Last night I finally got a chance to use the drum after taking it apart to repaint, and put silicone on the bottom vent. That combined with starting with less lit charcoal made it super easy to keep the temp between 225-235 for almost the entire cook, one brief moment it went up to 245, but closing down a bottom vent to 1/2 a hole brought it back down and kept it down. I was very pleased.
So for the wings, I searched for some recipes. I wasn't looking for buffalo wings, but I used one important ingredient from a basic buffalo wing recipe, butter.
I separated 24 wings into three parts, kept the tips for stock (hopefully I get around to actually using them). Brined in about a gallon of water, 2/3 cup Kosher Salt, and 2/3 cup of light brown sugar for about 45 minutes.
For the rub, 3 tbs K.Salt, 3 tsp black Pepper, 6 tsp Paprika, 3 tsp garlic powder, 3 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp cayenne, and 1/2 tsp dry chipotle seasoning.
Loaded up the drum at about 225 with two small chunks of apple wood.
About 1 hour later I was going to check the temp
Turns out they were ready. I was a bit surprised based on the amount of time people had said they were smoking their wings (2 hours) but the meat on the drumette I tested was at 180.
I let them rest for about 20 minutes while I waited for my family to come home from the pool (but tested one by dunking it in the sauce, delicious and meat was done). I raised the basket to the upper position, opened the bottom vents all the way, and let it come up in temp (around 450 on the BP side thermometer). Apple wood was burning so I took them and threw the to the bottom of the drum on my ash pan.
For the sauce, I made two, one not spicy at all (for my kids) and one with just a little kick.
Each sauce had 3/4 stick of butter, squirted enough honey to cover the butter prior to melting. I added a couple tablespoons of the rub, and then for the kids sauce about 1/2 bottle of sweet baby rays and a big squirt of ketchup. For the other sauce I added 1/2 bottle of sweet baby rays sweet and spicy and a big squirt of ketchup. It wasn't spicy enough so I kept on sprinkling in some more cayenne until it was just right. As I noticed it thickening I did add some water back in, and a little more butter.
From there I tossed the wings in the sauce, put them back on the drum to crisp the skin a bit and maybe caramelize the sauce a bit in batches by sauce (kids, spicy, and none) and just kept flipping them for a couple minutes to keep them from burning.
Spicy
All three varieties
The kids and wife enjoyed them as much as me. My daughter even liked the ones with just a little kick.
I'm sure this could be improved upon by more seasoned cooks, but I was definitely pleased with the results.
So for the wings, I searched for some recipes. I wasn't looking for buffalo wings, but I used one important ingredient from a basic buffalo wing recipe, butter.
I separated 24 wings into three parts, kept the tips for stock (hopefully I get around to actually using them). Brined in about a gallon of water, 2/3 cup Kosher Salt, and 2/3 cup of light brown sugar for about 45 minutes.
For the rub, 3 tbs K.Salt, 3 tsp black Pepper, 6 tsp Paprika, 3 tsp garlic powder, 3 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp cayenne, and 1/2 tsp dry chipotle seasoning.
Loaded up the drum at about 225 with two small chunks of apple wood.
About 1 hour later I was going to check the temp
Turns out they were ready. I was a bit surprised based on the amount of time people had said they were smoking their wings (2 hours) but the meat on the drumette I tested was at 180.
I let them rest for about 20 minutes while I waited for my family to come home from the pool (but tested one by dunking it in the sauce, delicious and meat was done). I raised the basket to the upper position, opened the bottom vents all the way, and let it come up in temp (around 450 on the BP side thermometer). Apple wood was burning so I took them and threw the to the bottom of the drum on my ash pan.
For the sauce, I made two, one not spicy at all (for my kids) and one with just a little kick.
Each sauce had 3/4 stick of butter, squirted enough honey to cover the butter prior to melting. I added a couple tablespoons of the rub, and then for the kids sauce about 1/2 bottle of sweet baby rays and a big squirt of ketchup. For the other sauce I added 1/2 bottle of sweet baby rays sweet and spicy and a big squirt of ketchup. It wasn't spicy enough so I kept on sprinkling in some more cayenne until it was just right. As I noticed it thickening I did add some water back in, and a little more butter.
From there I tossed the wings in the sauce, put them back on the drum to crisp the skin a bit and maybe caramelize the sauce a bit in batches by sauce (kids, spicy, and none) and just kept flipping them for a couple minutes to keep them from burning.
Spicy
All three varieties
The kids and wife enjoyed them as much as me. My daughter even liked the ones with just a little kick.
I'm sure this could be improved upon by more seasoned cooks, but I was definitely pleased with the results.