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Wings - Direct vs Indirect

friscotex
friscotex Posts: 78
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Am planning to do some wings today and have reviewed previous forum posts about wings. Doesn't seem to be a consensus on direct vs indirect and I'm curious about the pros/cons of each method.

I'm thinking raised grid, direct with 350 temp, turning every 15 min or so. Given that setup, what's the approximate time to cook? I'm also assuming that this method would be quicker than indirect.

Comments

  • Di
    Di Posts: 395
    Hey friscotex.......egghead from Allen, TX here.

    I like my wings with a slightly crispy skin. Based on lots of help from others here on the forum, here's my recipe:

    Wings

    2 packages of #1 and #2 wings
    Byron’s Butt Rub
    1 cup unsalted butter
    ½ cup honey
    ½ cup Frank’s Wing Sauce

    Wash wings, dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with rub and store in frig until ready to cook.
    Cook on BGE indirect @ 400° degrees with platesetter and drip pan (oil the grid with canola oil). Cook for 45mins to 1 hour flipping and rotating after 20 minutes.
    Heat butter, honey and wing sauce. Toss with wings and put back on fire for 10-15 minutes.
  • Hey Di ... Greetings from your westward neighborhood. Thanks for the quick reply. I'll save your recipe for another time as I'm already committed to another one for this cook.

    So you do 400 indirect and they take about an hour? Flip/rotate every 20. That would work our great timing wise.

    Go 'Boys!
  • TnVolKen
    TnVolKen Posts: 198
    I also like to cook direct with wing.
  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    You are right about the lack of consensus so I have to assume that lots of ways give good results. I am pretty new at this myself, but I have had excellent results with this method:
    Indirect, 375 dome, rinse and pat wings dry, coat with your favorite rub [I use BGE Gourmet or DP products] and grill skin side up for about 45 min to an hour.
    Don't open Egg!. I get good crispy wings with this method. There is no need to turn or check the wings every few minutes. In fact, and again, I am pretty new at this myself, but I think that is where a lot of people go wrong, opening the egg for any reason until you are done or almost done. This method works equally well for me with thighs and/or spatchcock chicken with just a little more cook time added.
    Good Luck, :cheer:

    Capt. Frank
    Homosassa, FL
  • Di
    Di Posts: 395
    Let me know how your direct cook goes. Would be interested in trying it.

    The wings are fantastic on the bge. I wasn't a big fan of wings until we started cooking them on the bge.

    Go Cowboys!!!
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Raised grid, direct, use just a little coal in the bottom to keep the wings about 12-15" or more above the coals. Let the temps run at 450&deg and they will cook in 15-18 minutes per side. This will get them done and crisp without burning.

    Then toss them in some sauce and put them back on for 3-5 minutes to firm up the sauce a little.

    Setup:

    WingSetup.jpg


    Done and ready for sauce:

    PreSauce.jpg


    Getting Sauced (much like the cook):

    TossedinSauce.jpg


    Back on to finish:

    BackOn.jpg



    I cook a lot of wings and have tried them many many ways. This is the most consistent for me for great results.

    Another trick I use sometimes is to boil them in cider vinegar for about 3 minutes before cooking. This renders a little of the fat and gets them more crisp, and gives them just a touch of vinegar twang that I like.
  • Hey Rod, great pics and I'm definitely gonna try the vinegar boil next round. Sounds like a fun eggsperiment.
  • I used Fidel's method Friday night with great results.
    I just need to figure out the digital pics to forum now.
    Thanks for the "boil in vinegar", can't wait to try it!!!
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    It started as a way to quickly thaw frozen wings. I just put them frozen into enough cider vinegar to cover. Bring to a boil. Once it is to a rolling boil I shut it off and drain them, then right onto the egg which has been preheating the whole time. Now I do it just about any time I am cooking wings - frozen or not.

    I do a lot (and I mean a LOT) of wings throughout football season. I've done them just about any which way you can imagine and this has become my "go to" - it is quick, simple, and reliable.
  • EGC
    EGC Posts: 448
    Gonna have to try the vinegar, Rod.

    Normally, I go indirect at 275 -300 with hickory smoke for a couple of hours. Then I'll sauce and crank the heat a bit to around 400, still indirect.

    I prefer indirect to avoid the burned wing syndrome. I tend to get it during football season: it's a combination of good SEC football, great quantities of beer, and a lack of time management on a direct cook. :)
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Hey Rod, I'll give the cider vinegar a try. Thanks, Tim
  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
    Oh boy, your wings look good. Got to make some soon. I 'shake it up' with seasoned flour and corn starch in a paper bag, then grill, then sauce.
    Boiling in cider vinegar sounds very interesting... :)
  • I do high temp indirect (400ish) for 40-45 minutes, usually over apple smoke. I rub them (rub depends on what sauce I use), as I find that the rub adds complexity to the flavor, even with a spicy sauce. I pull them off, put in a large bowl, pour the sauce over, and toss to coat.

    -John
  • I am doing mine today indirect for the first time. I am also doing whole wings and do not have them seperated like Fidel does in his pictures.

    Like I said, I am doing mine indirect with plate setter legs up and grate on top. I have marinated them over night in a mixture that will be posted later tonight. I plan on flipping them twice during the cook after 30 minutes a side and then re-saucing with some left over marinade/hot sauce mixture for another ten minutes or so. I am also doing some ABT's at the same time as I do the wings.

    To each their own I guess. Pictures to come later after the cook and I will let you know if I like them better indirect than direct.

    Geoff
  • tried it your way, I was eggstatic about them. I like em crispy like that, thanks for the post.