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Wings - not so good results

Hillbilly-Hightech
Hillbilly-Hightech Posts: 966
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
So it seems like most every time I try something new on the Egg, I screw it up, and then wait for you guys to tell me what I did wrong... and this is no exception.

So here's the background - I did my research, and after reading the different techniques folks use for wings, I decided I'd try Fidel's preferred method, which was direct, raised grid, 350 degrees for about an hour.

However, the results were less than pleasant - overly charred outside :(

I used these 2 rubs:

wingrub.jpg

Then I setup the Egg as a raised grid (using a couple fire bricks) and got temp to about 350:

directraisedsetup.jpg

So after about 20 minutes or so, the wings actually were looking (and smelling) pretty dang good (although, the very tips of the wings were starting to get charred, but I figured that was OK cuz there's no meat on the tips anyway): :whistle:

wingscooking.jpg

But, after the hour (actually, I think it was about 50 minutes or so, they looked like this: :angry:

burntwings.jpg

sooooooooo, what did I do wrong?????

Thanks,
Rob
Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee

Comments

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Sir your temp was way wrong. Need to check it out.
    I only do them direct / raised / and 400. An hour max and not charred.
    Yours looks like all my chicken looked back in the webber days :ohmy:
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Rob,

    Mickey is dead right. I do wings at lower temps but for a couple of hours. You need to check your dome thermometer. Have you been getting overcooked stuff?

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    check the sugar content in the seasoning mixes, my guess big ingredient. with grilling best to use turbinado sugar, sugar in the raw, as it has a higher resistance to burning than normal sugars. normal sugars go on late in cook.

    you got the right idea, raised grid, just need some practice. these were done raised grid with turbinado sugar based rub.

    flatironandribeyes4a.jpg
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • U2
    U2 Posts: 27
    Those wings look fantastic---What brand rub did you use?
    Also is it a spicy rub?
  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
    Did you flip them at all. The bottoms look very charred while the tops look barely golden
  • Austin Smoker
    Austin Smoker Posts: 1,467
    Crimsongator wrote:
    Did you flip them at all. The bottoms look very charred while the tops look barely golden

    Was thinking the same thing....I flip about every 20 minutes and rotate the grid....the setup looks good, but I also go longer at lower temp (~275)
  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
    Brad, you coming to AL anytime soon?
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    Hillbilly-Hightech: I agree with the others about dome temp, but also, how far into the ingredient list of those rubs does sugar appear? Perhaps too much sugar in those rubs? And as Cromsongator said, did you tend to them/flip them at all?
  • NibbleMeThis
    NibbleMeThis Posts: 2,295
    I like to do mine with what we call 30-20-10 wings.

    Indirect at 375f for 30 minutes. Flip
    20 more minutes. Toss in the sauce you are using.
    10 more minutes to firm up the sauce.
    Knoxville, TN
    Nibble Me This
  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    Doing them indirect will solve a lot of these problems.
    just my .02ct, but mine turn out like this :)4787976984_0c4fcfff12.jpg
    P6270008 by Capt Frank1, on Flickr
    Every time, and I don't have to worry about them [sorry, this was a small batch, but only pic I could come up with in a hurry].
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,663
    i just have to ask, when you saw them burning like that, why did you continue to burn them more. you need to continuously check wings, flip and move to cooler spots when necessary. 300 to 325 works for me with that setup, and i like to cut off the tips and split to drummettes and wingetts
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    I agree with you Frank! I go indirect at 400° and no flip - perfect in 40 to 45 minutes time and time again so it must work for me! :laugh:
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    that is Grillmeister's recipe, butt rub and turbinado sugar, more spicy more butt rub, less spicy less butt rub, recommend starting at 1/3 butt rub, 2/3 turbinado and go from there. can use any rub, dizzy dust. the wings get real sticky when the sugar starts to break down, about 45 minutes into the cook.

    recipe is in one of the eggtoberfest recipe books, maybe 07 or 08, think wessb has them on his site. I may have to talk Grillmeister into doing the wings at the Salado or Austin eggfest. t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • toquina
    toquina Posts: 94
    I have found that using the plate setter works best for chicken wings more control
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,663
    i like chicken cooked direct, indirect seems to lose something for me, but one should find the method that suites them, try all the methods. for me its raised direct, but not much lump, maximize the distance between lump and grid level
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Austin Smoker
    Austin Smoker Posts: 1,467
    Crimsongator wrote:
    Brad, you coming to AL anytime soon?

    Will drive through on my way to Destin in July....other than that, don't get down to that part of God's country anymore. :(
  • Pjoe
    Pjoe Posts: 224
    Looks like you had a good hot fire going there!

    Bill
    LBGE AR SMALL BGE WOO RING
  • deepsouth
    deepsouth Posts: 1,796
    tjv wrote:
    check the sugar content in the seasoning mixes, my guess big ingredient. with grilling best to use turbinado sugar, sugar in the raw, as it has a higher resistance to burning than normal sugars. normal sugars go on late in cook.

    you got the right idea, raised grid, just need some practice. these were done raised grid with turbinado sugar based rub.

    flatironandribeyes4a.jpg

    i use sugar in the raw on my wings as well, but i use my adj. rig (thanks tjv) and go indirect at 250 for about 3 or so hours. fall apart tender with bite through skin. i use a pretty fair amount of sugar in the raw.
  • Crimsongator
    Crimsongator Posts: 5,797
    North Alabama (well really Gainesville) is God's country. I was looking at a smoker on Austin CL, but the drive is just too far :-)
  • Sorry, was out of town all day yesterday so didn't get a chance to check the forum (and didn't realize there'd be so many responses) ;)

    Anyway, to respond to everyone - no, didn't flip them at all (I guess I thought since it was raised grid, I didn't need to - stupid assumption on my part - ya know what they say about "assuming" things) B)

    Also, when I saw they were getting charred, again, I just assumed that it would remain on the tips (never make that mistake again).

    Also, not sure how much sugar was in the rubs (already threw away the packages).

    Also, haven't checked the calibration of the thermometer since I first got the Egg (didn't realize it could go "out" of calibration) - will check that before next cook.

    But, all in all - you guys gave me incredible advice (as always). Here's what I learned (and hopefully listing these "best practices" will help others as well):

    1.) FLIP, FLIP, FLIP the wings (probably most important)

    2.) Perhaps wait until cook is 1/2 - 3/4 done before adding rub / sauce (especially if it contains high sugar content)

    3.) indirect will help keep dome temp down (and some of you do a combination of direct, then indirect)

    4.) Periodically recheck calibration of thermometer

    Anyway, again - thanks to all of you who have helped with your "food detective" skills to determine what went wrong w/ my wing cook & hopefully assuage these problems in the future - BRAVO!! Next time I cook wings I'll post the (hopefully) new & improved results (like I did when I made steaks after learning from you guys)!!

    This forum is great (when it's not bogged down in all the drama) :evil:
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
  • U2
    U2 Posts: 27
    Thank You

    I learn so much on this site!!!!
    Very Blessed to get hooked up here!!