Crispy Smoked Wings
Crispy smoked wings are whole chicken wings split into flats and drums, seasoned with a buffalo ranch rub and cooked on a Weber kettle in a two-basket convection setup for 30 to 40 minutes until crisp.
| Setup | Two baskets, center, vents wide open |
| Cook time | 30 to 40 minutes |
| Rotate | Lid a quarter turn every 10 minutes |
| Buffalo sauce | Butter, Crybaby Craig's, maple |
| Yield | Serves 4 |
A Weber kettle already has everything you need for great wings, clean heat and airflow. No vortex, no rotisserie. Two baskets in the middle, hot coals split between them, and you have a convection cooker. Crispy skin without deep frying.
Watch the full cook on YouTube.
Crispy Smoked Wings
Equipment
- Weber kettle
- Two charcoal baskets
- Kitchen shears
Ingredients
Wings
- 3 lb whole chicken wings split into flats and drums, tips removed
- Damn Yankee Broadway Buffalo Ranch rub
Buffalo Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup Crybaby Craig’s hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup to taste
Homemade Ranch
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise lime mayo if you can find it
- Buffalo Ranch rub a few tablespoons
- lemon a squeeze
- salt a pinch
Instructions
Prep the Wings
- Buy whole wings, not party packs. Cut each at the joint into a flat and a drum and remove the tip.
- Season liberally with the Buffalo Ranch rub and let them sit 15 minutes.
Set Up the Kettle
- Set two charcoal baskets in the middle of the Weber kettle and split the hot coals between them. That turns the kettle into a convection cooker.
- Open the top and bottom vents all the way.
Cook
- Put the wings on, lid on. Rotate the lid a quarter turn every 10 minutes.
- Cook 30 to 40 minutes until crispy.
Make the Sauces
- For buffalo, melt 4 tablespoons butter, add 1/2 cup Crybaby Craig’s and a little maple syrup to balance.
- For ranch, whisk 1/2 cup each buttermilk, sour cream and mayonnaise with a few tablespoons of the Buffalo Ranch rub, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt.
Serve
- Toss half the wings in buffalo sauce and dust the rest with more rub for dry wings.
- Tossing them back on the smoker for a few minutes is a pro move.
Video
Notes
Pitmaster Notes
When wings fall short it is rarely the grill or the chicken, it is how the fire is set. Two baskets and wide open vents give you the airflow, and rotating the lid every 10 minutes keeps the crisp even all the way around.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get crispy wings on a Weber kettle?
Set two charcoal baskets in the middle, split the coals between them, and open both vents all the way. That convection setup crisps the skin in 30 to 40 minutes, no vortex or deep fryer needed.
How long do wings take on the grill?
About 30 to 40 minutes in a two-basket setup at high heat. Rotate the lid a quarter turn every 10 minutes so they crisp evenly.
What is in the homemade buffalo sauce?
Four tablespoons of melted butter, half a cup of hot sauce, and a little maple syrup to balance the heat. Crybaby Craig’s is the hot sauce we use.
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