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    Smoked Wings question

    Posts: 50
    in EggHead Forum
    I like to smoke wings on my egg, raised indirect.  Usually in a pan at a low smoking temp of around 225 or so.  Here is my question:  I smoke them for several hours, but using my thermapen they remain below the "done" temp of 185 even if I go 4 to 5 hours.  Last time, after about 5 hours at 225-250 and them still registering 160-175 depending on the wing, I raised the temp considerably and finally pulled them when I was getting 180 plus readings.  They were still good, but frankly they were obviously overcooked.  So what is my problem - is my thermapen bad?  Or do I just not need to go to that temp when they are cooked low and slow - I understand that several hours at a lower temp will kill just as much bacteria as a few minutes or even seconds at a higher temp . . . going to do more and want to make sure I don't screw these up
    Thanks
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    • Posts: 50
      OK, but question remains - am I supposed to take them off only when my thermapen hits 185?  
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    • Posts: 17,629
      Volfo said:
      OK, but question remains - am I supposed to take them off only when my thermapen hits 185?  

      Minimum safe zone temp is 165F. 


      LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
      Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
      Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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    • Posts: 33,771
      edited October 2019
      dark meat like thighs are better for a low and slow. wings are white meat.  someone posted this years ago. split the wings up, wingettes over a pan indirect on center raised rack. drumettes around the circumference outside the pan edge direct, spin the grid occasionally as the back edge is always hotter. 325 works well for me with wings, 350 for breasts, 400 for spatchcock, 275 for thighs. i do take the wings up to 185
      fukahwee maine

      you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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    • Posts: 2,109
      I like my wings on the crispier side, so I just pull when the skin is how I like it. Planning on doing some raised direct this weekend
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    • Posts: 100
      Roasting around 530 degrees.....Crispy.  20 minutes,rotate, 20 minutes pull and put sauce on, then back on for 10 minutes
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    • Posts: 100
      edited October 2019
      So, pics of my two versions....Weber and BGE.  Use a Vortex, a chunk of wood.  Delicious, Smokey....and CRISP.  Note, Weber temps cook at 700-650 degrees
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    • Posts: 19,136
      I prefer wings smoked at a lower temp (250-275F) too, but usually don't do them at lower temps because of the time involved. 

      Re: when to pull them, 160ish will be just fine. Or as mentioned above, whenever the skin is the way you like it. 

      #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
      A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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    • Posts: 50
      Thanks to all for the feedback!  I do like them smoked slow but have a feeling I've gone overboard.  This is very useful and I'm going to give a faster much hotter cook a try also and compare.  
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    • Posts: 14,544
      FWIW, wings can benefit from being cooked to a higher temp like 175-180. Higher cook temps as suggested will help keep them edible. 
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    • Posts: 28,920
      Volfo said:
      OK, but question remains - am I supposed to take them off only when my thermapen hits 185?  
      Here is a fool proof way to tell when wings are done. When the juices run clear they are done. With that said, you can cook them longer if you desire for whatever reason (crispier skin, blackening, etc etc) but they are absolutely done and safe to eat when the juices are clear. Not milky, but clear like water. 

      Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

      Status- Standing by.

      The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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    • Posts: 49
      I use the 30/20/10 method and have loved the results.  Raised indirect, temp around 350-375, 30 min then flip them, 20 min, then sauce them and 10 more min and they will be perfect!  I've loved the dry rub I've been using and haven't sauced them lately so I just do 30min flip and 30min and they come out smokey and crispy!  Give it a shot!
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    • Posts: 34,689
      With wings-there are about as many ways to get there as posters:
      Search function will likely overload your senses.
      However, here is a link to the above mentioned 30-20-10 method for your info:
      Just experiment until you find what works for you.  FWIW-

      Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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    • Posts: 30
      Decided on wings for dinner tonight.  I did the 30-20-10 method.  Meat was falling off the bone.  Skin didn't get as crispy as I liked.  Should've put them on direct heat for about 5 minutes.  Live and learn.  Still made good eats.
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    • Posts: 859
      This is just my opinion. You can’t really overcook a chicken wing. Unless you burn them. You can pull them as soon as the juices run clear, but all the hard tendons and stuff in the wing won’t be edible. Cook the crap out of them without burning them and all those tendons and stuff soften up to the point everything is edible but the bone. I don’t use my thermapen when I do wings. I just cook em indirect at bout 375-400 and flip often. I pull them right before they start to burn. Nice and crispy every time. And they fall right off the bone. 
      NW IOWA
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    • Posts: 10,458
      Honest question but why flip when cooking indirect unless your way up in the dome with a high amount of convection heat that might scorch the skin?

      -----------------------------------------

      analyze adapt overcome

      2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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    • Posts: 16,582
      Philly35 said:
      This is just my opinion. You can’t really overcook a chicken wing. Unless you burn them. You can pull them as soon as the juices run clear, but all the hard tendons and stuff in the wing won’t be edible. Cook the crap out of them without burning them and all those tendons and stuff soften up to the point everything is edible but the bone. I don’t use my thermapen when I do wings. I just cook em indirect at bout 375-400 and flip often. I pull them right before they start to burn. Nice and crispy every time. And they fall right off the bone. 
      @Philly35, I tried your method today (sorta, I guess I did go 375 indirect) and kept cooking until the skins looked good.  Thermapenned the largest drummette, 195 (yikes!) but it was fine, and the flappers were perfect.  Skin was crispy and the meat fell off the bone.  Next time I'll keep the platesetter out and flip more often, think they'll be perfect then.  Thanks much!  
      Also tried @fishlessman's advice on my recent thread and went with less butter in the Buffalo sauce; still a bit greasy, but I don't put them back on the grill after saucing, maybe I'll have to try that too.  
      Thanks guys!  
      ___________

      "They're eating the checks!  They're eating the balances!"  

      Ogden, UT


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    • Posts: 379
      edited October 2019
      300 to 350 two racks,  indirect.  Spray with duck fat a couple of times and cook until they're how you like them. i may stretch them 2 or 2.5 at most.   Yummy yummy to face and tummy 
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    • Posts: 859
      @Botch Every cut of meat is different. Take a pig for example. At what temp would you pull a pork loin? Certainly not the same temp as a shoulder for pulled pork. You want that meat to fall apart, you have to pull it over 200° to achieve that. Same applies for chicken. And Beef. 
      NW IOWA
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    • Posts: 27
      Philly35 said:
      @Botch Every cut of meat is different. Take a pig for example. At what temp would you pull a pork loin? . . .
      Rhetorical question? If not, new government guidelines for pork recommend minimum 145 degrees F. Meat will be <gasp> pink. Nicely moist, but takes getting used to for us old folks that grew up eating dry overcooked pork.
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    • Posts: 11,379
      @Mickey Can overdo a wing
      =======================================
      XL 6/06, Mini 6/12, L 10/12, Mini #2 12/14 MiniMax 3/16 Large #2 11/20 Legacy from my FIL - RIP PitBoss Navigator 850G 11/25
      Tampa Bay, FL
      EIB 6 Oct 95
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    • Posts: 859
      @Scout706 145, but don’t forget to let it rest! 

      My point is that you wouldn’t take a pork shoulder off the grill for pulled pork at the same temp you would pull a pork loin. It may be cooked at 145-160, but it won’t be good table fare. 
      NW IOWA
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    • Posts: 3,196
      My method:

      https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1207029/wings
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