“Pecan Smoked Chicken Wings” is great for tailgating or at home on game day. Whether brushing on Teriyaki Glaze, Sweet Cayenne Glaze, Barbecue Sauce or the Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce, people will be licking their fingers.
Under the sizzling Southern sun, Pecan Smoked Chicken Wings emerge from the grill like culinary alchemy. The air thickens with the tantalizing aroma, weaving a nostalgic tapestry of backyard gatherings and laughter. These wings, kissed by pecan smoke, are a symphony of flavors - a southern drawl in every bite.
Picture this: street corners transformed into impromptu grilling theaters, where the crackle of pecan wood meets the heartbeat of a community. The charred skin, glistening with savory secrets, invites you to a sensory dance. It's not just about cooking; it's about communion, about the crackling soundtrack of shared moments.
These wings tell tales of familial recipes passed down like cherished heirlooms, marinated in history and smoked to perfection. As the grill roars, so do the stories - tales of overcoming challenges, breakthroughs in mastering the flame, and lessons learned from the dance of fire and flavor.
Amidst the mesmerizing plumes of smoke, regional nuances unfold, a culinary atlas of grilling traditions. The sweet and savory tug-of-war mirrors the contrasts in cultures, each bite a passport stamp to a different world. The sizzle is universal, a language spoken by backyard pitmasters from Memphis to Marrakech.
As I stand on this street corner, spatula in hand, I become a curator of connection, sharing not just a meal but a piece of the smoky soul that unites us. It's about more than food; it's an invitation to relive the joy of cooking, to celebrate the simplicity and richness of shared meals. Pecan Smoked Chicken Wings, a passport to the heart, where the grill becomes the altar and the flavor, a hymn.
RECIPE
Prep – 10 min
Cooking Time – 1 ½ hours
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
3 large packs of chicken wings (wings as big as you can find) Wing Sauce (see 3 options below)
Seasoned salt Granulated garlic Fresh ground pepper 3 limes
Lump charcoal Pecan wood chunks Large foil pan
Sauces
Teriyaki glaze – 1 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook 10 minutes. Remove and let it cool down. Mix and brush on wings.
Sweet cayenne sauce – ½ bottle of Trappey’s Cayenne Sauce and 2 tablespoons of honey. Combine both, mix and brush on wings.
Barbecue sauce – ½ bottle of KC Masterpiece Honey Smoked Barbecue Sauce and 2 tablespoons of honey. Combine both, mix and brush on wings (any BBQ sauce would work).
Lemon garlic butter sauce – 1 stick of unsalted sweet cream butter, 1 lemon and 4 garlic cloves. Melt butter, squeeze lemon and add garlic to food processer. Process and brush on wings.
Instructions
Prep
Wash the chicken wings then pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken wings on a baking pan, squeeze lime on chicken, sprinkle seasoned salt, pepper and granulated garlic on all sides.
Grilling instructions
Heat grill with charcoal and pecan chunks to 350 degrees and sear wings on both sides. Brush foil pan with butter as to not stick, add chicken and remove from direct heat. Lower heat to 225 and smoke wings (approx. 1 to 1 ½
hours….chicken will look sweaty when close). Remove from heat and raise heat to 400 degrees. Brush chosen sauce onto wings in the foil pan on all sides. Put foil pan back on the grill and cook until sauce is caramelized. The wings are already cooked at this point, you are trying to turn the sauce on the wings into a thick glaze. Remove and enjoy!