Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe on a Traeger Grill
Smoking meat is one of the most popular ways to cook one.
Smoked Chicken Wings on a Traeger grill is one of the best things you can make if you own a Traeger grill.
So, in this recipe, we are going to make smoked chicken wings that will blow your mind.
Once you have tasted the results of smoking any kind of meat, there is hardly going back to what you were used to.
Traeger Grills are one of the best grills on the market right now and when combined with one of the best finger foods, the chicken wings, we guarantee you that it will be the best one yet.
Chicken packs a lot of protein so you can eat a lot of it and not gain weight so long as you keep exercising to make sure that the protein goes to the muscle tears that need fixing.
As for smoking, you get a lot of flavors in the smoke alone, but it is important that you prepare the recipe the right way so that you can get the best finishes in your chicken wings.
Not to worry, we have a recipe here that you can do.
Frying chicken wings is not that hard of a job to do, that would go the same with smoking them.
This recipe is pretty easy and you can do it in just a matter of minutes.
So whether you are staying at home for dinner or going to a watch party, this recipe will surely take over the meals.
Traeger Grills are a really huge help in this recipe or in almost any recipe.
They are very versatile and they allow you to cook with precise temperatures and timers.
Another great thing about Traeger Grills is that you can cook in them without missing a single minute of the game that you are watching as the grills can be controlled through your phone.
So if you are in the middle of the game and you are looking for something to eat while watching, then get your Traeger Grill ready and follow this simple recipe.
Smoked Chicken Wings on a Traeger Grill
– 2 pounds of Chicken Wings
– 4 cups of water
– 1/4 cup salt
– 1/2 cup brown sugar
– 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
– 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes
– 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
– Half teaspoon of granulated onions
– 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
– 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle chili pepper
– 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
– 1/4 teaspoon of Traeger Rub
Procedure
Step 1. Brine the Chicken Wings
This process does not take that long but it needs to be done early on.
Get 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of salt, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes.
Put them in a bowl and then mix them well together.
Once they are mixed, add the 4 cups of water and then whisk it until the sugar and the salt have dissolved.
You can use the same bowl and put the chicken wings in the brine or you can go for an easier zip lock so you can press the brine into the chicken wings.
Either way, keep the brine and the chicken covered and let the wings brine for at least a day in the fridge.
You can also go overnight if you want the wings to be cooked in the morning.
Step 2. Fire up the Traeger Grill
Since it takes a little bit of time for the grill to heat up, you need to do this before the other steps.
Load the pellet hopper with a full load of wood pellets of your choice.
You can go as high as you want so long as the grill heats up in the fastest way possible.
When the grill has heated up and the chicken is ready for cooking, turn it down to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Close the lid of the grill and let it warm down until it reaches the desired temperature.
This will also allow it to keep all the smoke inside.
If your Traeger grill has the SuperSmoke feature, turn it on as well.
Step 3. Rinse
Get the chicken wings out of the refrigerator and then rinse them.
Do not worry about the brine washing off as it has been absorbed inside the meat.
Pat them dry with a paper towel and then proceed to the dry rub.
Step 4. The Dry Rub
Get the other 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, half teaspoon of granulated onions, the chipotle chile pepper, smoked paprika, and the Traeger Rub.
Mix them evenly in a bowl and then place the chicken wings in it.
Coat each wing with the rub making sure that all sides of the chicken are covered with the rub.
Step 5. Smoke
Place the chicken wings on the grill grate and let them sit there for up to an hour and a half. You can also go for an hour if you are in a hurry.
Keep the lid of the grill closed so that the wings can take in all the flavor that the smoke brings.
Remove the wings from the grill and let them sit on a cutting board for a few minutes
Step 6. Final Grill
While the chicken wings are resting, turn up the temperature of the Traeger Grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and close the lid to preheat it for 15 minutes.
Once the Traeger Grill has reached 450 degrees, place the chicken wings back into the grill and let them grill for at least 3 minutes.
This final grill process will turn the skin of the chicken wings to a golden brown and will come out crispier than when they were initially smoked.
Step 7. Serve
Remove the chicken wings from the grill, put them on a plate and you can serve them immediately.
Notes
1. You can serve it with any sauce that you want but the brined and rubbed chicken wings are good enough even without the sauce.
2. You can keep the brine and rub simple if you do not have the other ingredients.
Tips
When making chicken wings, we are accustomed to frying them.
But smoking is a little bit healthier with less cholesterol and fats due to the non-usage of oil.
So here are some tips to make your chicken wings healthier and your grilling or smoking easier.
Use Traeger Pellets
Traeger offers its own wood pellets that you can use in your grill.
They have a lot of types of pellets to offer that you can choose from for a different flavor on your chicken wings.
The benefit of buying pellets from Traeger is to ensure that you have the best quality of pellets for the grill that you have.
See, there are some types of wood that will not do well as pellets.
Traeger removes that doubt by making the pellets themselves.
So you can choose from apple, mesquite, hickory, and so much more wood pellets.
Use the App
Traeger uses an app that allows you to connect the grill to your WiFi.
This way, you can control it wherever you are as long as your mobile device is also connected to the same WiFi source.
You can download the app on your phone and it will tell you exactly what the temperature is in the Traeger Grill and how much time is left for the chicken wings to be cooking.
This is really great especially when you are watching a game with your family so that you can enjoy the game while cooking the food at the same time.
Conclusion
Chicken wings are in line with pizza and fries as best finger foods.
It is really enjoyable and easy to cook so now, you can spice it up and mix it with a delicious flavor from the smoke of your grill.
Some models of the Traeger Grill have the SuperSmoke feature that enhances the smoke that is produced by the pellet so that the taste and flavor will stick to the food being cooked.
So if you are looking for the best Traeger Grill, we cannot say that for sure but purchasing any of the models with the SuperSmoke will be a great bargain.
So while waiting for the game that you are watching to start, prepare the chicken wings and get them smoking so you have some snacks while watching.
You can also cook this recipe when you are having fun and games in the backyard or just simply relaxing by the pool.
This is a perfect recipe for relaxing and almost any activity that you do!
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