"Based on his love for lemon pepper wings, Rasheed kicks things up a notch with a Scotch bonnet pepper sauce that delivers tons of heat with a subtle vinegar tang. He complements that flavor profile with citrus notes throughout the rest of the dish, most notably from lemon juice and lemon zest. Smoking the wings on the Blaze kamado only adds another layer of mouthwatering flavor, and this chicken wing recipe expertly uses 2-zone cooking to achieve crispy results right at the finish line."
For the Chicken Wings
4–5 pounds chicken wings
1 gallon of water (for the brine)
½ cup salt (for the brine)
For the Binder
¼ cup yellow mustard
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Black pepper, to taste
Poultry rub, to taste
For the Wing Sauce
3 Scotch bonnet peppers
1 stick unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
¼ cup chicken stock
Juice of ¾ of a lemon
For Garnish
Zest of 1 lemon
- Mix the brining solution, place in the chicken wings, and allow them to brine in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Rinse the brine off the wings before seasoning.
- Once the wings have brined and you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill to 275°F–300°F. Toss in 2 chunks of smoking wood — pecan works well for chicken wings. Arrange a 2-zone cooking setup by placing half-moon head deflectors over one half of the grill, preferably the side closest to you so direct heat stays in the back of the grill.
- Slice the Scotch bonnet peppers in half, then set aside.
- Toss the brined and rinsed wings in yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and your poultry rub of choice.
- Once the grill is preheated, place the wings on the indirect-heat side above the heat deflectors. Smoke for about 45 minutes to an hour, and aim for an internal temperature of 165°F.
- While the wings smoke, place the Scotch bonnet pepper halves (with the seeds still in) over direct heat and roast for about 3–5 minutes before setting aside. This brings out the oils for a deeper flavor and more heat in the sauce. (Pro tip: if you want to keep the heat to a minimum, you can get by with just half a pepper.)
- After the wings have smoked for about 40 minutes, move them to the direct-heat area. Grill the wings until crispy, about 5–7 minutes.
- Place stick of unsalted butter in a small, grill-safe bowl, and set it over indirect heat for just a few minutes. This will cause it to render, separate, and pick up some smokiness.
- In a food processor or blender, add charred Scotch bonnet peppers, melted butter, olive oil, honey, chicken stock, and lemon juice. Blend until a smooth sauce forms.
- Move wings from the grill to a large mixing bowl, then top them with the Scotch bonnet sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with some lemon zest and enjoy!