Hot-Smoked Chicken Wings
Wings on an offset smoker at 350 F so the skin renders and the meat stays juicy. A thin mustard-dill coat goes on before the smoke. Finish with one of two sauces: a warm mustard-dill baste, or a cold garlic-dill sour cream sauce on the side.
Ingredients
Wings
- 4 to 5 lb chicken wings, whole or split, patted dry
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, skip or reduce if you dry-brined
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, for the binder
Mustard-dill sauce
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 tablespoons water or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried dill, or 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
Garlic-dill sour cream sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon oil or a spoon of the mustard-dill sauce
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
Pat the wings very dry. If you have time, salt them and leave them uncovered in the fridge overnight. Pat dry again before rubbing.
Stir the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, both paprikas, and dried dill. Toss the wings with the oil and the Dijon binder, then coat with the rub.
Fire the offset smoker to 350 F with a mild fruit wood or a light oak mix. Set the wings in a single layer with a little space between them, skin side up.
Smoke 50 to 70 minutes until the thickest part of a drumette reads 175 F and the skin is rendered and gold. Do not baste in the first 30 minutes or the skin will stay soft.
Mustard-dill sauce
Whisk the mustard, oil, water or broth, vinegar, and honey until smooth. Stir in the garlic, paprikas, dill, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Taste; it should be garlicky and a little tangy.
After the wings have taken on color, brush lightly every 20 minutes. When they come off the smoker, give them a last generous brush while they are still hot.
Garlic-dill sour cream sauce
Stir the sour cream, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Keep this one cold and serve it on the side so the skin stays crisp.
Rest the wings 5 minutes. Toss in the mustard-dill sauce if you want them glazed, or leave them dry and pass both sauces at the table.
Notes
Wings are better at 175 F than at the 165 F breast number; the skin and connective tissue need that extra heat. At 350 F this is hot indirect roasting with smoke, not low-and-slow. Too much heavy smoke turns bitter. For a party tray of about 60 pieces, triple the rub and both sauces. Reserve a clean bowl of mustard-dill sauce that never touched raw chicken for the final brush and for the table.