For a snack before, during, or after the ball game there is no better food than the chicken wing. The great thing about chicken wings is their versatility. Spicy, sweet, salty, sticky, saucy, or dry are all options when cooking wings on the grill. I generally prefer my chicken wings seasoned with a dry rub and grilled; in my opinion, sauce tends to cover up the crispy, salty-peppery flavor of dry wings. With that said, however, I do love this recipe. The glaze adds flavor that goes way beyond what you would expect from a grilled wing. For those who like a sticky molasses flavor with a fruity edge, you’ve just found your new favorite wing recipe.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　

Dry Rub

2 teaspoons salt

　　2 teaspoons brown sugar

　　2 teaspoons black pepper

　　1 teaspoon paprika

　　1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1/8 teaspoon white pepper

　　14 whole chicken wings, cut into wings and drumettes (28 pieces total; see Pitmaster’s Tip, Below)

　　Caramelized soy and blackberry glaze (page 230)

　　

Step 1

Stir together the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. Season the wings with all of the rub for extra-hot wings or half of the rub for spicy.

　　

Step 2

Build a charcoal and/or wood fire on one side of the grill, leaving the other side void. This will create an area for indirect cooking away from the coals. When the cooker temperature reaches 450°F, place the wings on the grill grate away from the coals and close the cooker lid. Cook for approximately 30 minutes, flipping each wing once.

　　

Step 3

When the wings are brown and crisp, remove them from the grill and drizzle with warm Caramelized Soy and Blackberry Glaze.

　　

pitmaster’s tip

Step 4

A whole chicken wing is shaped like the letter Z and comprised of three parts: the drumette, the wing, and the wing tip. Before grilling, cut the joints separating the three parts with a sharp knife or poultry shears. Discard the bony wing tips, and the remaining two parts are ready to go.

　　

Cooking Method

Step 5

Indirect heat

　　

Suggested Wood

Step 6

Hickory, Cherry, Pecan

　　Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book by Chris Lilly. Copyright © 2009 by Chris Lilly. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Vice president, executive chef, and partner of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Chris Lilly oversees the two company-owned restaurants as well as their new chain of franchises.