Dry-rub chicken wings
You know that it ALWAYS starts with a GOOD RUB!
Bad A$$ Mutha Cluckers
(Dry-rub chicken wings)
These crowd pleasing Dry-rub chicken wings recipe starts with a smokey spicy poultry rub featuring smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and chipotle. You can heat it up at the end with some extra sauce or keep them naked.
This poultry rub is also very tasty on any cut of chicken, turkey, and is great in a smoked fish dip (soon to be published).
A Good Rub
For my b*tches who ALWAYS ask for an aphrodesi’hack’, I recommend using a 2 Gringo’s Chupacabra Wing Rub or another poultry rub that has paprika, chili flakes or chili powder. You can see from this picture above, the house-made stuff looks a lot more appealing (and there aren’t any extra additives). Chupacbra is a good alternative. I would recommend that you finish the rub the lazy ass way with a sprinkling of course black pepper or ground chipotle to give it that extra special finish.
Dress or Undress?
Before the rub can be applied, you need to dress (or is that undress?) the wings by cutting off the tips. I also like to cut the skin at the joint between the flat and drum. This allows for the post cook separation easier.
Liberally rub your wings with your bad ass smoking rub (or you lazy ass rub). No judgement.
Happy Time for
Dry-rub chicken wings
Then it’s time to let the wings get HAPPY. Let the wing rest in the fridge for at least 30mins. I like to let my rubs work for a good hour or two. This allows all the flavors to penetrate … the skin.
These Dry-rub Chicken Wings take a little fore … thought. Your next decision is how are you gonna cook these mutha cluckers. This is a very important decision as it does change the flavor profile. Your choice is using a grill / smoker or an air-fyer. Using an oven hasn’t really resulted in any satisfaction. Then again, I’m partial to doing it outdoors.
Right before you put the cluckers on the grill / smoker / air-fryer, spray cooking oil on both sides so that the skin will crisp up.
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Using a Smoker or a Gas Grill
The Wood
While your cluckers are getting HAPPY, letting that rub penetrate, it’s time to soak the wood … chips for your gas grill. Take a double handful of your wood … chips and put them in a bowl full of water. Let them soak for at least an hour. After you light your gas grill, transfer the wet wood to an aluminum pouch and poke some holes in it for the smoke to escape. Place off to the side of the grill. As the grill heats up the smoke will start, and THAT’S when you put the wings on.
When using a smoker or a gas grill, you should use fruit wood chips for your smokey element. Mesquite and Post Oak is a big NO, as it overpowers the meat.
We are Big Green Egg fans as it is THE BEST way to add that smokey deliciousness that truly satisfies. Just add a couple of handfuls of the wood chips after you get your fire going. If you don’t have the pleasure of using a BGE, you can still get satisfaction with your gas grill with some well prepared wood.
At our house, we take it up a notch by using grill grates, which helps with keeping the cluckers in indirect heat and giving that skin a little crunch. *Sorry for geeking out – smoking is a delicious science.
Using an Air-Fryer or Instapot
for Dry-rub Chicken Wings
I’m fessin’ up – I’ve never used an Insta-pot. But I’ve been told it can air fry. Please use the comment section below to educate me!
I do have a Ninja Air Fryer. It was a life saver when my oven went out and there was a delay on getting parts.
Even though I’m a fan of using the grill / smoker method because of the added smokey flavor profile, the air fryer hot wings were VERY satisfying. Comments from friends and family were surrounded about the skin bite and moisture.
With this method of cooking, I would recommend saucing it up with your favorite hot wing sauce or trying out our simple hot wing sauce.
5 Responses
Excellent wings! Making the rub from scratch is totally worth it, as is letting them rest in the fridge post rub. Both really add to the flavor. I haven’t made these wings on the grill yet, but they turned out great in the air fryer. Very moist and flavorful, definitely a hit!
I wasn’t buying the Bad Ass part- until I tasted them. Spices are just right