Tangy Grilled Hot Wings

 

When grilling your wings, the goal isn’t hot and fast, it’s more low and slow, to give the chance the skin on the wings (famously flabby if not done well) the opportunity to render and crisp up. The wings, are, of course, the best part of a roasted chicken, and doing them on the grill this way actually recreates that energy a bit (lower flame, lid on rather than high flame, open air). 

The sauce itself, I’m sorry– or, depending on how you look at it, pleased– to report is unabashedly classic. Hot sauce, butter, salt, pepper. Yes, I’ve added white distilled vinegar for additional tang, but that’s hardly a revelation. Regarding hot sauces, Frank’s RedHot is the best to ever do it, but I do enjoy employing an alternative hot sauce for additional flavor and more or less heat, depending on the brand you go for. I’m Valentina all the way, and recently discovering their extra-hot variety has changed me as a person for the best. Be sure to thin out the sauce with that white distilled vinegar for tang and proper wing-coating consistency (use water if you want to skip the extra tang). 

YIELD — 2-4 servings

 

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds wings, a mix of the wingette and drumette, also known as PARTY WINGS 

  • Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup Frank’s RedHot hot sauce

  • ¼ cup Valentina or other hot sauce of your choosing 

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar 

  • 1–2 tablespoons canola, vegetable or grapeseed oil 

  • Leftover wedge salad dressing, for dipping

  • Celery sticks, for fun

Directions

1. Make the buffalo sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the Frank’s, Valentina, and butter, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the butter is melted and the sauce is well-combined. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding a little white distilled vinegar if you like them extra tangy (use water if you prefer them less tangy)

2. To grill the wings: If using a gas grill, turn it on medium heat or if you’re using charcoal, build a medium hot grill. Place the top on either way and let the grill get as hot as it can be. 

3. Season wings in a large bowl with salt and pepper and toss with 1–2 tablespoons oil. Place them skin side-down directly on the grates, close the top and grill until they easily release from the grates and are nicely golden brown with a few spots of char, 8–10 minutes. Flip them, and continue cooking until they are equally golden brown on the other side with a nice crispy skin and completely cooked through, another 8–10 minutes. 

While you wait for them to grill, wash out the bowl so you can toss them in the sauce once they’re ready. 

To do the wings in the oven: 

Preheat oven to 450°. Season wings with salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet (I never line with anything, but you can if you like) and toss with 2 tablespoons of oil. Roast until wings are golden brown and starting to sizzle

4. Transfer the wings to that large bowl you washed out (or a large bowl if you roasted), and toss them with about half of the buffalo sauce, until they are dressed and glazed but not too saucy. 

5. Serve wings with more sauce (and wedge dressing) on the side for dipping, and celery sticks for fun.

newsletter, chicken, meatAlison RomanComment