30 Minutes Before Smoking - Bring 2 Gallons of Water to Boil and add Wings, Return to Boil for 10 minutes
  3. 20 Minutes Before Smoking - Using Chimney Starter, newspaper, and Propane Torch light the charcoal
  4. 10 Minutes Before Smoking - Drain and Pat Dry Each Wing
  5. 5 Minutes Before Smoking - Fill smoker water bowl
  6. 2 Minutes Before Smoking - Pour Ashed-Over Coals into coal bowl
  7. 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
  1. Maintain Smoker Temperature 225-250 Degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Add more smoke wood every 15 minutes (or when smoke dies down)
  3. When Chicken Internal Temp reaches 140 Degrees Fahrenheit (about 2:30-3:00 hours) remove from smoker
  4. Put Wings and Sauce in container with lid, shake well
  5. Serve with Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing and Sliced Celery (although, these are so good, most people skip it)
  6. SHARE & ENJOY!!