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Wings - so so results - suggestions?

CPARKTX
CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
edited January 2013 in EggHead Forum
Did first wing cook tonight and struggled a bit. I like crispy texture, so I cooked raised direct at 350. I over cooked them a bit (based on Thermapen temps of 190-205), but only the most cooked ones were crispy and a few were actually a bit burned, the rest still had a soft moist exterior. What's the trick to crisping them up without burning? I'm also struggling with temperature control while grilling. I'm amazed how stable the Egg is at low and slow or anything with the lid closed, but when grilling I keep losing control of the temp...any advise?
LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  

Comments

  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    There was a big discussion on this in the last few days. It has some great info. I prefer to do them indirect at 500 for about 30 minutes. Skin gets nice and crispy but not burned. Don't have to flip them either.
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    I do 400* raised direct on cast iron grid and get dry skin but not super crispy..

    as far as your temp be sure to not to open your dome too often. My wings take a little over a half hour so I won't open the dome till at least the half of the cook... If your temp is only fluctuating while checking your food it's most likely that you could correct this by opening your dome less... if it's not that then you need to stabilize yur temp a little longer.

    I agree with cazzy that your high finish temps are fine.. good luck and keep practicing
  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    Sounds like you are equating grilling with cooking with dome open. Is that correct?
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    By the way they look pretty tasty to me
  • CPARKTX
    CPARKTX Posts: 2,095
    @billyray - I kept the lid closed except to check and flip the wings three or four times. I guess I was thinking of direct cooking as "grilling". @cazzy - I marinated the wings with a little vegetable oil, Franks Red Hot sauce, salt and pepper; I put in ziplock bag for about five hours.
    LBGE & SBGE.  Central Texas.  
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    I go the other way. 300 indirect. There is tons of fat as the others have mentioned, that is why I choose longer cook time at lower temp to allow the fat to render more fully. One hour at 300 turn once will give you moist wings with firm skin. Let them rest for a few minutes then toss in a bowl with wing sauce of your choice. It's the only way I have found to render off the fat without burning it off. However, if you put Franks wing sauce on it, I'll eat it either way.
  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942

    Easy as it gets.  Indirect.  375-400.  About 45 minutes.  No need to flip. Crispy skin. Moist inside.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • I do my wings at 250 indirect for 90 minutes.  Then I fire the Egg up to 400-450 and do them direct to put a little char on them.  That's how we like them.  I use a Jamaican Jerk marinade that is quite spicy.

    Simple ingredients, amazing results!
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,024
    Best way I've found is to dust them with your rub and baking powder, them grill them 375-400 indirect for 1 hour.
  • MikeP624
    MikeP624 Posts: 292

    I get the best results when i cook them only with a dry rub, and then sauce after the cook, or for the last 5 to 10 minutes, once they have turned crispy.  If i marinade them first  i can never get them crispy enough.

  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    Check out the breaded wing recipe on the Dizzy Dust website.  It is the wife's fav, so that is the one that gets cooked the most at our house!1
  • try dusting with a little corn starch and DP Tsunami Spin. glaze with a little bone suckin sauce at the end and allow to caramelize..............they are like crack
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • and I cook mine like Dyal- Indirect, 400 ish for about an hour
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    edited January 2013
    and I cook mine like Dyal- Indirect, 400 ish for about an hour
    That's how these were done. Actually mine were direct, raised grate.
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • AleBrewer
    AleBrewer Posts: 555
    I'll second the Dizzy Pig method.....I was never a huge fan of breaded wings until I tried these. They are very crispy....almost like deep fried!
  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    I do 30-20-10. 350F for 30 minutes, flip for another 20, remove sauce and back on for 10. perfect everytime.
  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
    This was my second attempt at wings. I used hondabbq's technique. Perfect.

    image
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    Indirect, 400 target, dust with 2 parts rub, 1 part corn starch (or baking powder as I've learned from the forum) if still a touch dry, mist with oil. Always crispy out, juicy in and no need to flip. Make sure you have a raised drip pan. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Plano_JJ
    Plano_JJ Posts: 448
    try dusting with a little corn starch and DP Tsunami Spin. glaze with a little bone suckin sauce at the end and allow to caramelize..............they are like crack

    This. I do mine at 400 indirect.
  • NibbleMeThis
    NibbleMeThis Posts: 2,295
    I normally don't like marinated or wet rubbed wings because the moisture makes it difficult to get good crisp skin.  I like my wings to be as dry as possible before going on the grill.  

    On trick for that is to air dry them in the fridge for an hour before cooking.  Put them on a rack above a tray where air can circulate around them. 

    When I don't have time for that, I use corn starch like others mentioned.
    Knoxville, TN
    Nibble Me This
  • Last wings I did were brined, air dried, cornstarched, tsunami spinned and done indirect 400 for an hour. The skin was amazing and so was the meat. I was brining some breast for our weekly SV cook so I just threw the wings in with the for 2 hrs. They were fantastic. A lot of steps but we had the brine going anyway. Didn't do pics because I didn't think much about doing wings. i won't ever do them without brining again.I'm doing again this weekend so I'll take pics


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Black_Badger
    Black_Badger Posts: 1,182
    I did some a while back that turned out great. Marinated overnight in buttermilk spiked with Franks Red Hot. In the morning I took the wings out and wiped off excess buttermilk w/ a paper towel then let them air dry for about half an hour before giving them a generous dousing with John Henry chicken tickler and bone suckin' rub. Let this chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set up a nice exterior. On the egg raised at 350 indirect for ~50 minutes. They looked great by then and the joints were loose, which I always take as a good sign with wings. For the last 5 -10 minutes I pulled out the pizza stone to cook direct and give and extra crisping to the exterior. They were great just like this, but I ended up tossing them in a sauce (~1/2 cup homemade blackberry bbq sauce, ~1/4 cup Franks Red hot, half stick butter). Skin was crispier before saucing, but the consensus was that the sauce added, not detracted.

    Anyone else use buttermilk for marinade?

    Cheers -
    B_B
    Finally back in the Badger State!

    Middleton, WI
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Never done wings but have used yoghurt or buttermilk on all the other parts

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • I want to try Kristi's sticky wings but not sure I can get past the fish sauce.  What do you think if I used chicken stock instead of fish sauce?

    Ernie McClain

    Scottsbluff, Nebraska

    (in the extreme western panhandle of NE)

  • Black_Badger
    Black_Badger Posts: 1,182
    Hey @erniemcclain I haven't made that recipe and it's been a while since I looked at it, but I'd guess you're better off simply omitting the fish sauce. It shouldn't call for much, the stuff is VERY powerful. It stinks like death, but man does it make things taste good! Chicken stock can't possibly do the job of fish sauce in my opinion.

    Let us know where you land.

    Cheers -
    B_B
    Finally back in the Badger State!

    Middleton, WI
  • Were the burnt ones toward the back? I do them raised direct sometimes at around 350, but I find there is a hot spot toward the back.

    Like others have said, 400 indirect for 40 minutes or so - this is the easiest, set it and forget it method. 400 leaves you some margin for error in terms of the cook time. If you go hotter than that you better pay attention.

    I don't put anything on them until they are done (golden brown and somewhat crispy) - then it's buffalo wing sauce.


  • I want to try Kristi's sticky wings but not sure I can get past the fish sauce.  What do you think if I used chicken stock instead of fish sauce?

    Don't worry about the fish sauce. It does not taste like fish and it's an awesome secret salty ingredient in tons of great food. If you were to taste it on it's own, it might be a little strong if you aren't in to that kind of thing. But you don't taste it other than a smoky salty background flavor. Chicken stock won't get you there. It's much more like soy sauce than chicken stock if you are absolutely against trying it
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    For the love of everything holy under the sun don't use too much....I did. Threw away a family pack of wings.

    On the gasser I cooked my wings in hot sauce and coke in a pan. A couple of minutes in the pan, simmering and then on the grid...repeat till done. Can't figure out how to do on the egg. Lifting the lid would be a problem. They were a family favorite...gonna figure it out.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN